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Pirunkurun ponnistus Trail

—•Hiking Trails

8.1 km

Route

P 1

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pirunkurun ponnistus Trail+

Description

For descriptions of Pirunkuru, fell wind and weather notes, and national park rules that apply on Kesänkitunturi, plan from the Pirunkurun ponnistus page on Luontoon.fi. The Pirunkurun ponnistus Trail is about 8.1 km as one loop from the Kesänkijärvi shore in Kolari, in Lapland on the Äkäslompolo side of the Ylläs visitor area, inside Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park. It shares the same green-marked start as Kesänkijärven kierros near Kesänkijärvi pysäköintialue and Kesänkijärvi pysäköintialue 2; the first couple of kilometres stay on wide, easy footing beside the lake, with Kesänkijärven veneenlaskupaikka and Kesänkijärvi kalastuspaikka close to Sahatie. Near Kesänkijärven laavu, Kesänkijärven uusi kota, and Kesänkijärven uusi kuivakäymälä, a branch climbs away from the gentle lake circuit toward Pirunkuru. Kesänkijärvi itä esteetön laituri sits at the east end of the lake for a swim stop with open water and fell views. Past the shore woods the character changes: the path enters Pirunkuru, the steep rocky ravine on the flank of Kesänkitunturi Fell, with loose stone underfoot where Luontoon.fi warns walkers to work hard and pause often. Taipaleita logged roughly 280 m of ascent and 270 m of descent over a counter-clockwise day, about three hours on foot, with green markings and orange-capped posts. Metsien olento highlights how impressive the boulder-filled ravine feels and how carefully to place feet on shifting rocks. After the saddle between Kesänki’s tops, gravelled fell slopes lead to Tahkokuru kota with Tahkokuru tulentekopaikka, a woodshed, and Tahkokuru kuivakäymälä nearby—the main sheltered break before the downhill returns through forest and a short gravel road stretch back toward Sahatie. The same trailhead links you into longer rings: Kesänkijärven kierros keeps to the lake if you want a shorter outing, while Kukastunturin kierros and Kukastunturin polkaisu continue across the Äkäslompolo network with overlapping segments—expect occasional mountain bikers only where biking is allowed, because Pirunkuru itself is hiking-only. In the Woods, Dear mentions interpretive boards about stars and aurora along the climb, a tradition also referenced under the older Tähtipolku name, and seasonal opening hours for the Kesängin Keidas café near the east-shore laituri when you need a counter-service break. Taipaleita and Metsien olento both praise the wide views over Kesänkijärvi, Kellostapuli, and Ylläs once you leave the treeline, and the easy contrast between lake shore, ravine, and open fell.

Length & route

The trail is about 8.1 km as one closed loop with Pirunkuru in the middle of the ring. Visitor GPS tracks in Taipaleita sit near eight kilometres with roughly 280 m of climb and 270 m of descent over a typical day walk. Expect lake-shore gravel and roots, a rugged stone-filled ravine on Kesänkitunturi’s flank, then gravelled fell slopes and short forest return including roughly half a kilometre of gravel road beside Sahatie. Luontoon.fi stresses the steep climb, loose stones, windy fell tops, and the contrast between easy shoreline walking and the demanding ravine section.

Getting there

Start from the Sahatie end-of-road car-park cluster at Lake Kesänki on the Äkäslompolo side of Ylläs in Kolari. Taipaleita lists a WGS84 fix near N67 36.22, E24 13.21 for the trailhead vicinity. Walk from Kesänkijärvi pysäköintialue or Kesänkijärvi pysäköintialue 2 along the signed green route; boat launch and fishing spots sit beside the same road if you arrive with a packraft or rod. Buses serve Ylläs from Kolari station with a short onward link by foot or taxi if you travel without a car.

Good to know

Mountain biking is not permitted inside Pirunkuru even where other Ylläs trails allow bikes; choose Kukastunturin polkaisu or other shared segments only outside the hiking-only ravine. Dogs, camping, and fishing follow Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park rules on Luontoon.fi. On busy summer days the Sahatie lots fill—plan an early start if you want a quieter climb through the ravine. In the Woods, Dear notes Kesänki’s summit elevation around 517 m for context when reading fell forecasts. Weather on exposed Kesänki can turn quickly; carry windproof layers as Luontoon.fi reminds that ridge winds are often strong.

Managed by

Kolari

Official Maintenance

+358 40 550 2424

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Walk either direction on the signed loop; choose whether you prefer to ascend or descend the loose stone in Pirunkuru depending on knee comfort and crowding.

Route direction

National Park

Area

green paint markers with orange-capped posts along the national park line

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Taipaleita – Pirunkurun ponnistus+

Activities allowed

Run

Activity

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

8.1 km

Distance

about 2–3 hours

Est. Time

Dirt / Gravel

Surface

Loop, Single Track

Route Type

Moderate Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Location

67.60408°N, 24.21677°E

Parking coordinates

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

KolariCity

ÄkäslompoloVillage

Hiking TrailsCategory

Explore nearby

Kesänkijärvi kalastuspaikka

128 m

Ylläs summer hiking route 1

355 m

Free

Ylläsjärvi–Äkäslompolo mountain biking trail

369 m

Free

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Kolari, 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 Hiking TrailsPirunkurun ponnistus Trail

Pirunkurun ponnistus Trail8.1 km

Route

P 1

Parking 1

0.0 km|Free

Kesänkijärvi pysäköintialue 2

0.7 km|Free

Free Parking

Kesänkijärvi pysäköintialue

0.8 km|Free

Free Parking

Kesänkijärven veneenlaskupaikka

0.8 km|Free

Boat Ramps

Kesänkijärvi itä esteetön laituri

2.9 km|Free

Boat & Kayak Launches

Kesänkijärven uusi kota

2.9 km|Free

Wilderness Huts

Description

Luontoon.fi – Pirunkurun ponnistus Trail+

Description

Length & route

Getting there

Good to know

Managed by

Kolari

Official Maintenance

+358 40 550 2424

Trail info

Location

Walk either direction on the signed loop; choose whether you prefer to ascend or descend the loose stone in Pirunkuru depending on knee comfort and crowding.

Route direction

National Park

Area

green paint markers with orange-capped posts along the national park line

Route Signs

Open / Good Condition

Taipaleita – Pirunkurun ponnistus+