Salla National Park in Lapland – Pahakuru Trail

Outdoors // 10 May 2024

Pahakurun kierros Trail in Salla National Park is now "Pahanojankurun kierros" Trail. The trail was also previously called "Hetehaltijan lumous" Trail. The hiking trail takes you to the finest sights of Salla National Park and introduces the nature of Salla – wilderness forests, mires, ponds and fell landscapes.

Salla National Park is characterized by ancient forests surrounding ridges and gorges. From the tops of the fells, wilderness landscapes open up to lakes and vast mire areas. Marked viewpoints offer spots for admiring Lapland's midnight sun and the northern lights.

The Pahakuru Trail, also known nowadays as the Pahanojankurun kierros Trail, is a 15-kilometer (9.3 miles) circular route in Salla National Park. The route goes around the Sallatunturi fells and visits the steepest gorge in Salla National Park, Pahanojankuru.

Salla National Park

Salla National Park is Finland's newest and 41st national park. In recent years, Salla has seen a surge in the construction of new, modern hiking structures. The trails in the Salla area are well-suited for easy day trips and guided nature experiences.

The most famous destination in Salla National Park is likely Sallatunturi fell. The Sallatunturit in Lapland consist of two closely located peaks: Iso Pyhätunturi and Pieni Pyhätunturi, known for the ski resort and slopes. Sallatunturi, also known as the old Sallatunturi (formerly called "Sallatunturit"), is now located on the Russian side near the eastern border.

The area of Salla National Park belongs to the highlands of Kuusamo. The eastern border's nature is characterized by old and lichen-covered spruce and pine forests, steep hills and ridges, and the wilderness mires and lakes that spread between them.

Trails of Salla National Park

Salla's hiking trails take you through varied terrain and to the finest sights of the national park. In addition to the Pahanojankurun kierros Trail, the area of Salla National Park offers the Taivaan tavoittelijan taival Trail on Sallatunturi and the Kaunisharjun kierros Trail.

The parking area of Salla Visitor Centre, also known as the former Poropuisto Reindeer Park, provides access to the short Kolmiloukkonen Trail and the Ruuhitunturi Trail. From Ruuhitunturi fell, you can continue into the beautiful forests of Aikkipetsi.

The national UKK Trail also runs through Sallatunturi fells. The Topsakantaival Trail takes you to Hautajärvi in Salla, from where the legendary Karhunkierros Bear’s Trail begins its route towards Rukatunturi fell in Kuusamo. The UKK Trail, which runs north of Salla, leads through the Tuntsa wilderness area, known as the most beautiful hiking area in Europe.

Salla's hiking trails are particularly suitable for short day trips and beginners due to their ease. A hiking map of Salla can be found on the Retkikartta.fi service. It’s also good to have a printed map and compass with you on longer day trips, as you may go astray despite the trail markings.

Pahakuru Trail – or Pahanojankurun kierros Trail

The Pahakuru Trail is located in the Salla National Park. The route circles the Sallatunturit fells, from the west and north side of Iso Pyhätunturi fell and from the east and south side of Sallatunturi (Pieni Pyhätunturi) fell, known for its ski resort and slopes.

The official name of the "Pahakurun kierros" Trail is now "Pahanojankurun kierros" Trail. The trail was also previously called "Hetehaltijan lumous" Trail. The hiking trail takes you to the finest sights of Salla National Park and introduces the nature of Salla – wilderness forests, mires, ponds and fell landscapes.

The length of the Pahakurun kierros trail as a circular route is 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). The Pahakurun kierros Trail is 13.5 km (8.4 miles) on the map brochure, but it does not include the route section between the starting points.

The Pahanojankurun kierros Trail can be walked either clockwise or counterclockwise, but the recommended direction is clockwise. The official starting point is Pohjoisrinteet (address: Tunturikummuntie road, 98900 Salla), from where it is natural to start walking the route clockwise. You can also start the hike from Tunturikeskus or Salla Visitor Centre.

There are several resting places along the Pahakurun kierros Trail: Kaippahanoja day hut, Pahanojankuru open wilderness hut, Kylmähete day hut, and Tunturilampi lean-to shelter and campfire site.

The Pahakurun kierros Trail is a marked route. The route markers are red squares on trees.

The trail is classified as moderately challenging. The actual hiking on the trail is easy, but the trail is quite long for a day trip. The Pahakurun kierros Trail takes about 4-5 hours to complete.

Pahakurun kierros Trail – Route description

I started walking the Pahakuru Trail clockwise from the starting point at Pohjoisrinteet. I didn't actually start from the Pohjoisrinteet parking lot, but from the Sallatunturi junction, as I came directly from the Taivaan tavoittelijan taival trail. The parking lot is a couple of hundred meters from the junction.

The trail starts in mixed forest. Boardwalks start immediately – and continue for almost the entire Pahakuru Trail. In places, the builders have carved "2023", the year of construction and initials. Along the trail, a woodpecker may rhythmically carve its own marks on a tree trunk to greet passersby.

Towards Kaippahanoja, the trail rises along the western edge of the Sallatunturi fell, gradually ascending. You don't even really notice the ascent, as the boardwalks are stepped according to the ascent. You can't see the views from the fell either, as you walk below the tree line in dense forest.

Kaippahanoja day hut

Two and a half kilometers pass quickly. At the end of the boardwalks, the first rest stop awaits, the brand new Kaippahanoja day hut. There are new dry toilets and a gravel fire pit in the yard. There is no water point at the day hut, not even for boiling. The sawdust will surely disappear over time.

The journey continues from Kaippahanoja again on boardwalks across an almost treeless hillside mire. The boardwalks are actually like an endless pier, as the wide boards are laid crosswise, not lengthwise like traditional duckboards.

Less than a kilometer away, a small stream is crossed, Kaippahanoja. You could probably take water from it if necessary, although the stream looks marshy and brown. The old "Kaippahanoja" sign, attached to a leaning pine tree, has been left standing next to the ditch.

The trail continues through the forest, full of roots. The planks next to the trail, however, indicate that the construction work is continuing. The first reindeer may peek out from the edge of the mire. In a great anthill, the ants are already busy working for the winter.

Narrow nature trails and majestic lichen-covered spruces are the most beautiful part of the trail. After a while, the forest changes again to mire and the path to a pier.

After walking a good three kilometers from Kaippahanoja, you reach the Pahanojankuru junction. From Pohjoisrinteet, the distance is exactly six kilometers, and from here it is about 700 meters to Pahanojankuru gorge.

The last stretch to the most famous sight is hiked through a fine and dense spruce and pine forest. The path runs along the edge of the gorge, but there are no special views from the middle of the dense forest.

Pahanojankuru open wilderness hut

The Pahanojankuru open wilderness hut looks like a black box perched on gravel. The new hut was still closed. New dry toilets and a fire pit have been built along the trail.

Long stairs lead down to the gorge. Pawed friends have been remembered with planks placed on the side of the grate steps. From the viewpoint you can watch the little stream babbling in the middle of the rocky gorge.

It is not easy to find flat tent pitches in the yard. And if you want to watch the northern lights at night, the tall trees effectively block the view of the sky. From Pahanojankuru you can also continue along the UKK trail to Pitkälampi pond.

Pitkälampi pond

It is about two kilometers to Pitkälampi pond along an ATV track. There was a fine old lean-to at Pitkälampi, but it has been demolished to make way for a new one.

I was on a multi-day hike and I had planned to spend the night at the Pitkälampi laavu. I had checked the information on nationalparks.fi website before the trip, and it had only mentioned construction work at Pahanojankuru, not at Pitkälampi. I spent an interesting night in the middle of excavators and building elements wrapped in plastic in the only place where I could pitch a tent.

The water in Pitkälampi pond is also marshy, brownish and a bit cloudy, but suitable for boiling. The new lean-to will probably be in use in the summer of 2024.

The landscapes of Pitkälampi pond and from the shore are worth an extra 4-kilometer detour. If you want to see the mystical Aatsinginhauta (Aatsinki grave), the extra detour would be another four kilometers.

From Pahanojankuru, you return the 700-meter forest stretch back to the junction, where you turn towards Kylmähete. First, you cross the mire area on boardwalks. On the other side, a gentle ascent awaits in the forest.

For a short while, you can enjoy the nature trail, which is lined with lichen-covered spruces. Suddenly, a long bridge appears in the middle of the forest. A secret stream may flow under it, but you may not see it.

Kylmähete day hut

The shiny new Kylmähete day hut can already be seen from afar behind the conifers. Steep stairs lead down to the pond, from where you can get water for making coffee (boil first). The familiar gravel fire pit and dry toilets are located in the yard.

The best thing about the day hut's interior is the large windows that frame the ever-changing fell and mire scenery. The stove lights up well and boils the coffee quickly, a black kettle also hangs on the hook. It is comfortable to sit on the log seats and watch the scenery.

The day hut is intended for day use only, but the cottage is sure to attract overnight visitors. The guestbook reveals that the wide benches have already been enjoyed for the night.

From Kylmähete, the trail continues along the (still unfinished) bridge-pier towards Tunturikumpu hill. There are really no views of the fells from behind the trees, as the top of Tunturikumpu is also forested. A lovely rooty path compensates for the lack of views.

A gentle descent ends at the shore of Tunturilampi pond on the mire. There is water and streams on the mire, and the boardwalks finally come in handy. The new Tunturilammen laavu shelter can be seen on the edge of the mire.

Tunturilampi lean-to

The Tunturilammen laavu shelter is actually two lean-tos placed opposite each other on either side of the trail. Both have a fireplace. There's also a woodshed and new dry toilets in the yard.

From Tunturilampi, the Pahanojankurun kierros Trail continues along the Kaunisharjun kierros trail south of Sallatunturi to Tunturikeskus, according to the map brochure. The new route (most likely) runs from Tunturilampi along the gravel road towards Itärinteet slopes on the east and north side of Sallatunturi.

Since I had started the hike from Salla Visitor Centre and already walked the southern edge of Kaunisharjun kierros Trail, I turned towards Kontiokangas at this point.

If you have parked in the Pohjoisrinteet parking lot, follow the signs to the gravel roads that pass by the ski slope starting points. Halfway along the route there is the Itärinteen laavu (lean-to shelter) and a natural phenomenon observation point – and of course the "Salla in the middle of nowhere" sign.

Salla National Park – what to expect

I hiked in Salla National Park and the surrounding trails of Salla in early September 2023. Construction work was partially unfinished, mainly lacking graveling and finishing of structures.
The Pahanojankurun kierros Trail was the most constructed of the Salla trails – the trail was practically walking on boardwalks. The trail is therefore well suited for those looking for an easy walk.
The finest scenery on the Pahanojankurun kierros Trail was at Pitkälampi pond, which is a couple of kilometers off the trail.
Salla National Park has invested in modern structures and guided experiences. Signs guide you, for example, to listen to the sounds of nature. There is a bit of the same spirit here as in the meditation places on the pilgrimage path of the Kungsleden hike in Swedish Lapland.
Salla National Park's trails are particularly suitable for easy day hikes. For multi-day hikes and trekking, the UKK trails that go further away towards Aikkipetsi and Karhunkierros Bear’s Trail or towards the Tuntsa wilderness are better.
Compared to many other Lapland hiking destinations, Salla has relatively few water points, and there are no real clear fell streams as usually in Lapland.
Maps of the Salla trails (printed map brochure) are available for free from the nature center, for example. They do not have a proper route description, but otherwise the information is comprehensive, and the route is drawn on a topographic map. The map brochure includes, for example: route duration, difficulty, starting point, equipment and hiking structures. Some of the brochures may present old information.
The most popular Salla trails can be somewhat crowded. Outside the national park, the UKK trail sections were quieter, but even there the huts could be full.
In addition to construction, the Salla area has invested in trail markings and signs, and there are plenty of them.
All trails start near Salla-Kuusamo road (Road 950) and are easily accessible. There is plenty of parking space.

If you are visiting Salla, also check out the beautiful trails of Oulanka National Park and Ruka-Kuusamo, as well as the Riisitunturi trails in Posio.