Wilderness Biking - Tarvantovaara
Remote quad-bike and single-track wilderness routes through the Tarvantovaara Wilderness Area, west of Leppajarvi, reaching towards the Norwegian border and Kautokeino.
Tarvantovaara Wilderness Area lies west of the village of Leppajarvi and north of the village of Kaaresuvanto. Its southern boundary roughly follows the northern limit of pine forest, its northern boundary the fell tundra along the Finnish-Norwegian border. About a third of the area is mire, mainly palsa bogs with frost mounds, fell birch is the commonest tree and the highest peaks rise over 600m above sea-level.
- Tarvantovaara Wilderness Area - west of Leppajarvi, peaks over 600m
- About a third of the area is palsa-bog mire with frost mounds
- 15km Salvasjarvi-Harkajarvi quad-bike trail across open tundra
- 29.7km Harkajarvi-Aksomuotli route towards Kautokeino, Norway
- Open wilderness huts at Syvajarvi and the Norwegian Fjelstation at Siccajarvi
Wilderness Trails in Tarvantovaara
Trails to the wilderness cabin at Salvasjarvi are described in the 'Hetta Trails' section. From Salvasjarvi, a 15km quad-bike trail crosses the open mountain range to Harkajarvi, onto the high tundra north of Stuorrahanoaiv. Past a wet alpine slope north of Harkajarvi, at the reindeer gate far beyond the yellow-painted border rocks, the route joins the old market path from Karesuvanto to Kautokeino.
Around Palojoki and the Wilderness Area Itself
A 22km trail links Salvasjarvi and Kultima, and a 16km quad-bike trail follows an old lost track between Palojarvi and Salvaspaa, only for the adventurous. The 24km Leppajarvi-Kultima route, an old track marked with mile signs, starts and ends at the bridge across the Palojoki. From Kultima, a 13km gravel road reaches the main road at Kuttanen.
To the North, towards Kautokeino
The 29.7 km Harkajarvi-Aksomuotli trail leads from the reindeer gate into dense scrub where the old trace is faint but usually findable. It crosses the Favrusjokkan tundra towards Galanita, where you wade the Sallanjohka (Roggejohka), with the last 13km on asphalt. The 41km Kautokeino-Siccajarvi trail runs c. 20km on asphalt and 14km on a tractor road, and Siccajarvi has a Norwegian Fjelstation for overnight stays.
The Kaaresuvanto-Lavivaara-Syvajarvi Trail (20km)
Starting at the village of Kaaresuvanto, this trail leads to Lake Syvajarvi via Lavivaara Hill, changing from gravel road to dirt track and marked with kilometre posts, like all Finnish Road Administration trails. The terrain is undemanding, if a bit rocky at the Syvajarvi end, where there is an open wilderness hut. For a longer, wilder, more demanding trip, continue via Puussasvaara to Neuhkana and on to either Hirvasvuopio and Munnikurkkio, or via Kalkuaivi to Kelottijarvi.
Good to know
- Location
- West of Leppajarvi, north of Kaaresuvanto
Ready when you are
Real wilderness, 200+ huskies, eighteen winters in.