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Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church Trail

—•Hiking Trails

8.8 km

Route

Pielpajärvi käymälä

4.4 km|Free

Outdoor Toilets

Pielpajärvi tulisijakehikko

4.4 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.

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church Trail+

Description

Metsähallitus keeps the trail description for the Inari Hiking Area on Luontoon.fi. A separate Luontoon.fi article covers etiquette at the timber church itself—doors, shutters, paths in the churchyard, and leaving the monument untouched. The trail is about 8.8 km as a loop through forest and lake shores to Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church in Inari, Lapland. It is one of the most visited day hikes near Inari village: you move from Rautiovaara old-growth spruce forest toward Puntsijärvi and along the isthmus between Iso and Pikku Pielpajärvi before reaching the church meadow. About halfway around the loop, dry toilets and a fireplace shelter frame sit at the Pielpajärvi shore—see our pages for Pielpajärvi käymälä and Pielpajärvi tulisijakehikko for details. The wilderness church is a legally protected ancient monument; the log building in the shape of an equal-armed cross was under construction from 1752 and completed in 1760, when it became the religious and social centre of the old winter settlement on Lake Pielpajärvi. Occasional services, Midsummer and Easter traditions, and weddings still bring people here. You can also approach the church area on shorter connecting trails from Pielpavuono bay or from Inari village, and in winter the maintained ski track Latu Inari–Pielpajärvi overlaps part of the same corridor on our map—useful if you are planning a ski day that touches the Siida end of that line. Independent walkers note orange painted posts, roots and stone, and short duckboard or bridge crossings where the path steps over wet ground; good ankle support matters, especially after rain. Luontopolkumies describes the outing as moderately demanding rather than a flat stroll, and MAISEMAONNELLINEN highlights the fairytale-like lichen-draped forest and resting spots along the way.

Length & route

About 8.8 km as one continuous loop on the official line. The terrain alternates between dense old spruce forest, lake shores at Puntsijärvi and along the Pielpajärvi isthmus, and the church meadow. Connecting routes on our map include the ski track to Inari, the 2.6 km church path from Pielpavuono bay, and the 4.4 km approach from Inari village.

Getting there

The usual car access is the Sarviniementie parking area on the shore road north of Inari village (commonly given as Sarviniementie 249, 99870 Inari). A signed gate and information board mark the start; space can fill on busy summer days and overflow may line the road. If you link this loop with boat services toward Pielpavuono, shorter foot connections from the bay join the same church area on separate marked hiking segments shown on Luontoon.fi.

Good to know

Close the church door and interior shutters after your visit or ask the next visitor to help, walk only on prepared paths in the churchyard, and treat the meadow and structures as protected heritage. The church is open for visits without an admission fee under normal arrangements. Summer crowds and damp, rooty tread mean sturdy footwear and patience on the stair roots pay off.

History

Pielpajärvi was the centre of Inari’s winter village from the early 1600s. A first, very small church was built in the 1640s but proved inadequate. The present wilderness church was built in stages from 1752 and finished in 1760 with a bell tower–porch extension; it functioned as the parish church until a new church was completed at the mouth of River Juutuanjoki in 1888. The Pielpajärvi building was reopened in 1940 after the church in Inari village was destroyed in the Winter War, which cemented the Midsummer service tradition that continues today, together with Easter services. The site and its surrounds are nationally significant cultural-historical environments.

Managed by

Inari

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Recreation Area

Lake

orange

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

8.8 km

Distance

About 3–5 hours with breaks and time at the church and day-use shelter, depending on pace.

Est. Time

Dirt / Duckboards

Surface

Loop, Single Track

Route Type

Partial Shade

Shade

Moderate Traffic

Traffic

MAISEMAONNELLINEN – Inarin Pielpajärven polku

Location

68.92129°N, 27.05774°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

Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church Trail8.8 km

Route

Pielpajärvi käymälä

4.4 km|Free

Outdoor Toilets

Pielpajärvi tulisijakehikko

4.4 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.

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church Trail+

Description

Length & route

Getting there

Good to know

History

Managed by

Inari

Official Maintenance

Trail info

Location

Recreation Area

Lake

orange

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Location

68.92129°N, 27.05774°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

InariCity

InariVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

8.8 km

Distance

About 3–5 hours with breaks and time at the church and day-use shelter, depending on pace.

Est. Time

Dirt / Duckboards

Surface

Loop, Single Track

Route Type

Partial Shade

Shade

Moderate Traffic

Traffic

MAISEMAONNELLINEN – Inarin Pielpajärven polku

Rate & Review

Be the first to write a review for "Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church Trail"

Share a photo from a recent trip

Answers to your questions

Finland Lapland Inari Hiking TrailsPielpajärvi Wilderness Church Trail