Lemmenjoki, 50 kilometres southwest of Inari village, is Finland's largest national park — 2,860 square kilometres of pine forest, willow river valleys, and open fell. The Lemmenjoki river runs through the park; a long-running summer boat service ferries hikers up the river to the start of the marked trails.
The park is one of the few places in Finland where gold has been mined and panned — small-scale prospectors still work the gravel banks under decades-old permits, and visitors can pan for gold themselves at the Kultahamina visitor camp. Marked hiking trails range from short walks to the multi-day Joenkielinen circuit. The main visitor centre is at Njurgulahti; pick up maps and current trail conditions before heading in.