The trail is about 10.2 km in Rovaniemi, Lapland, in the Kaihuanvaara–Kivalot recreation forests above the Kemijoki valley. Luonto Rovaniemi summarises the wider area’s ridges, old-growth pockets, and Metsähallitus stewardship, and points to Metsähallitus materials and maps for planning. For this exact route’s profi...
Luonto Rovaniemi – Kivalot and Kaihuanvaara+
Description
The trail is about 10.2 km in Rovaniemi, Lapland, in the Kaihuanvaara–Kivalot recreation forests above the Kemijoki valley. Luonto Rovaniemi summarises the wider area’s ridges, old-growth pockets, and Metsähallitus stewardship, and points to Metsähallitus materials and maps for planning. For this exact route’s profile, facilities, marking notes, and driving directions, use the City of Rovaniemi’s Etiäinen outdoor route service.
You typically begin from Kaihuanvaara pysäköintialue 1. The trail follows Kaihuanvaara luontopolku toward Sirenin päivätupa through varied slope forest, small streams on duckboards, and the protected Kaihuanvaaran lehto patch, then joins terrain shared with Kaihuanvaara erämaapolku across the fell tops. About 6.8 km in, Porkkalampi laavu sits by the pond with a dry toilet nearby at Porkkalampi käymälä—a Retkipaikka article by M. Lehteinen describes quiet water and a popular but still pleasant lean-to stop there on a long day. Higher up, Hopianulkin näkötorni at 358 m is the local high point; the tower looks out over forest and the river lands and works for birdwatching as well as the view. Near the route end you reach Sirenin päivätupa with Sirenin kämppä ulkotulipaikka beside it; Sirenin kämppä pysäköintialue gives an alternative finish if someone meets you by car. Dry toilets are placed at the main rest points so you are not hunting for unnamed WCs in the bush.
The same trailhead serves Juhannuskallion näköalapolku if you want a shorter lookout loop first, and longer visits often combine Kaihuanvaara luontopolku, Kaihuanvaara erämaapolku, or Kaihuanvaara Rengasreitti on bike with this hike. Etiäinen rates the hike as demanding and about five hours, with tall posts and paint marks on tree trunks—markings can be hard to see under snow and rime in winter, and there is no winter maintenance. Rovaniemi positions the Kaihuanvaaran rengastie as a good cycling ring around the massif; Pirttikoski–Vanttauskoski snowmobile track passes shared parking nodes if you visit in deep winter for other activities.
Length & route
The trail is about 10.2 km on our map as one prepared line through the Kaihuanvaara ridge network. Etiäinen describes roughly 10.1 km for the marked ring that first follows Kaihuanvaara luontopolku to Sirenin päivätupa, then crosses the fell top and overlaps Kaihuanvaara erämaapolku terrain with Hopianulkki and Porkkalampi before returning toward the trailhead side. Terrain is hilly ridge forest with duckboard stream crossings on the nature-trail section.
Getting there
Etiäinen gives road-by-road driving from central Rovaniemi: Sodankyläntie about 2.6 km, right onto Kuusamontie toward Vanttauskoski about 49.3 km, Pirttikoskentie about 6.3 km, left onto Kaarnijärventie about 2.1 km, right onto Kaihuanvaaran rengastie about 1.3 km, continue on the ring road about 1.2 km, then left to the parking area. Kaihuanvaara pysäköintialue 1 at the route start is at roughly 66.36784°N, 26.84558°E. There is no public transport to the area. Retkipaikka recommends approaching from the west via Kaarnijärvente and notes a reasonable gravel spur with guidance posts beside the road.
Good to know
YouTube-only searches did not surface a compact overview video clearly focused on this exact trail; preview the towers and forest via Retkipaikka’s photo story or official listings instead. Carry water: sources note surface water is scarce on the ridges. Respect fire instructions; Retkipaikka reflects carefully on fire risk near Juhannuskallio in dry weather. For closures or maintenance changes, rely on Etiäinen and Metsähallitus channels linked from Luonto Rovaniemi.
History
Luonto Rovaniemi states that the Kaihuanvaara and Kivalot recreation areas and their structures moved under Metsähallitus management at the start of 2008 and that the sites had long been known as Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) research forests, with research continuing on the Kivaton side. Retkipaikka notes the wider protection context from 2008 when commenting on the old-growth character.
About 5 hours on foot for fit walkers as listed on Etiäinen; Retkipaikka spent about six hours exploring several linked loops and long breaks—plan more time if you linger at towers and lean-tos.
Est. Time
Duckboards / Dirt / Gravel
Surface
Point-to-Point, Single Track
Route Type
Light Traffic
Traffic
Partial Shade
Shade
City of Rovaniemi – Etiäinen: Kaihuanvaara hiking trail+
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Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Rovaniemi, 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.
The trail is about 10.2 km in Rovaniemi, Lapland, in the Kaihuanvaara–Kivalot recreation forests above the Kemijoki valley. Luonto Rovaniemi summarises the wider area’s ridges, old-growth pockets, and Metsähallitus stewardship, and points to Metsähallitus materials and maps for planning. For this exact route’s profi...
Luonto Rovaniemi – Kivalot and Kaihuanvaara+
Description
The trail is about 10.2 km in Rovaniemi, Lapland, in the Kaihuanvaara–Kivalot recreation forests above the Kemijoki valley. Luonto Rovaniemi summarises the wider area’s ridges, old-growth pockets, and Metsähallitus stewardship, and points to Metsähallitus materials and maps for planning. For this exact route’s profile, facilities, marking notes, and driving directions, use the City of Rovaniemi’s Etiäinen outdoor route service.
You typically begin from Kaihuanvaara pysäköintialue 1. The trail follows Kaihuanvaara luontopolku toward Sirenin päivätupa through varied slope forest, small streams on duckboards, and the protected Kaihuanvaaran lehto patch, then joins terrain shared with Kaihuanvaara erämaapolku across the fell tops. About 6.8 km in, Porkkalampi laavu sits by the pond with a dry toilet nearby at Porkkalampi käymälä—a Retkipaikka article by M. Lehteinen describes quiet water and a popular but still pleasant lean-to stop there on a long day. Higher up, Hopianulkin näkötorni at 358 m is the local high point; the tower looks out over forest and the river lands and works for birdwatching as well as the view. Near the route end you reach Sirenin päivätupa with Sirenin kämppä ulkotulipaikka beside it; Sirenin kämppä pysäköintialue gives an alternative finish if someone meets you by car. Dry toilets are placed at the main rest points so you are not hunting for unnamed WCs in the bush.
The same trailhead serves Juhannuskallion näköalapolku if you want a shorter lookout loop first, and longer visits often combine Kaihuanvaara luontopolku, Kaihuanvaara erämaapolku, or Kaihuanvaara Rengasreitti on bike with this hike. Etiäinen rates the hike as demanding and about five hours, with tall posts and paint marks on tree trunks—markings can be hard to see under snow and rime in winter, and there is no winter maintenance. Rovaniemi positions the Kaihuanvaaran rengastie as a good cycling ring around the massif; Pirttikoski–Vanttauskoski snowmobile track passes shared parking nodes if you visit in deep winter for other activities.
Length & route
The trail is about 10.2 km on our map as one prepared line through the Kaihuanvaara ridge network. Etiäinen describes roughly 10.1 km for the marked ring that first follows Kaihuanvaara luontopolku to Sirenin päivätupa, then crosses the fell top and overlaps Kaihuanvaara erämaapolku terrain with Hopianulkki and Porkkalampi before returning toward the trailhead side. Terrain is hilly ridge forest with duckboard stream crossings on the nature-trail section.
Getting there
Etiäinen gives road-by-road driving from central Rovaniemi: Sodankyläntie about 2.6 km, right onto Kuusamontie toward Vanttauskoski about 49.3 km, Pirttikoskentie about 6.3 km, left onto Kaarnijärventie about 2.1 km, right onto Kaihuanvaaran rengastie about 1.3 km, continue on the ring road about 1.2 km, then left to the parking area. Kaihuanvaara pysäköintialue 1 at the route start is at roughly 66.36784°N, 26.84558°E. There is no public transport to the area. Retkipaikka recommends approaching from the west via Kaarnijärvente and notes a reasonable gravel spur with guidance posts beside the road.
Good to know
YouTube-only searches did not surface a compact overview video clearly focused on this exact trail; preview the towers and forest via Retkipaikka’s photo story or official listings instead. Carry water: sources note surface water is scarce on the ridges. Respect fire instructions; Retkipaikka reflects carefully on fire risk near Juhannuskallio in dry weather. For closures or maintenance changes, rely on Etiäinen and Metsähallitus channels linked from Luonto Rovaniemi.
History
Luonto Rovaniemi states that the Kaihuanvaara and Kivalot recreation areas and their structures moved under Metsähallitus management at the start of 2008 and that the sites had long been known as Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) research forests, with research continuing on the Kivaton side. Retkipaikka notes the wider protection context from 2008 when commenting on the old-growth character.
About 5 hours on foot for fit walkers as listed on Etiäinen; Retkipaikka spent about six hours exploring several linked loops and long breaks—plan more time if you linger at towers and lean-tos.
Est. Time
Duckboards / Dirt / Gravel
Surface
Point-to-Point, Single Track
Route Type
Light Traffic
Traffic
Partial Shade
Shade
City of Rovaniemi – Etiäinen: Kaihuanvaara hiking trail+
Rate & Review
Be the first to write a review for "Kaihuanvaara hiking trail"
Share a photo from a recent trip
Answers to your questions
Our data was researched from Rovaniemi, 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.