Hiking & outdoor recreationLength4.4 km
Duration(3 hours)
Degree of difficultyMedium
Montellin tunturiretki Trail takes hikers to the open fells and offers a diverse experience of Lapland nature. The surrounding nature is vibrant, and you can see Lapland’s wide range of flora along the way. You can walk or cycle on the trail. Although the trail is easy terrain, it climbs up to the fell and this makes it moderate in terms of difficulty. The area around Montell’s Hut offers a historical campsite and an opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet of the fells. Montell’s Hut is named after Justus Montell, who was a botanist and a forester in Muonio-Enontekiö. The hut was built in the early 1900s, and after the wars it was rebuilt by the Kyrö reindeer herding cooperative. Today, the hut is locked and serves as an attraction.
The trail can only be used during the snow-free season
Multi-purpose trailYou can hike, bike or run along the trail. Please note other trail users (moving at different speeds)
Campfire siteMontell's campfire hut. Always check for any wildfire warnings in effect before making a fire.
Camping permittedn the Special zone, Recreational zone and Cultural zone Camping is permitted only in the vicinity of wilderness huts, campfire huts and campfire sites. Camping is forbidden in the restricted zones.
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.
Contact information
Starting pointVuontisjärvi pysäköintialue
The trail starts at the Vuontisjärvi parking area. Follow the signs for Montell's Hut. The first 100 metres of the trail runs along the gravel-based Porosaivontie road and turns along Vuontisporontie road for the next 500 metres before coming to national park gate. Follow the brown signpost for Tunturi-Lapin taival Trail. The total distance travelled is 600 metres.
The gravel-based trail continues and provides easy walking near the shores of Vuontisjärvi Lake. On this section, you can admire the fell landscape and peaceful lake ahead of you. The trail crosses a bridge over Välijoki River and then climbs up to the forest line and an information board. The total distance travelled is 1.4 km. At the information board, follow the brown signpost towards Montell's Hut.
The forested trail hugs the shores of the lake for another 300 metres and begins to climb Röyninkuru Ravine to the fell, with the lake remaining behind you. The trail is easy to walk but the climb up to the fell is moderately difficult for 2.7 km.
During the gentle climb up the fell, the forested landscape becomes a mountain birch forest and eventually an open fell. While ascending, it’s a good idea to take breaks to have a drink and catch your breath. At the same time, you can try to identify, for example, a Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris) and Heath Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata). The trail is gravel from the tree line onwards.
Shortly after arriving at the open fell, you can see the Montell’s Hut hiking structures in a valley between the fell summits. The total distance travelled is 4.3 km.
There is an old locked hut, toilets, a wood shed and Lapp hut in the yard at Montell’s Hut. A spring is located near the yard. Take the same route back to the Vuontisjärvi parking area. The total distance travelled is approximately 8.7 km.
End pointVuontisjärvi pysäköintialue