Easy hike from Prati di Nago to one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Monte Baldo
Giorgia Consolini
Trekking, bike and ski touring
Angela Trawoeger
Creator, photographer and content manager
If you love Mountains and get excited in front of a summit landscape, you should climb Monte Altissimo at least once. Nago’s Monte Altissimo (2079 mt) is part of the Gardesane Pre-Alps and belongs to the Monte Baldo chain.
A relatively easy and never monotonous trail awaits you, which in two hours goes through forests, meadows, and rocks to reach one of Lake Garda’s most beautiful and famous viewpoints.
Map and GPS Track
Details (one way)
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Technical characteristics
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Starting point
Prati di Nago
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Endpoint
Monte Altissimo
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Route
Prati di Nago – Monte Varagna – Monte Altissimo
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Starting height
1308m
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Highest point
2060m
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Altitude – ascent/descent
775m/30m
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Distance
4,3 km
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Duration
2 hrs
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Starting point
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Difficulty
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Difficulty
Easy
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Technical difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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Physical training (1 to 5)
2
- CAI (Italian Alpine Club) difficulty scale
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Difficulty
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Scenic appeal
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Experience (1 to 5)
5
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Landscape (1 to 5)
5
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Experience (1 to 5)
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Type of route
- One way tour
- Cable car ascent/descent
- Panoramic route
- Suitable for families and children
- Insider tip
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Best time of year
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From april to november
without snow
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From april to november
Partner
Points of interest along the route
The viewpoint from Nago’s Monte Altissimo is wonderful at any time of day and in any season.
When you’re in front of Rifugio Damiano Chiesa, continue to the left, one last westward turn, and the whole of Lake Garda from north to south will open up in front of you. On a clear day, you will enjoy a magnificent view: the lake in all its grandeur from Torbole to Sirmione, the Gardesane Prealps, the ridge of Monte Baldo, Val di Ledro, Val di Gresta and the Brenta Dolomites.
This is how we recharge: sitting on the grass in silence, watching the wonders of Mother Nature!
You can visit the remains of the Austrian defense works from World War I, the little church near the refuge, and, with a bit of attention, find blooms of rare and endemic species that have given Monte Baldo the name Hortus Europae since as early as the 1400s.
Route Description
Leaving the car at Prati di Nago, you reach the beginning of the vast forest road marked as path SAT 601, which gradually narrows until you get to the pastures of Monte Varagna.
Keep to the right, skirting some remnants of Austrian defense works and prepare for the final ascent, which among lake-view stops, stones and rocks will take you to the foot of the Damiano Chiesa Refuge in about 2 kilometers and, continuing to the right of the refuge, to the summit of Monte Altissimo.
The return is on the same route.
Variant
At the entrance to trail 601, instead of following the forest road, you can take well-marked shortcuts to shorten the climb. Beware, however, of MTBs, which tend to descend on these narrow trails.
The hike in winter
Year-round only if the winter is exceptionally mild, without snow and ice.
However, inquire about the track’s condition: it faces north and is often icy in the colder months.
Refuges, bivouacs or rest stops along the route
- Rifugio Altissimo D. Chiesa On the top of Monte Altissimo Cel. +39 391 383 9019
Partner
Our tips
- Like any high Mountain route, it is advisable to start early in the morning to enjoy the climb in the cool weather. In any case, do not forget a hat and sunscreen, but also a sweatshirt. All it takes is a few clouds and a little wind to make you quickly remember that you are at 2.000 meters altitude.
- There are no water fountains along the way, so leave home with the necessary water!
- Altissimo is among the favorite Mountains of Trentino people from Brentonico, Nago, Mori, and Rovereto, and at weekends it is always busy. If you want to have lunch at the refuge, it is best to make reservations.
- The parking lot at Prati di Nago holds only 20-30 cars. If it is full, you can park in the open spaces below, taking care not to park on the road.
- We occasionally climb Altissimo in the late afternoon after a day’s work. From up there, we enjoy the sunset in silence and stop for dinner at the refuge. If you want to try this experience, remember to bring your headlamp for the descent.
How to reach the starting point of the itinerary
Starting in Nago, follow the signs to Monte Baldo along a narrow road that, in about 30 minutes (14 km), takes you to the parking lot in front of the bar where the trail begins. Watch out for cyclists.
