Brentonico - Altissimo

All Mountain

The trail stretches mainly on Northern Monte Baldo. The views of Lake Garda and the Dolomites, of the Rhaetian and of the Prealps of Trentino, Veneto and Lombardy are unique and extraordinary. On the brightest days the view is just incredible: you can admire the Po Valley and even the Apennines of Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. The flora on this mountain is extremely rich and boasts magnificient species of high scientific value, some of which trace back to the Pre-Ice Age. In the Quaternary Monte Baldo was different compared to other Northern mountain ranges. Its peaks were not entirely covered by ice, that here could reach the height of 1600 mt, and so some nunataks (exposed rocky elements in an ice field not covered with ice) formed and certain flower species grew on them. When the ice melt, these species kept on living on the ridges and did not colonized other zones. A very important example of this isolation and speciation is represented by the Callianthemum kerneranum, a species that lives only on Monte Baldo.The trail starts in the locality of Festa, 2 km from the town of Brentonico. Leave the car park behind your shoulders and take the asphalted uphill road.

You can ride on the dirt road that follows the asphalted one for a while, but then you have to take your MTB on your shoulders. At the end of this road you can start riding your MTB again until you reach S. Giacomo di Brentonico. Here you find two fountains if you are thirsty and a hotel where you can taste typical dishes of this area. Go ahead following the road signs for San Valentino, a well-known ski resort and then follow the signs for Monte Baldo. At San Valentino Pass you can rest for a while, the road is rather flat but then it leads uphill. The road is asphalted. Cross two tunnels. Going uphill you will see on your left Rifugio Fos-ce, a mountain hut where you can have a break and enjoy the typical dishes of the Trentino tradition. The road runs uphill and reaches Rifugio Graziani. Here you find a dirt road that leads uphill and is partly not cyclable. The climb is worth doing for the wonderful panoramas that include Vallagarina and Lake Garda. On the crest of the mountain there is Rifugio Altissimo Damiano Chiesa, run by the Alpine guide Danny Zampiccoli. In this mountain hut you can refresh yourself and try the typical dishes of the Trentino tradition. From here starts a steep downhill slope that is quite difficult, if you are not an expert we recommend you to push your MTB.

After the first difficult part on gravel you find a flat grass lawn. There is then another downhill slope where you must be careful. After this part you reach another flat area and a croassroads: on your left there is a forest road that runs downhill, but you must stick to the right and reach the locality of Varagna. You go through a grass lawn and then take the forest road that leads to Malga Campei, a hut that offers an amazing view of the valley. From the hut you go down a road which is partly asphalted until you reach the “strada brentegana”. At the crossroads turn right and cycle on an dirt road until the locality of Festa di Brentonico, start and goal of this MTB trail.