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Trekking

Trekking route through forcella Valdritta

Hiking trail from San Michele to Tratto Spino, passing through path 5 and cima Valdritta

Angela Trawoeger
Text

Angela Trawoeger

Creator, photographer and content manager

A difficult route suitable for hikers with a secure footing and good level of fitness. You will walk for about 17km over a gain in height of 2500m and loss of height of 1400m.

Map and GPS Track

Details

  • Technical characteristics

    • Starting point
      San Michele
    • Endpoint
      Tratto Spino
    • Route
      San Michele – Piombi – Forcella Valdritta (path number 5) – Cima Valdritta – Cima del Longino – Cima Pozzette – Tratto Spino
    • Starting height
      580m
    • Highest point
      2218m
    • Altitude – ascent/descent
      2611m/1432m
    • Distance
      17,3km
    • Duration
      7,5 hrs
  • Difficulty

  • Scenic appeal

    • Experience (da 1 a 5)
      5
    • Landscape (da 1 a 5)
      5
  • Type of route

    • Return track on the same route
    • Summit tour
    • Cable car ascent/descent
    • Panoramic route
    • Insider tip
  • Best time of year

    • From may to november
      without snow

Partner

Mmove 360gardalife 2022
Hotel Villa Edera Malcesine 360gardalife en
Xtreme bike malcesine 360gardalife

Points of interest along this hiking trail

This is a tricky but interesting trek, varied and stimulating. You start from the woods and get to Forcella Valdritta, through typical alpine scenery, a long way from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. There are panoramic views over Lake Garda and Monte Baldo.

From Cima Valdritta, we recommend you take path 651 to get to the next peak at 2218m, the highest point of the Monte Baldo range.

Tour description

From San Michele at the halfway station of the cable car, you go uphill through Prai following signs to Signor/Piombi. You will walk uphill for about an hour on a cement path until you reach the wayside shrine of Signor. At the fork in the road, stay right and follow signs for Piombi. After about thirty minutes walking you will get to the clearing at Piombi and, at the next fork, go right and then next left following signs for Forcella Valdritta on path number 5.

A lovely woodland walk starts here going across the Lastoni Pezzi nature reserve. The first part is not very difficult. Just after you leave the woods, you will find a sign that says “acqua – 100m” (water-100m) where you should leave the planned route for a moment to visit the fountain which is under the rocks where the water descends and you have a wonderfully untamed scene in front of you.

fountain on path 5

Go back and then turn left towards Forcella Valdritta. Here the path becomes more open, rocky and less flat. As you go uphill, this area becomes wilder and more interesting all the way up to Valdritta. This last part is fairly difficult but typically alpine, very beautiful and full of chamoix.
Following the horizontal signs, in about an hour you will get to path 651.

monte baldo and lake garda view

Carry on for a short distance towards north and then take the path on the left indicating Cima Valdritta which will take 10 or 15 minutes to go up.
Cima Valdritta at 2218m is the highest peak on the Monte Baldo range.

panoramic view from valdritta peak

To carry on this route you go back down the same path. From here go north and after 2.5 hours of walking you get to Tratto Spino, to the top station of the Malcesine Monte Baldo Cable Car. This is a tough walk with lots of up and down hills.

Click here to read a description of the peaks tour which runs the opposite way to this itinerary.

Here you can find our autumn tour pictures, we came back along forcella Valdritta.

Variant

If you want to go to Cima Telegrafo to eat or sleep at the Refuge, come off the Forcella and get back onto path 651 under Cima Valdritta, turn south and after an hour’s walk you will get to the Gaetano Barana Telegrafo Refuge. The refuge is just below the Telegrafo peak and has been run since 2013 by the people of Equipe Natura.

Our suggestions

  • Just after Cima Valdritta, on path 651, to go back to Tratto Spino you will find a short climbing path – don’t worry it is short and easy!
  • At the foot of Cima Valdritta we suggest you leave CAI 651 and take the path which will bring you in 15 minutes up to the peaks
  • Leave early in the morning and get an up to date weather forecast before you leave.
  • The last part of this route is full of chamoix. If you go early in the morning and go quietly, you stand a good chance of seeing them
  • Take lots of liquids to drink and energy giving foods there aren’t many places to eat around this area
  • Go early in the morning especially in the summer. From Cima Valdritta to Tratto Spino, the walk goes along the Monte Baldo ridge and is very exposed.

The tour during the winter

You can’t do this route when it has snowed.

monte baldo rocks detail

Shelters, huts or bivouacs along the trail

There are none during this route.
When you get to Tratto Spino:

  • Baita dei Forti 10 metres from the cable car Station
  • SkyWalk Lounge Bar Monte Baldo At the cable car station on Monte Baldo

Partner

Hotel Villa Carmen en
Hotel Ideal malcesine 360gardalife
Xtreme bike malcesine 360gardalife

How to reach the starting point of the trail

The middle station of San Michele.

By car

It is located in San Michele at about 580 meters of height. Once in Malcesine take the Panoramica road (both from north or south) and when you arrive at the Campiano pass, before going downhill again, turn right uphill if you come from south, or left if you come from north. Keep going up for about two km on the wider road until you reach the cable car station.

With the cable car

Here to see rates, timetables and opening times.
Tel. +39 045 7400206

Parking

San Michele

Public transport

None

This route passes by Malcesine

Before or after the route, during an excursion or on holiday, stop to visit the small villages of Lake Garda

Similar route

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