Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park
The scene of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is picturesque. The park is is a wonderful place to hike, ski and enjoy the outdoors.
The Pallas-Ounas National Park was founded in 2005. The area of this park has doubled now that Pallas-Ounastunturi National Park and Ylläs-Aakenus Nature Reserve have been combined to create Pallas-Yllästunturi. The new park with an area of 1020 km2 is Finland’s third largest National Park. The National Park spreads throughout four municipalities: Enontekiö, Muonio, Kittilä and Kolari.
The park includes the main part of the Ounas fell range, of which the highest impressive summit is Pyhäkero at 711 m high. Further south there are the fells Tappuri (644 m) and Outakka (723 m). The National Park’s highest fell is Taivaskero or Himmelriikki (807 m), which includes the Pallas fell range. The most southern fell of the chain is Yllästunturi fell. It is outside of the park’s boundaries and used as a tourist ski resort hill.
Access to the national park
Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park and its surrounds can be accessed from various directions. The most suitable places from which to leave on a round trip of the park, are Hetta village in Enontekiö, Ylikyrö and Raattama villages, Pallastunturi and Äkäslompolo.
Services
In Hetta there is the Fell Lapland Nature Centre and in Pallas the Pallastunturi Visitor Centre. From Hetta there is a hiking trail to Pallas (55 km) along which are camp sites and fire areas, as well as many unlocked and reservation huts. From Pallas a trail continues south towards Ylläs (70 km). In the surrounding villages there are also many camp sites, holiday villages, hiking centres and hotels.
Further information:
Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park
Pallastunturi Visitor Centre
Fell-Lapland Nature Centre
Kellokas Visitor Centre