Hiking & outdoor recreationLength25.5 km
Duration(2-3 days)
Degree of difficultyMedium
The Kultareitti Trail at Lemmenjoki goes through changing terrain, intersecting with important gold-digging areas. Along the trail you can find, for example, the reconstruction of Karhu-Korhonen’s automated gold-digging mine in Jäkälä-äytsi, the Karhu-Korhonen Library, Morgamoja retaining walls, the first gold discovery site, the Morgamoja Kultala Hut and the Pihlajamäki yard. It is recommended to start the trail from Lake Ravadasjärvi, which means that the climb up the fell will be gentler. Then you can descend the steeper “hengenahdistuksen mäki” (“short-of-breath hill”) down to Kultahamina. Lake Ravadasjärvi can be reached by the Lemmenjoki tour boat, and you can return from Kultahamina to Njurgulahti by boat. You can also start hiking the Kultareitti Trail at Lemmenjoki from Njurgulahti, where the start of the trail follows the hiking trail by the river. If you do, the starting point is a Metsähallitus parking area, and the length of the trail is in total about 62 kilometres.
- River valley landscape
- Treeless open fell
- Old pine forest
- Information boards about the history of gold mining, geology, and gold mining methods
Circle trailThe recommended direction of travel is counterclockwise.
The area/trail is not safe to use during the winter
The trail can only be used during the snow-free seasonThe trail marking in the forested area is an orange paint marking on trees and an orange wooden post on the ground on the open fells.
Campfire siteAlways check for any wildfire warnings in effect before making a fire.
Camping permittedCamping is only permitted in the immediate vicinity of marked rest areas and campfire sites and huts in the river valley, and according to everyman’s rights elsewhere in the national park.
HutRavadasjärvi Open wilderness hut, Máttit Ravadas Day-use hut, Morgamoja Open Wilderness and Rental hut and Open Wilderness Hut in Kultahamina.
Dry toiletRemember to bring toilet paper.
Remember to bring a trash bagThere are no waste bins on the trail. Bring along your own trash bag and take your waste out with you when leaving.
No water pointYou can get water from fell streams; we recommend boiling your water.
Contact information
Startpoints: Ravadasjärvi: ETRS89 (~WGS84) 68° 41.256', 25° 58.259' ETRS-TM35FIN 7619878, 458263 Parking area of Metsähallitus in Njurkulahti Cordinates: Euref-Fin (~ WGS84) lat: 68° 45.0984' lon: 26° 13.2005' ETRS-TM35FIN P: 7626869m I: 468453m
From Lake Ravadasjärvi, climb approximately three kilometres through a hilly pine forest to the Ravadasniemi campfire site and camping area, which is at the intersection of two rivers.
The route follows the Máttit Ravadas River for 3 kilometres through moderately easy terrain on the edge of a pine forest to the Máttit Ravadas campfire site and camping area.
From Máttit Ravadas, the trail continues along a gentle uphill slope for 2.5 km towards the Jäkälä-äytsi Gorge. A reconstruction of Korhonen’s automated gold-digging mine is on display in the gorge.
First, climb the steep short hill from the Jäkälä-äytsi Gorge, which get gentler as you approach the slope of the Jäkäläpää Fell. The descent and ascent to and from the Jäkälä-äytsi Gorge are steep and there are rocks on the trail which makes this the most challenging part of the trail. The Karhu-Korhonen Library is 2 kilometres away from the gorge.
From the Karhu-Korhonen Library, continue along the fell slope through easy terrain for 3.6 kilometres southwest, towards the Pihlajamäki yard.
From Pihlajamäki, continue for 5 km through easy, open fell terrain towards the Morgamoja Kultala Hut, where you can find a rental hut, an open wilderness hut and a tent area.
After the Morgamoja Kultala Hut, descend for 3 kilometres towards the Kapsuoja tent area, through which you can visit the first gold discovery site. The 1.5-kilometre section to Kultahamina goes through an old-growth pine forest.