Description
The Pulmanki–Sevettijärvi summer hiking trail is about 78 km as one marked, point-to-point summer line through Kaldoaivi Wilderness Area between Lake Pulmankijärvi near the Norwegian border and the Skolt Sámi village of Sevettijärvi in Inari, Lapland. Metsähallitus documents the route on Luontoon.fi under the Sevettijärvi–Pulmanki summer hiking trail page. Lapland North Destinations introduces Sevettijärvi as the cultural centre of the Skolt Sámi and places the Sevetti–Pulmanki wilderness traverse among Northern Lapland’s iconic long hikes, with July–August stressed as the main hiking window.
Inari is the municipality our map uses for this trail. Landscape shifts from pine–mountain-birch forest and lake country in the south to more open, mire-cut fell plateaux and rocky country toward Pulmankijärvi—still with countless small lakes and streams. The path is well marked in orange paint, but it is genuine wilderness: besides wilderness huts, reservable lodging at Silisjoki, campfire sites, rowing ferries at river crossings, and dry toilets, there are no services along the spine. Plan food, navigation backup, ford shoes or sandals, and time for slow going when bog and side-creek crossings turn wet.
From Pulmankijärvi, you reach Tsuomasjärvi autiotupa with Čuomasjávri (ns. Tsuomasjärvi) tulipaikka and the Čuomasjávri (ns. Tsuomasjärvi) kuivakäymälä after about 16 km—good first night if you start late from the north. Tsaarajärvi autiotupa with Caarajäuʹrr (ns. Tsaarajärvi) tulipaikka follows around 26 km from the north end; Huikinvárjohka (ns. Huikkimajoki) tulipaikka and Huikinvárjohka (ns. Huikkimajoki) autiotupa sit near 38 km. Near 45 km you come to Rousajärvi (Ruõssjäu´rr) tulipaikka, Rousajärvi (Ruõssjäu´rr) autiotupa, and Rousajärvi (Ruõssjäu´rr) Autiotupa Kuivakäymälä—roughly where Inarin polku shares the same hut network, so junction discipline matters. Iisakkijärvi tulipaikka, Issäijihjävri / Iisakkijärvi autiotupa, and Iisakkijärvi kuivakäymälä sit near 59 km. At Silisjoki the route passes Silisjoki tulipaikka, Silisjoki liiteri varasto käymälä, and Silisjoki, eräkämppä; you use Silisjoki ylitysvene on the cable-rowing ferry before continuing past Opukasjärvi Tulipaikka Kuivakäymälä, Opukasjärvi Nuotiopaikka 2, and Opukasjärvi tulipaikka toward Sevettijärvi. The trail reaches village facilities near Sevettijärven koulun lähiliikuntapaikka, Sevettijärven koulun liikuntasali, and Sevettijärven kuntosali—where Saamen polku also ties into the village network, and where paddlers can join Sevettijärvi - Partakko vesiretkeilyreitti toward Partakko after the trek. Near Silisjoki, Iijärvi - Kallokoski vesiretkeilyreitti touches the same service cluster for kayakers linking lakes on a separate itinerary.
An ultrarunning journal on In the Woods, Dear describes the same huts, the Silisjoki cable ferry, optional deep wading when boats are missing, and how ATV-width tracks and hanging bogs interchange with rocky riverbanks—useful colour even for walkers planning daily mileage. Finnish-language guidance on Kaldoaivi’s size (2,924 km²), hut names, and road access from Pulmankijärvi or Sevettijärventie via Näätämö is collected on Vaell.us. Adventureland Lapland’s long photo essay on the middle sections adds another on-the-ground perspective on pacing between Tsaarajärvi and Rousajärvi.