Sevettijärvi - Pulmanki Trail

Northern Lapland Region
Municipalities of Inari (www.inari.fi, in Finnish) and Utsjoki (www.utsjoki.fi)
Kaldoaivi Wilderness Area and Sevettijärvi-Näätämö Area

The Sevettijärvi - Pulmanki Trail leads through the vast Kaldoaivi Wilderness Area. The trail is about 60 - 70 km depending on the route you choose. At its southern end the trail leads through pine forest, but when moving northward the terrain becomes more rugged fell upland and there are only birch trees growing along the trail. The trail is marked with orange-topped wooden poles.

By the beginning of June snows have usually melted from the wilderness area, but this is when the area’s rivers and streams flood. The best time to hike is from late June to the beginning of October.

Winter Trail

There is also a winter trail between Sevettijärvi and Pulmanki, which is approximately 70 km long. The trail is marked with signs baring red X-symbols.

The winter trail is intended for skiers. Not even those with snowmobile permits are allowed to drive along it. There is a separate snowmobile track from Sevettijärvi to Nuorgam. The track is marked with signs baring red Xs. The winter trail and snowmobile track follow the same route from Sevettijärvi to Opukasjärvi. At Opukasjärvi they part ways only to meet again at Tsaarajärvi.

The route of the winter trail differs from that of the summer trail; the winter trail travels at a lower altitude across mires and frozen lakes. The winter trail is not maintained, but it is travelled regularly on snowmobile by Metsähallitus maintenance workers, the Finnish Border Guard and local reindeer herders. Skiers must be prepared to open the trail themselves during early winter and after snowfall.