Arctic Circle Hiking Area — Attraction in Rovaniemi sub-region

The Arctic Circle Hiking Area offers a wonderfully accessible and enjoyable taste of classic Finnish Lapland nature, conveniently located just a short drive north of Rovaniemi. It's not a vast, remote wilderness park, but rather a well managed area perfect for a day trip.

Location & Accessibility: The hiking area is located roughly 20-25 km north of Rovaniemi city center. It’s easily reachable by car, since it's located close to the main E75 road. There are several starting points with parking areas, notably Vaattunkiköngäs and Vikaköngäs.

The Hiking Experience: Expect typical Finnish forest landscapes. Predominantly pine and spruce forests, interspersed with mires, small lakes, and the Raudanjoki river with its rapids. The terrain is generally flat, making it accessible for everyone. The area has a network of well-marked trails ranging from short nature trails around 1-2 km, to longer loops up to 10 km, or even more if combining routes. The trails are mostly easy to moderate. This isn't the place for challenging alpine hikes, but rather for peaceful walks immersed in nature. It's excellent for families with children and casual walkers. Around April to May, the paths will be wet, muddy and icy in places, as the snow cover slowly melts. Boardwalks can be very slippery. Waterproof hiking boots are essential. Some trails might be difficult or...

Really enjoyed this trail that has duckboards most of the way. Easy drive from Rovaniemi. Lots of maps and other info at the start of the trail including 2 outhouses. First part of trail has lots of river crossings and views. Informative signs in Finnish, German, and English provide fun insights, especially for foreign travelers. We went on a Tuesday afternoon and saw only one other person. Most of the trail is incredibly quiet and peaceful, and it you bring some supplies and food there is a nice place to BBQ. Lots of mosquitos in early June but they only sting for a second and didn’t itch a lot like American...

On the E75 drive past the Appuka resort on your right. Keep going and you'll see a blue sign on your left. Turn immediately right. There's a car park there, or carry on going down the long road and there's parking at the bottom. Parking is free. There are toilets there too. ( outdoor ones ) The walks can be extremely long or very short. Paths are signed. Alot of the paths are on wooden duck boards so you won't get muddy feet. There are alot of huts and firepits, most of which are used to cook sausages on.

A great place for a long or very short hike. Definitely...