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Montell fell hike

—•Hiking Trails

4.3 km

Route

Description

Luontoon.fi – Montellin tunturiretki+

Description

Montell fell hike is about 4.3 km one way through Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park near Enontekiö in Lapland. It leaves the Vuontisjärvi parking area, skirts the lake shore, then climbs a wide, gravelled track through mountain birch before reaching the open fell and the Montell cabin saddle on the Hetta-Pallas vaellusreitti. Looking back you can pick out Vuontisjärvi below the forest belt; Vuontiskero and Saivokero frame the view toward the shelter. For official trail and national-park information, use the Luontoon.fi trail page. Enontekiö Arctic Lapland’s hiking hub ties the spur into the wider Yli-Kyrö network and links onward reading. At the start of the route you already have day-use structures: Montellin uusi kota for cooking out of the weather, Montellin tulentekopaikka for an outdoor fire, and a dry toilet in the same cluster—read more on our pages for the kota and campfire spot. The historic log cabin known as Montellinmaja is a landmark beside the long-distance path; Metsähallitus ended open wilderness-hut stays there several years ago, and Retkipaikka’s updated cabin note is the clearest plain-language summary for visitors. Day stops still work well: Taipaleita’s Vuontisjärvi–Montell walk describes brown signage toward Montellinmaja, steady climbing after the first easy kilometre, and how the shelter sits above the treeline. Matkalla Missä Milloinkin walked the same spur as a calm half-day alternative to busier Pallas circuits and notes the gravel highway also suits careful mountain bikers. From the saddle you can continue either direction on the Hetta-Pallas vaellusreitti; Nammalakuru autiotupa lies about a kilometre away on signed travel for those linking hut stages. Raattaman ladut and the long Hetta–Hietajärvi–Vuontisjärvi–Hannukuru summer trail meet the same landscape nearby if you are stitching multi-day or ski-season plans, though ski routes follow their own marking. Most people allow a few hours up and down with breaks at the kota in normal summer conditions.

Length & route

The trail is about 4.3 km one way from the Vuontisjärvi trailhead cluster to the Montell cabin saddle on the Hetta-Pallas vaellusreitti; most walkers return the same way, so allow for roughly twice the distance plus any onward leg if you continue hut-to-hut. After an easy first kilometre beside Vuontisjärvi the gradient firms through birch forest before opening onto fell shoulder walking. Matkalla Missä Milloinkin quotes Luontoon.fi’s end-to-end walking-time guidance for a round outing in casual pacing.

Getting there

Drive toward Vuontispirtintie in Raattama. Taipaleita’s autumn field note uses Vuontispirtintie 267 with precise coordinates for Vuontispirtti (68°09′14.4″N 24°07′10.8″E) and describes passing the Vuontispirtti holiday hotel before the national park boards and a large car park; the builder turns right where hiking signs branch after the Kyrön Loma sign and a 30 km/h limit, with the signpost noting about 4 km from that junction to the cabin. Enontekiö Arctic Lapland lists the spur under Yli-Kyrö hiking and points to Luontoon for the canonical track sheet. Expect snowmobile or ski track crossings near the shore in winter—give local traffic space.

Good to know

Carry water and windproof layers; weather on the Pallastunturi fells shifts quickly even on a short climb. Respect overnight rules: stay planning must follow current Metsähallitus instructions for the cabin, kota use, and firewood rather than assuming historic hut access. Retkipaikka lists coordinates for map users who prefer Finnish grid references.

History

Metsänhoitaja ja luonnontieteilijä Justus Elias Montell (1869–1954) rakennutti Vuontiskeron ja Saivokeron väliseen satulaan tukikohdan vuonna 1906 kasvi- ja eläintutkimusretkiään varten. Saksalaiset joukot polttivat rakennuksen syksyllä 1944; Raattaman ja Keräs-Siepin poromiehet rakensivat uuden majan vuonna 1946. Montellin ehdotuksesta perustettiin vuonna 1916 Mallan luonnonpuisto, Suomen ensimmäinen luonnonsuojelualue. Esimerkiksi Retkipaikka ja Taipaleita kertovat elämäkerrallisia yksityiskohtia ja matkailijan näkökulmaa, ja myöhemmät Metsähallituksen käyttörajoitukset kodan ja varautumisen aikaan on syytä tarkistaa Luontoon.fi:stä ennen retkeä.

Managed by

Enontekiö

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Most people ascend from Vuontisjärvi and return the same way; you may continue either direction on the Hetta-Pallas vaellusreitti from the saddle.

Route direction

National Park

Area

Lake

Brown directional signage toward Montellinmaja along the gravel track.

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Taipaleita – Vuontisjärveltä Montellin majalle

Activities allowed

Ski

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Bike

Activity

Terrain & conditions

4.3 km

Distance

about 2–4 hours round trip including breaks (typical summer day hike)

Est. Time

Gravel and dirt

Surface

Point-to-Point, Wide Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

No Shade

Shade

1906

Construction year

1946

Renovation years

Location

68.13843°N, 24.04069°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

EnontekiöCity

RaattamaVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Enontekiö, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.

Finland Lapland Enontekiö Hiking TrailsMontell fell hike