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Pielpajärvi wilderness church trail: Pielpavuono to Pielpajärvi

—•Hiking Trails

2.6 km

Route

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pielpajärvi erämaakirkko polku Pielpavuono - Pielpajärvi+

Description

Metsähallitus documents this shoreline link on Luontoon.fi as the Pielpajärvi erämaakirkko polku Pielpavuono - Pielpajärvi segment inside the Inari hiking area. The trail is about 2.6 km one way and connects the Pielpavuono landing area on Lake Inarijärvi with the Pielpajärvi church shore at Iso Pielpajärvi. It is a practical piece of the wider Pielpajärvi church route network for anyone arriving by boat in summer or walking in from the forest trail system. Inari sits in northern Lapland on the shores of Finland’s largest lake municipality. From the church end, the path leaves the maintenance hut and dry-toilet corner by Pielpajärvi käymälä and Pielpajärvi tulisijakehikko, then follows the wooded lake margin toward Pielpavuono. At the Pielpavuono end you reach Pielpavuonon hirsikota, the Inari retkeilyalue Pielpavuono tulipaikka tulisijakehikko fireplace, and Inarin retkeilyalue Pielpavuono käymälä—good spots to sort gear after a boat drop or before pushing on toward the village. Dry toilets sit at both ends of the line; mention them as shared facilities rather than separate named targets along the way. The tread is typical north-boreal forest path: roots, stone, short ups and downs, and short duckboard or boardwalk sections where the shore gets wet. Retkipaikka and Polkujen Lumo describe orange markings and red wooden poles on the wider Pielpajärvi church routes, rooty stone tread, and old pine forest with lake views—expect the same character here. Allow roughly one to one and a half hours one way if you are pacing for photos and uneven ground; going faster is possible on dry days. This segment meets the main Pielpajärvi erämaakirkko polku Inari - Pielpajärvi footpath and the longer Pielpajärvi Hike Trail at the church end, and crosses the winter Latu Inari-Pielpajärvi ski connection in the same landscape. Together those lines cover the classic forest approach from Sarviniementie, the full lakeshore ring, and the ski approach from the Siida area. The wooden Pielpajärvi wilderness church at the Iso Pielpajärvi shore was built between 1752 and 1760 on an older church site and served the area until worship moved to the village church in the late 1800s; it is still used occasionally for services and weddings. Metsähallitus asks visitors to stay on marked yard paths, leave no trace on timber or walls, and close doors and shutters when leaving. Retkipaikka notes that summer visitors sometimes combine a boat leg with walking; Visit Inari’s Lake Inari cruise can stop at Pielpavuono on request when weather allows, after which you continue on foot along the marked route—confirm times, prices, and stop rules on their site before planning.

Length & route

The trail is about 2.6 km one way as a single shoreline link between the Pielpavuono recreation cluster and the Pielpajärvi church shore. It is point-to-point, not a loop, and is normally walked as part of a longer day that includes the 4.4 km Sarviniementie approach, the 8.8 km hike variant, or a boat leg from Inari harbour.

Getting there

By boat in summer, Visit Inari’s Lake Inari cruise departs from the Inari harbour at Siida; the afternoon sailing can include a Pielpavuono stop on advance request when weather allows, after which you walk the marked path independently toward the church or back to the village. By foot, you normally reach this segment after hiking in on Pielpajärvi erämaakirkko polku Inari - Pielpajärvi from the Sarviniementie car park or when connecting from the Siida–Pielpajärvi winter ski line—see Luontoon.fi for the full network map and service points. There is no separate drive-up parking dataset for this short connector in our stop list; plan parking at the main trailheads or arrive from the lake.

Good to know

Trail use is free; boat tickets for Visit Inari cruises are paid separately and should be booked or checked on their site. Winter maintenance is not provided for the summer hiking line—ski access follows the separate Latu Inari-Pielpajärvi grooming schedule when snow allows. Respect the church and follow Metsähallitus visitor guidelines for behaviour in the yard and building.

History

The present Pielpajärvi wilderness church replaced an earlier building from 1646–1647 and was erected in 1752–1760 while Inari was still attached to the Utsjoki parish; the meadow still shows foundations of older buildings tied to the historic winter gathering place. Regular use at the site ended when the new church in Inari village opened in 1888, though the wilderness church was brought back into occasional use after the Lapland War destruction in the village.

Managed by

Inari

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Walked in either direction depending on whether you start from the boat landing at Pielpavuono or from the church shore; boat passengers usually hike toward the church first.

Route direction

Recreation Area

Lake

Wilderness Area

Orange paint and red wooden poles are used on the wider Pielpajärvi church routes; expect the same family of markings along this connector.

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Retkipaikka – Pielpajärven erämaakirkko, Inari+

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

2.6 km

Distance

About 1–1.5 hours one way at a comfortable pace on uneven forest tread; faster in dry conditions.

Est. Time

Boreal forest path with roots and stone, short duckboard sections along the lake margin; occasional bedrock slabs.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Retkipaikka – Pielpajärven erämaakirkko, Inari+

Location

68.95008°N, 27.11411°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

InariCity

InariVillage

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 TrailsPielpajärvi wilderness church trail: Pielpavuono to Pielpajärvi

Pielpajärvi wilderness church trail: Pielpavuono to Pielpajärvi2.6 km

Route

Pielpajärvi käymälä

0.0 km|Free

Outdoor Toilets

Pielpajärvi tulisijakehikko

0.0 km|Free

Wilderness HutsThere is a open day hut on the shore of lake Pielpajärvi, and on its' yard is a picnic shelter and a campfire site.

Pielpavuonon hirsikota

2.6 km|Free

Wilderness HutsA day hut with a fireplace in the middle & benches around it by the water. Inari retkeilyalue Pielpavuono tulipaikka hirsikota. Piälppáávuonâ / Pielpavuono, veneilytukikohta

Inari retkeilyalue Pielpavuono tulipaikka tulisijakehikko

2.6 km|Free

Campfire Spots

Inarin retkeilyalue Pielpavuono käymälä

2.6 km|Free

Outdoor Toilets

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pielpajärvi erämaakirkko polku Pielpavuono - Pielpajärvi+

Description

Length & route

Getting there

Good to know

History

Managed by

Inari

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Location

Walked in either direction depending on whether you start from the boat landing at Pielpavuono or from the church shore; boat passengers usually hike toward the church first.

Route direction

Recreation Area

Lake

Wilderness Area

Orange paint and red wooden poles are used on the wider Pielpajärvi church routes; expect the same family of markings along this connector.

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Retkipaikka – Pielpajärven erämaakirkko, Inari+

Location

68.95008°N, 27.11411°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

InariCity

InariVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

2.6 km

Distance

About 1–1.5 hours one way at a comfortable pace on uneven forest tread; faster in dry conditions.

Est. Time

Boreal forest path with roots and stone, short duckboard sections along the lake margin; occasional bedrock slabs.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Retkipaikka – Pielpajärven erämaakirkko, Inari+

Rate & Review

Be the first to write a review for "Pielpajärvi wilderness church trail: Pielpavuono to Pielpajärvi"

Share a photo from a recent trip

Answers to your questions

Finland Lapland Inari Hiking TrailsPielpajärvi wilderness church trail: Pielpavuono to Pielpajärvi