Vaattunkivaara nature trail

The Vaattunkivaara Nature Trail is located in Vikajärvi, 24.7 km from Rovaniemi toward Sodankylä. It is part of the Arctic Circle Hiking Area, a wilderness destination ideal for year-round outdoor recreation. The landscape's signature features are rugged hills, open, water-logged string bogs, and Raudanjoki with its spectacular rapids and lush shoreline forest. The hiking area’s trail network is diverse and has several resting places, offering visitors of all ages a variety of hiking destinations. The location is easy to access at all times of the year.

The Vaattunkivaara Nature Trail starts at the gate of the Arctic Circle Hiking Area, in Vikaköngäs. Themes of the trail include northern nature and species. Fowl are well presented on the information boards. The trail passes through the rocky hill-top pine forest of Vaattunkivaara, or Vaattunki Hill, where the oldest trees are over 450 years old. The trail climbs about 80 m from the starting point to the top of Vaattunkivaara, where an observation tower offers great views. The hill top is rocky and may be slippery when it rains. The first part of the route is gravel, all softer spots are duckboarded, so when it is dry you may not need rubber boots. However, the trail has rocky stretches where footwear with ankle support is recommended. Besides hiking, the trail is also suitable for snowshoeing in the winter. The round trip, including the connecting trail, is 3.9 km. The difficulty level is medium.

The Kaltio lean-to is embraced by a beautiful pine forest around 1 km from Vikaköngäs. It features a woodshed and outhouse. There is also a spring near the lean-to, and resting places along the trail on the hillside of Vaattunkivaara.