Kukastunturi (477 m) is one of the easiest routes in Ylläs Lapland to the top of fells. Located in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park in Finland, the Kukastunturi summit offers great views in all directions. The most convenient way to hike Kukastunturi is from Karila.

Kukastunturi is accessible all year round. In summer and autumn you can hike and cycle, in winter you can ski and snowshoe.

Kukastunturi

Kukastunturi fell rises on the north side of the beautiful Lake Äkäslompolo near the Äkäslompolontie road. Kukastunturi's height is 477 m above sea level.

The route to the top of Kukastunturi and back from Karila is about 9 km long. Estimated hiking time is about 2-3 hours. From Karila you can easily walk to the top in about an hour, and the route is an easy gravel road or path.

Kukastunturin kierros Trail is 20 km long and takes an estimated 6 hours. The route is classified as medium difficulty.

Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park

Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park was established in 1938 and extended in 2005. Finland's third largest national park, it offers hikers the purest air in the world and the most beautiful national landscapes of the Pallastunturi fells.

The Pallas-Yllästunturi Visitor Centre is located in the Ylläs area. You can find Yllästunturi Visitor Centre Kellokas in Äkäslompolo, Tunturintie road 54.

Ylläs trails

Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park and its surrounding areas are ideal for long hikes, shorter day hikes, trail running and other activities all year round. The trails in Ylläs lead to spectacular scenery of fells, steep gorges and clear lakes. The trails are easily accessible and clearly signposted.

There are over 500 km of marked hiking trails in the national park. The most popular long hiking trail is the classic Hetta-Pallas hike, which can be continued all the way to Ylläs.

In addition to Kukastunturi, popular trails and attractions in Ylläs include Aakenustunturi and Moloslaen kierros Trail, Kesänkitunturi and Pirunkuru, Kellostapuli and Varkaankuru, Lake Kesänkijärvi and Äkäsaivo and Saivonkierros Trail.

Kukastunturi starting point

The easiest way to get to Kukastunturi is from Karila Navettagalleria cafe (address: Karilantie 31). There is a fairly spacious car park where parking is free of charge.

The longer Kukastunturi Trail starts from the hotel Äkäshotelli car park. The route signs for the Kukastunturin Kierros Trail are green.

Kukastunturi route from Karila

From the backyard of the cafe Navettagalleria there is a path lined with a grey fence. Less than 100 metres from the crossroads, turn left towards River Äkäsjoki. Cross the wide Äkäsjoki river along a new sturdy wooden bridge. The trunks of the birch trees have faces carved out of wood that seem to sway with the wind.

After the bridge, you reach a crossroads. A large triangular information board explains the secrets of the "saivo" lakes. The saivos are deep clear-water ponds in the north with springs. Through the ages, they were thought to be the home of the deceased and spirits, and at the bottom of the pond was believed to be a hole to a parallel world. The saivo of River Äkäsjoki is called Äkäsaivo.

A short distance away is another crossroads. There are trails from the crossing area to Äkäslompolo, Tahkokuru hut and Kesänkitunturi, and Kukastunturi. The trails are clearly marked with signposts.

A large information board and a map of the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park are located at the crossroads. Another triangular information board tells the hiker about the Härkinmylly mill, where barley flour was milled. The remains of the mill can still be seen above the bridge.

The first kilometre is a gentle climb and flat terrain in coniferous forest along the Nilioja stream. The path is graveled and wide like a dirt road. In winter, there is a cross-country ski trail. Before reaching Nilijänkä mire, turn left again and start climbing steeper towards the top of Kukastunturi.

After a short hike, the faint grey outline of the fell can be seen ahead behind the candle trees. Just before approaching the fell top area, a slightly steeper uphill slope bends to the left. Somewhere in between you may have to jump off the path as a group of cyclists whizz downhill at speed.

The old Kukastunturi trail and the new gravel path run some distance apart. The old heather-lined path is more atmospheric and peaceful.

The top of Kukastunturi

When you reach the top of Kukastunturi, the pine trees thin out and a large treeless plateau begins. Yllästunturi and its ski slopes can be seen in the direction of arrival. Lake Äkäslompolo sparkles on the right of Yllästunturi.

At the top of Kukastunturi stands a solitary low pine tree, blown by the fells' winds through times. There is also a bench at the top for a break and the brown "Kukastunturi" sign of the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park.

On the eastern side rises Lainiotunturi fell, with hiking trails on both sides. However, there is no trail through the summit. Between Lainiotunturi and Pyhätunturi, the elongated Aakenustunturi looms.

In the south, there's Kesänkitunturi and Pirunkuru, with Kellostapuli and Ylläs ski slopes in the background. If you try hard, you may see the popular Särkitunturi on the north-western horizon.

To protect the delicate vegetation of the tundra, especially in national parks, you should only stay on marked trails. However, there are a few nice rocky spots east and west of the summit of Kukastunturi where you can sit in peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the gravel path.

From the top of Kukastunturi you can return the same way back to the Karila Navettagalleria cafe, it's a fast hike down the gravel road. You can also continue hiking along several routes.

The Kukastunturin kierros Trail

From Kukastunturi, you first descend to Kolmentunturinkuru gorge on the eastern side of the fell. The gorge is the swampy area of Kolmentunturinjänkä. At the foot of Pyhätunturi fell, about a one and a half kilometre walk from the top of Kukastunturi, is a Lappish hut and wilderness café, which is open during the high season.

From the Lappish hut, the trail can be continued in three directions. To the north-east, the route continues towards the Kutujärvi open wilderness hut. The trails take you to the Saivonkierros Trail and Äkässaivo, as well as the hiking trail from Ylläs to the Hetta-Pallas trail.

The shorter Kukastunturi trail continues at the foot of the fell on its eastern side. The trail runs through a forest for a couple of kilometres next to a bog. The last stretch is in the Kukastunturinlehto forest, back to the summit hiking trail. From here it is about 1.7 km to the Karila bridge.

The Pallas-Yllästunturi hiking trail continues on the west side of Lainiotunturi to Hangaskurunjänkä, where you will find a lean-to shelter. From Hangaskuru shelter you can access the shorter Kukastunturi route via Lainiovuoma. There are duckboards in the bog area.

From Hangaskurunjänkä you can also continue to the slopes of Kesänkitunturi when you continue the Kukastunturin kierros Trail route. The route arrives near Tahkokuru Lappish hut, about 500 metres uphill from the junction to the hut. From this junction you could also turn towards Karila bridge.

The Kukastunturin kierros Trail follows the same route as the Kesänkitunturi route to the Kesänkijärvi road, and from there towards hotel Äkäshotelli. From the Tahkokuru junction onwards, the trail is a gentle descent and an easy, wide gravel path. Beautiful coniferous forest continues all the way to the road.

Towards the end of the trail you can read small information boards about nature and hiking in thunderstorms. The signposts point towards Lake Kesänkijärvi, a couple of kilometres seems to take a long time.

Kukastunturi in a nutshell

• Of all the trails in Ylläs, Kukastunturi is one of the best for cycling - and for the same reason it's not the best for hiking.
• The easiest way to summit Kukastunturi is from the Karila Navettagalleria cafe, and return by the same route. For a more varied long hike, take the full Kukastunturin kierros Trail.
• It is often windy in the fells, so the scenery can usually be admired in summer without the company of mosquitoes.
• From the top of Kukastunturi there are open views in all directions, making it a good place to admire sunrise, sunset and the midnight sun.
• Karila Navettagalleria is an atmospheric art café where you can get delicious doughnuts.
• Several trails in Ylläs are accessible via Kukastunturi. The summer hiking trail continues north to the Hetta-Pallas trail and all the way through the national park.