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Joenkielinen Summer Hiking Trail

—•Hiking Trails

16.1 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Joenkielinen kesäretkeilyreitti+

Description

The Joenkielinen kesäretkeilyreitti is a demanding marked summer hiking route in Lemmenjoki National Park, in Inari, Lapland. The trail is about 16.1 km along the same Joenkielinen circuit that Metsähallitus documents for snow-free conditions, with route facts and maps on Luontoon.fi. Finland’s largest national park sits in genuine Sámi homeland; for park rules, services, and safety, follow the Lemmenjoen kansallispuisto material on Luontoon.fi. Retkipaikka lists Joenkielisen kierros among the park ring routes and describes a 16 km circuit from Njurkulahti up Joenkielinen fell. Early on the route you pass the Sotkajärvi shore cluster: Sotkajärvi telttailualue, Sotkajärvi puolilaavu, and Sotkajärvi palo laituri, with a firewood shelter and waste point at Sotkajärvi polttopuusuoja kuivakäymäla jätepiste. Kaapin Jouni laituri on the Lemmenjoki corridor and nearby Kaapin Jouni kuivakäymälä 3 sit only a few kilometres along—useful if you arrive by boat from traditional farms on the riverbank. Muurahaislampi, Muurahaislampi telttailualue, and Muurahaislampi kuivakäymälä form a compact rest area beside the pond. Njurkulahti pysäköintialue, roughly midway along this 16.1 km line, is the usual car trailhead for many day hikers; dry toilets sit beside Njurkulahti pysäköintialue kuivakäymälä. After the parking spur the path dives deeper into the park toward the Juurakkojoki gorge: Juurakkojoki tulipaikka, Juurakkojoen sääsuoja, Juurakkojoki kota, and Juurakko-ojan kammi cluster together with Juurakkojoki kuivakäymälä, a strong lunch stop before the steep climb to open fell. From there the marked trail reaches Joenkielinen fell (summit near 534 m) with wide views over Lemmenjoki valley and distant fells—the payoff described on Luontoon.fi. The route shares trail sections with Joenkielisen kierros, crosses terrain used by Njurkulahti luontopolku near the car park, and can be combined mentally with Lemmenjoki Gold Trail and the long Solojärvi - Muddusjärvi - Njurkulahti vesiretkeilyreitti paddling corridor at water crossings; Stuorravárri polku branches nearby where those networks meet. Johanna Suomela’s Maisemaonnellinen blog gives ground-level detail: orange marking, wet rocky footing, welded steel bridge decks that need care with dogs, and practical notes on the Juurakko-oja kota and firewood—worth reading before you pack.

Length & route

The trail is about 16.1 km as one continuous summer hiking line. Metsähallitus quotes roughly 8–9 hours for the full Joenkielinen circuit when the trail is snow-free. The fell summit is near 534 m above sea level and the day loop often shows a few hundred metres of total ascent on topo sources. One experienced party reports finishing the ring in about five hours with a light snack stop, quicker than the official estimate.

Getting there

Most summer hikers drive to Njurkulahti pysäköintialue at the end of Lemmenjoki kylätie, about 47 km from Inari toward Kittilä; Retkipaikka treats this as the hub for Njurkulahti walks and Joenkielisen kierros. Metsähallitus summarises park access and weekly taxi options from Inari on the Lemmenjoen kansallispuisto pages. Some parties boat from Kaapin Jouni laituri to the Sotkajärvi side and walk the circuit from the lake shore —plan that only with a safe craft and local knowledge.

Good to know

Keep dogs on a leash in the national park; Johanna Suomela notes welded steel bridge grates can trap paws, so short leads and careful routing help. Use only marked fireplaces and the kota; check Metsähallitus fire and restriction notices on the Lemmenjoen kansallispuisto pages before lighting a fire.

Managed by

Inari

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

The marked circuit can be walked either way; Johanna Suomela describes a clockwise day on Joenkielisen kierros.

Route direction

National Park

Area

Lake

River

Wilderness Area

Orange paint and markers in the terrain.

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Maisemaonnellinen – Joenkielisen kierros

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

16.1 km

Distance

About 8–9 hours for the full circuit when snow-free per Metsähallitus; fit parties sometimes finish faster.

Est. Time

Old pine forest, wet rocky stretches, duckboards including welded steel decks, open fell slopes near the summit.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Luontoon.fi – Joenkielinen kesäretkeilyreitti+

Location

68.75164°N, 26.22038°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

InariCity

NjurkulahtiVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Inari, 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 Inari Hiking TrailsJoenkielinen Summer Hiking Trail