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Saana summit trail

—•Hiking Trails

4.2 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Saana kesäretkeilyreitti+

Description

For up-to-date restrictions, seasonal access, and how Saana is approached after route changes, the Luontoon.fi page for this trail is the place to start. Enontekiö Arctic Lapland also summarises Saana in the Kilpisjärvi area for trip planning. The Saana summit trail is about 4.2 km one way from Mallan ja Saanan pysäköintialue: a marked hiking line toward the summit of Saana (1029 m) above Kilpisjärvi in Enontekiö, Lapland. The path leaves the expanded Malla parking through mountain birch; roughly 1.1 km in you reach Saanan kota, an open day-use kota with firewood, with dry toilets nearby—good for a break before the steeper open fell. The climb continues on sandy, rocky ground with granite steps (renewed in 2019; often counted at a little over 200 steps) and orange-tipped wooden posts marking the way. From the top, views open across Käsivarsi, Kilpisjärvi, and neighbouring fells in Finland, Sweden, and Norway; a visitor book sits at the high point. Saana is culturally significant and widely introduced as a Sámi sacred fell in visitor material. In summer 2025 Metsähallitus withdrew the summer hiking route where it crossed the lehtojensuojelualue south of Saana, because the habitat and spring-influenced wet ground could not sustain the level of use; full circulation around Saana on bare ground in summer was therefore no longer available along the old southern alignment, and long-distance routes such as links toward Saanajärvi and Kalottireitti were rerouted to pass north of Saana. Saanajärven kesäretkeilyreitti (Mallan pysäköintialueelta) uses the same trailhead parking and was part of the same planning updates. From the car park you can also connect to Pikku-Mallan polku or join longer walks on Mallan polku when those trails are open under strict-reserve rules. Check Luontoon.fi before you travel for what is open in the season you plan. Map & Boots captures how the stairs and summit views feel on a typical fine-weather day. Kilpisjärven Retkeilykeskus publishes a practical Finnish guide to clothing, timing, dogs, and kota use that remains useful background even when official alignments change.

Length & route

About 4.2 km one way from Mallan ja Saanan pysäköintialue to the summit along this mapped line; return the same way. The parking-based variant was described as slightly longer than the Kilpisjärven Retkeilykeskus start. After 2025, check which segments Metsähallitus keeps open by season.

Getting there

Historically, many hikers started from Mallan ja Saanan pysäköintialue on Käsivarrentie (free day parking; overnight stays in the car park are not allowed). Another common start was Kilpisjärven Retkeilykeskus, joining the same summit path higher on the fell after roughly a kilometre in the forest. After the 2025 southern-route closure, verify on Luontoon.fi which approaches and connectors are in use for your season.

Good to know

Mallan alue on tiukan luonnonpuiston sääntöjen alainen: pysy merkityillä reiteillä ja noudata jätelakia—roskapönttöjä ei ole. Kodassa ei saa yöpyä; telttailu on mahdollista jokaisenoikeuden rajoissa kodan lähistöllä, kun se on säännöissä sallittua. Metsähallitus on kiinnittänyt huomiota myös roskaamiseen ja väärään wc-käyttäytymiseen luonnonpuistossa. Ukosta ja huonosta näkyvyydestä kannattaa luopua.

History

Visitor-facing writing often recounts Sámi stories connecting Saana, Malla, and Kilpisjärvi. Granite stairs replaced older wooden structures in 2019. German wartime positions and a 1942 aircraft crash site appear in local hiking lore and guided accounts. In 2025 Metsähallitus ended use of the southern summer alignment through the lehtojensuojelualue because of ecological carrying capacity.

Managed by

Enontekiö

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Out and back from the parking side described in Luontoon.fi for this trail entry.

Route direction

Lake

Fell / Mountain

Area

Black posts with orange tips.

Route Signs

Luontoon.fi – Saana kesäretkeilyreitti+

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

4.2 km

Distance

Many sources suggest about 3–5 hours for a return trip when the full summit path is in use; slow pacing, photos, and weather can push longer.

Est. Time

Fell path, rocky

Surface

Point-to-Point

Route Type

Heavy Traffic

Traffic

2019 (granite stairs)

Renovation years

Kilpisjärven Retkeilykeskus – Retkeilyopas Saanalle+

Location

69.06019°N, 20.77153°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

EnontekiöCity

KilpisjärviVillage

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 TrailsSaana summit trail