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Ylläs–Levi mountain bike trail

—•Biking Trails

58.1 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Ylläs–Levi mountain bike trail+

Description

The Ylläs–Levi mountain bike trail is about 58 km point-to-point across Kolari and Kittilä in Lapland, linking the Ylläs and Levi resort areas mainly through Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park. For the national park description of this line and how it fits the wider summer trail system, read Luontoon.fi. Visit Ylläs explains etiquette on shared summer corridors, how to read the official summer trail map, and why staying on marked bike routes matters in the park. The City of Kittilä publishes the municipal picture for outdoor trails around Levi alongside Metsähallitus-managed national park routes. The Ylläs–Levi MTB project site summarises how travel direction alternates by year (even calendar years toward Levi, odd years toward Ylläs), breaks the ride into distance and elevation options—including a roughly 75 km main option with more climbing, a lighter roughly 55 km line, and short variants from the Äkäslompolo–Kukastunturi–Kotamaja logic or from Pyhäjärvi parking—and lists the physically hardest pulls such as the saddle climb on Yllästunturi, the long Kukastunturi ascent, technical singletrack between Kotamaja and Pyhäjärvi, and the Homevaara and Pyhätunturi ramps. NUTS MTB previously hosted mass-start editions with buses between Levi, Ylläs, and Pyhäjärvi trailheads; their pages remain useful for understanding typical start zones near Ylläs Ski Resort Ylläsjärvi, Y1 parking in Äkäslompolo, Pyhäjärvi pysäköintialue, and Levi Zero Point. Practically, many riders stage from Yllästunturin luontokeskus Kellokas, where parking sits beside the visitor centre and a kota offers a first break without leaving the trailhead cluster. The same summer bike corridor crosses the lower Varkaankurunpolku walking route near Kellokas where Varkaankurun kota and campfire spots sit in the gorge. The route soon threads Äkäslompolo village fringes—Äkäslompolon uimaranta and Lapland Hotels Äkäshotelli sit just off the early kilometres—then swings toward the wide climb toward Kukastunturi and the Kotamaja latukahvila–Kotamaja kota rest area before the most technical forest segment to Pyhäjärvi. Pyhäjärvi autiotupa, Pyhäjärven uusi kota, and Pyhäjärvi pysäköintialue gather on the lake shore with a venelossi, fishing jetty, and campfire infrastructure for a long lunch or an overnight breather. Past Aakenusjärvi kota and boardwalk crossings, Muusan päivätupa and the Merkkinen waypoint break up the forest traverse before the ride eases onto wider ski-track bed toward Levi, passing Levin hiihtokeskus and finishing near Ylläs Ski Resort Ylläsjärvi and Lapland Hotels Saaga on the Ylläsjärvi side depending on your chosen link. Near Ylläs Ski Resort Ylläsjärvi the summer network also meets Tuomikurun kierros, vaihtoehtoinen reitti, the marked hiking link over Tuomikuru for walkers who want a summit detour. Napapiirinseikkailija walks the corridor in stages from Äkäslompolo toward Levi: wide bench up Kukastunturi, then rooty, rocky singletrack with steel stairs crossing Lainiojoki after Kotamaja, shoreline riding and mire bridges before Aakenusjärvi, and finally fast ski-track bed toward Pyhätunturi and Levi with an event finish over the Levi lookout bridge when organisers set that line. The same write-up notes most riders stay in the saddle almost the whole way if they are willing to walk short stair pitches after rain. If you need gear, Hidden Trails Lapland bases summer rentals at Kellokas—use their Rent a bike page for models and booking —and Sport Corner Ylläs in Äkäslompolo lists MTBs and e-MTBs on their Vuokratuotteet page. Combine careful map reading with spare tubes and tools; this is a remote line despite passing famous resorts.

Length & route

About 58 km end-to-end along this mapped line between the Ylläs and Levi massifs. The Ylläs–Levi MTB material rounds the main tour to roughly 75 km with about 1100 m of ascent including Kukastunturi summit and a Kaulavaara/Velhonkota loop, offers a roughly 55 km option near 800 m of ascent without that detour or summit push, and describes shorter variants on the Äkäslompolo–Kotamaja leg or from Pyhäjärvi depending on year and direction. Treat published maps as final if maintenance shifts a junction.

Getting there

Start from Yllästunturin luontokeskus Kellokas parking beside Luontoon’s visitor centre when you want logistics and rentals in one place, or pick event-style trailheads such as Ylläs Ski Resort Ylläsjärvi parking, the Y1 lot in Äkäslompolo, or Pyhäjärvi pysäköintialue if you are stitching a shorter stage—NUTS MTB’s runner briefing mirrors those zones when the race returns. Finish services concentrate around Levi’s Zero Point lifts and Kittilä’s municipal roads; plan a shuttle or coach if you leave a car at Kellokas. Visit Ylläs points everyone to map.yllas.fi before leaving gravel.

Good to know

Luontoon.fi carries any temporary reindeer herding or maintenance notices that affect biking. NUTS MTB notes their flagship Ylläs–Levi event is currently paused but historic registration pages still spell out bus timings and Zero Point bag drops for planning non-race shuttles. Carry mosquito protection in mid-summer—long Lapland daylight means twelve-hour pushes are possible but physically demanding.

Where to rent bikes

Hidden Trails Lapland at Kellokas rents summer e-MTBs and fatbikes—open the Rent a bike page for models, prices, and bookings. Sport Corner Ylläs in Äkäslompolo lists MTBs and e-MTBs with Wintersteiger reservations on their Vuokratuotteet page.

Managed by

Kittilä

Official Maintenance

+358 400 356 500

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Official guidance alternates by calendar year: even years favour travel toward Levi, odd years toward Ylläs, with different short-route geometry on the Äkäslompolo–Kotamaja–Aakenusjärvi leg depending on parity.

Route direction

Marked Route

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Ylläs–Levi MTB – Route description

Activities allowed

Bike

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

58.1 km

Distance

Strong riders often budget a full day with breaks; Napapiirinseikkailija reports a fitness-paced Levi–Ylläs traverse in a little over four hours without long stops, while many groups stretch the outing with services at Kotamaja and Pyhäjärvi.

Est. Time

Mix of wide ski-track bed and gravel maintenance roads, occasional short asphalt connector descents, steel boardwalks across mires, and narrow natural singletrack with roots, rocks, and short stair carry sections between Kotamaja and Pyhäjärvi.

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track, Wide Track

Route Type

Moderate Traffic

Traffic

Napapiirinseikkailija – Ylläs–Levi MTB route

Location

67.58900°N, 24.20292°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

KolariCity

Äkäslompolo–Ylläsjärvi–LeviVillage

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Kittilä, 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 Kolari Biking TrailsYlläs–Levi mountain bike trail