Lemmenjoki National Park

Understand

Besides nature conservation, the area is important for reindeer husbandry and popular for trekking. It is not only the biggest national park in Finland, but also borders Øvre Anárjohka National Park in Norway, Pulju Wilderness Area to the west and Hammastunturi Wilderness Area to the south. Not far away in the north is Muotkatunturit Wilderness Area. The river valley and its nearest surroundings make up the "recreational zone" with a nature trail, hiking trails, many huts and some service. Also the surroundings of the trail to the Sallivaara reindeer round-up site belong to the recreational zone. Farther away is the "remote zone", still with some open wilderness huts, but with much less hikers. Areas around cultural sights are categorized as "cultural zones", with special considerations. The microclimate in the river valley is somewhat warmer than what might be expected and the vegetation lush for the latitude, thus the Sami name Leammi, "warm (river)". Transformed into Finnish it became Lemmenjoki, "river of love". The main sources for livelihood of the locals are reindeer husbandry and tourism. Most reindeer are half-wild, the reindeer husbandry cooperative caring for them as needed, giving extra food in severe winters, maintaining fences and so on. Two times annually the reindeer are rounded up, calves marked and some taken to slaughter.

History

River valleys have always been favoured places to live. There are many remains of pitfalls in the park, e.g. by the nature trail, used for hunting wild reindeer until the 1800s, when reindeer herders and permanent settlers arrived. Gold was found at the nearby Ivalojoki in the 19th century, with a peak of gold digging 1871–1872, with some 500–600 people engaged. Soon after the crown station at Ivalonjoki was closed at the turn of century, gold diggers came also to Lemmenjoki, with some 70 claims in 1902. The real gold rush to Lemmenjoki happened in the 1940s, continuing into the 1950s. There are still gold diggers pan

Getting there

You may enter the park anywhere you want. If you cross the border from Norway (recommended only for extreme backcountry hikers: the Øvre Anarjohka National Park is difficult to navigate real wilderness) you need to clear with customs beforehand in some cases. The main entrance to the park is in the village Njurkulahti (Sámi: Njurggoluokta) at the east edge of the park, by the river, some 45 km south-west from Inari. This is the starting point of hiking and nature trails and for a motor boat service along the river. There is a trail to the Sallivaara reindeer round-up site (Sámi: Sállevárri/Sallâvääri) from Repojoki at the southern edge of the park. There is a road to the village Lisma (Sámi: Lismá) in the southern part of the park. The road to Angeli (Sámi: Ánŋŋel; local road 9553) follows the northern border of the park, with the north-eastern corner of the park 33 km from Inari. There is a shared taxi service along the road, with sparse schedule. On a 15-km stretch you can easily choose whatever starting point for your hike, but if starting farther west you need to handle crossing the Vaskojoki river (Sámi: Fášku, Vàšku). 4 km before the park there is a road forking to several places near the park border, so that all the north-eastern part of the park is reachable. If you intend to do a longer hike, there are many other possible starting points. The local visitor centre seems to have been closed. You can get information (and maps, etc.) from the visitor centre in Inari or the customer service in Ivalo. These are not nearby, but en route for some visitors. Keys to reservation huts and rental cabins are handled by a local business.

Siida (Sámi Museum and Northern Lapland Nature Centre), Inarintie 46 (Inari), ☏ +358 20-564-7740, [email protected]. Official visitor centre, although far away. Co-located with the Sámi museum. Very worthwhile exhibitions. Different opening hours for different parts. (updated Jan 2017) Ivalo Customer Service, Ivalontie 10 (Ivalo), ☏ +358

Getting around

There are no roads in the park. There is a motor boat service from Njurkulahti to Lake Ravadasjärvi and to Kultahamina (twice a day in season, only evenings in shoulder season, 1½ hours, check or book in advance). A boat trip is a nice adventure in itself and provides access to much of the landscape. A short boat trip is possible even for the disabled (with assistance). Walking, skiing, rowing and canoeing is allowed according to Everyman's right, except in the restricted areas. In Ravadanköngäs the marked trail can be used. Cycling is allowed along the marked trails, but they are not well-suited for bikes. There is a nature path (4.5 km) near Njurkulahti and marked hiking trails in the recreational zone in the river valley and from Repojoki to Sallivaara reindeer round-up site. Otherwise you follow your own paths (with some consideration of leave-no-trace camping). You will need a compass, good maps and the skill to use them (the nature trail is probably marked well enough to be safe without them). You can either buy the Lemmenjoki outdoor map (Lemmenjoen ulkoilukartta), 1:100 000 with information on huts, trails and the park, or ordinary topographic maps W431, W433, W434 and V442, 1:50 000. There are also Lemmenjoki geological outdoor map 1:50 000,, Lemmenjoki Guidebook and Forest map 15–16, 1:250 000. Maps can be bought at Siida or at well-equipped book or outdoor stores. Especially in the spring and early summer fording may require some expertise. In mid and late summer minor streams should be unproblematic. The marked hiking trails avoid river crossings and probably allow safe crossing where needed, but asking at the information centres or those you meet will not hurt. There are cable boats for crossing the river at Searikniva and Härkäkoski. If waters are high, for example because of heavy rain, do not take undue risks.

See

Lemmenjoki River Valley Ravadasköngäs Waterfall Joenkielinen Fell Sallivaara Reindeer Round-up Site Grounds of Kaapin Jouni, traditional landscape 1 Gold digging grounds (Lemmenjoki National Park and Hammastunturi Wilderness Area, Lapland). There was a gold rush in the 1870s to Ivalonjoki in the Hammastunturi Wilderness Area, and a new one to Lemmenjoki in the 1940s. There are still people digging and panning gold in both areas, although digging by machine ended in the national park in 2020. This is the largest national park in Finland and the area is generally wilderness – and was at the time of the gold rushes – but the gold areas by Lemmenjoki are easily reached by car and a boat tour, and some of the locals arrange gold related tours. Many different techniques, old and new, have left their marks and can be studied. The "crown station" in the Hammastunturi area can be visited by a trek, a former village and some of the gold grounds (by Sotajoki) can be approached with a sturdy car. 2 Karhu-Korhonen library (Karhu-Korhosen kirjasto) (at Jäkäläpää). Small former airstrip service building, made into a library as 80-years b