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Mountain Biking

The Enontekiö fell highlands with travelling ways, sandy heaths with trails and forestry vehicle roads, old German routes in the Arm of Finland, and the duckboarded wilderness routes of reindeer herders offer superb settings for mountain biking. Only the great Yliperä fells in Kilpisjärvi, and the larger wetlands areas are not suitable for mountain biking. When planning an excursion it is worth remembering that mountain biking is forbidden in the Malla Nature Reserve and Pallas-Ounastunturi National Park. There are, however, mre than enough routes of varying difficulties and lengths.

Good excursion routes for beginners are Näkkälä - Pöyrisjärvi, Kalmakaltio - Naltijärvi and Hetta - Muotkajärvi - Sonkamuotka for day trips or trips staying overnight. Pöyrisjärvi and Naltijärvi have wilderness cabins maintained by Metsähallitus, and Pöyrisjärvi also has a spacious cabin that may be hired. Slightly more demanding are the Kultima - Leppäjärvi and Hetta - Ylimuonio routes.  The Kalkoaivi terrain road and quadbike route to Hirvasvuopio (with wilderness cabin) and on to the Munnikurkkio are sites favoured by experienced mountain biking enthusiasts.


For professionals, we recommend the terrain trails from Pöyrisjärvi to the Norwegian border to Kalmakaltio or Vuontisjärvi, from Kivilompolo Customs via Salvasjärvi to the village of Kultima, or from Kaaresuvanto via Syväjärvi and Puussasvaara to Neuhkana and on to either Hirvasvuopio and Munnikurkkio, or via Kalkuaivi to Kelottijärvi. The section Saarikoski - Raittijärvi - Munnikurkkio is also only recommended for experienced and very fit professionals. The necessary maps for the region’s off-road routes may be obtained from the Fell Lapland Nature Centre.

A very exotic mountain bike route is from Kåfjord (the next fjord east from Skibotn) on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, up the “mountain road” leading to Guolasjärvi, which continues on as a good terrain and quadbike trail all the way to Somasjärvi, east of the Halti mountain in Finland.

In the Enontekiö region mountain bike routes are not official routes with signposting as intended.

Mountain bike routes (H = easy, K = average, V = demanding, EV = very demanding, M = marked route)

In the Arm of Finland:
  • Kivijärvi - Raittijärvi, 40 km, EV 
  • Vuoskuvaara - Kalkkoaivi, 25 km, K 
  • Kalkkoaivi - Hirvasvuopio, 26 km, EV 
  • Hirvasvuopio - Munnikurkkio, 15 km, V 
  • Karesuvanto - Lavivaara, 12 km, H 
  • Kultima - Leppäjärvi, 25 km, K, M

Enontekiö Highland Watershed:

  • Palojärvi - Salvasjärvi, 20 km, V 
  • Näkkälä - Pöyrisjärvi, 18 km, H 
  • Pöyrisjärvi - Kalkujärvi, 20 km, EV 
  • Kalkujärvi - Naltijärvi, 35 km, EV
  • Naltijärvi - Kalmakaltio, 15 km, K
  • Kalmakaltio - Ahvenjärvi , 18 km, K 
  • Kalmakaltio - Jorpavaara, 12 km, K

Hetta – Pallas:

  • Hetta - Näkkälä, 26 km, V, M 
  • Hetta - Puolitaival - Ylimuonio, 38 km, V 
  • Hetta - Sonkamuotka, 37 km, H

Further information: Kilpisjärvi Nature House operates as a guidance and visitor centre for the Arm of Finland wilderness area, Saana Nature Conservation Area, and the Malla Nature Reserve. The nature house also serves tourists by distributing information about the nearby Norwegian and Swedish fell regions, the cross-border Calotte Route, and Arctic Ocean destinations. 

The Fell Lapland Nature Centre operates as the Metsähallitus tourist and nature information centre. Tourists get expert guidance from the nature centre on the region’s excursion routes, wilderness cabins and recreational fishing possibilities.