Vaattunkivaara observation tower

The Vaattunkivaara Observation Tower is on Vaattunkivaara, or Vaattunki Hill, 24.4 km north-east of Rovaniemi, in the Arctic Circle Hiking Area, a wilderness destination ideal for year-round outdoor recreation with diverse hiking trails and conveniences. The signature features of the landscape are rugged hills, open water-logged string bogs and Raudanjoki, or the Raudan River, with its spectacular rapids and lush shoreline forest.

The massive observation tower is on a rocky hilltop along the Könkäiden Trail. You can access the observation deck via stairs and an intermediate platform. The tower is covered, and there is a table and bench at the top. It stands amidst an old, undisturbed forest, offering great views, for example, over the pond Vaattunkilampi, adjacent bogs, and the old forests of Vaattunkivaara.

There is a table and benches near the observation tower. The Kaltio lean-to is around halfway to the tower along the Könkäiden Trail. The distance from the lean-to to the parking area is around 1 km and to the observation tower around 1.2 km. The log-built lean-to is on the edge of a hill in a forest, equipped with a campfire site, bench, woodshed and outhouse. You can draw water from a nearby spring, but the water quality is not monitored.

Directions: drive 25.6 km out of Rovaniemi along Sodankyläntie to Vikajärvi; turn right into the Vikaköngäs parking area (200 m); cross the suspension bridge and follow the Könkäiden Trail for 2.2 km. You can access the tower on foot, skis or snowshoes. The Vikaköngäs parking area can be reached by car all year round.