Hiking & outdoor recreationLength2.1 km
Duration(1,5 hours)
Degree of difficultyHard
From the starting point, you can see Yllästunturi Fell and its treeless boulder fields in front of you. During the hike, you can learn more about the diverse nature of the Taiga forest and enjoy some snacks in the yard at Varkaankuru. A 1-km rock dust trail leads to Varkaankuru Lapp hut. This out-and-back trail has relatively large differences in elevation and protruding rocks in some places that make it more difficult to travel with a wheeled assistive device. During the spring, meltwaters may affect the route by causing transverse grooves in the paths. Trail users with reduced mobility usually require an assistant and a mobility aid designed for use in nature.
The trail can only be used during the snow-free season
Campfire siteVarkaankurun campfire hut. Always check for any wildfire warnings in effect before making a fire.
Demanding accessible nature trailTrail users with reduced mobility usually require an assistant and a mobility aid designed for use in nature.
Dry toiletRemember to bring toilet paper.
Camping not permitted
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 pointYlläs Ski Resort Äkäslompolo ja Ihmisen rinki parking area
A paved parking area at Ylläs Ski Resort Äkäslompolo and the Ihmisen Rinki outdoor theatre. There are no designated parking spaces for people with reduced mobility
The trail is described from the starting point in one direction. Follow the brown Varkaankuru signs from the starting point. This trail is used by people with reduced mobility, families, people walking with pets and cyclists. The start of the trail is coarse gravel and sand for approximately 50 metres, after which it become a smoother rock dust surface. The trail climbs slightly but is level and 1.5 metres wide. The narrowest section of the trail is approximately 70 cm wide. The steepest points of the trail have a longitudinal slope of 13% over a distance of 7 metres. In total, the trail climbs 26 metres over a distance of 600 metres.
Follow the hardened trail for 0.4 km, then turn right and continue for another 0.7 km. Approximately 50 metres before Varkaankuru campfire hut, the trail descends to the bridge across the rippling waters of Varkaanoja Stream. The bridge is built of transverse round metal bars with gaps of approximately 2 cm between them. Both sides of the bridge have a handrail to the halfway point. The transition point from the bridge to the ground is uneven. From the bridge, the trail climbs gently for approximately 30 metres to the campfire site and campfire hut.
The yard of the Varkaankuru campfire hut is sloping. The base is rock dust, but it is uneven in places due to loose stones and grooves caused by meltwaters. All but one of the benches at the campfire site in the yard are fixed in place. You can move that bench closer to the campfire sit to enjoy some snacks. Siberian Jays (Perisoreus infaustus) and tits are often delight hikers as they flit from tree to tree.
You can reach the campfire hut by walking to the upper slope, which has a 10% longitudinal slope over a 7-metre distance. The slope into the hut has a longitudinal slope of 6%. The ramp has wooden handrails on both sides. The ramp leads to a platform (210 x 170 cm), from which it is difficult to open the hut door by hand from a wheelchair. The hut is large enough for a wheelchair, but the threshold into the hut is 15 cm high. The clear width of the door is 90 cm.
There are non-accessible dry toilets in the hut yard, and the longitudinal slope of the path leading to them is 8-10% over a distance of approximately 30 metres. The slope of the ramp leading from the top of the hill to the toilets is 12%. The ramp has no handrail. The clear width of the toilet doors is 90 cm and a wheelchair can fit inside, but there is a 15-cm high threshold to the toilets. There are stairs into the wood shed in the yard and it is not accessible. There is a handrail on one side of the stairs. The Varkaanlampi lookout point is located about 50 metres below the Lapp hut. The trail is not accessible and there are no signs to the lookout platform.
The distance from the campfire hut back to the starting point is 1.1 km along the same route.
End pointYlläs Ski Resort Äkäslompolo ja Ihmisen rinki parking area