Northern Lapland Region
Municipalities of Inari (www.inari.fi), Kittilä (www.kittila.fi) and Sodankylä (www.sodankyla.fi)
Area: 1825
sq.km. Established in 1991.
The area is managed by Metsähallitus.
Hammastunturi Wilderness Area is located in the
forest and fell area between Urho Kekkonen
National Park and Lemmenjoki National
Park. The core part of the area is the upland of Kehäpää, Hammastunturi and
Appistunturi Fells, the highest tops of which rise up to 500 metres. The
northern limit of spruce growth crosses the wilderness area, and the spruce
forests of the southern part are replaced by pine forests in the north.
Hammastunturi Wilderness Area has had a colourful history in the last two
centuries. Before the Inari - Pokka road was built, the areas of Hammastunturi
Fell and River Lemmenjoki formed one of the largest roadless backwoods in
Finland. In the past, the area has been used for reindeer herding, there has
been a gold rush and, later, roads and villages have been built. During the gold
rush, there were hundreds of people living in Kultala Village along River
Ivalojoki. The number of gold diggers was equal to the number of actual
inhabitants in Inari altogether.
