In the Ylläs area, there are a few trails that are more than just hiking routes. Along these paths, you can take a journey back in time to the village’s past and the traditional way of life in Lapland. At the same time, the routes offer views of fells and open lakes. It’s a wonderful way to combine exercise and culture.
Äkäslompolo story trail
A story trail of about 8.5 km runs around Äkäslompolo. Along the route, there are 20 different points where the area’s history is presented through stories and art. Via QR codes, you can also listen to the local dialect characteristic of the area.
Information boards share interesting stories about both nature and the people who have lived in it for generations. The trail is suitable for visitors of all ages and can be explored at your own pace, stopping along the way to enjoy the stories. What happened on Arviitti and Tiina’s village trip, or Elsa’s mail journey and who exactly was Riihen Manta?
The official starting point of the trail is the Tano house near the Äkäslompolo chapel, but you can begin exploring the trail from anywhere along the route. The story trail can easily be completed on foot or by bike with the whole family. In winter, some of the artworks are only visible from the ski track. The trail has been created by the Äkäslompolo Family Association.
Ylläsjärvi culture and environmental art trail
The Ylläsjärvi culture and environmental art trail runs through the traditional landscape of Ylläsjärvi. The trail is available during the summer season, from early June to the end of September, when the information signs are in place. The route is easy to walk and about one kilometer long, making it an ideal destination for the whole family and a great choice for a relaxed nature experience.
Along the trail, you’ll learn, among other things, who the first resident of Ylläsjärvi was. The trail can also be combined with a longer village walk, continuing past the cultural trail through the fields to the Ylläsjärvi school, and from there along a pedestrian and cycling path back to the heart of the village near Eeli’s shop.
Sheep often graze along the trail in summer.
History trail at the top of Yllästunturi
At the top of Yllästunturi, there is a short, signposted history trail that tells the story of skiing in the area. When was the first lift built in Ylläs?
The trail is classified as a demanding accessible route and can be reached by gondola lift year-round during the opening hours of the Ylläs Ski Resort or Bike Park. The path at the summit is wide and fairly even. In summer, the surface is mostly crushed stone and gravel, but rocks can make movement challenging, so having an assistant is recommended.
More active visitors can also reach the summit in summer via a maintenance road from the Äkäslompolo side. At the top, you’ll find one of Ylläs’s most popular photo spots—a swing located at the highest elevation in Finland.
