Lago Barco

Safety information

To face a mountain hike we suggest:

• choosing a route suitable for your fitness. If in doubt, contact the Mountain Guides or our Information Offices
• prepare your hike: check the weather forecast, the route you will follow, and the operating times of lifts if your itinerary includes their use. Remember that the access to routes in a mountain environment is strictly linked to current conditions and so depends on natural phenomena, environmental changes, and weather conditions. For this reason, get good information about the route and its conditions before leaving
• leave information about your route, estimated return time, and carry your phone with you
• pay attention to indications and signs along the route: Stelvio Park signs, white and red SAT signs, and red and white paint marks on stones or trees
• book in advance the malga or refuge where you intend to stop for meals or overnight stay
• never leave waste in the alpine area and, if possible, avoid leaving it at the refuges or malgas you visit
• if you spot wild animals along the route, we invite you to stay on the path you are following, do not approach too close, do not shout, and keep your dog on a leash to avoid it instinctively chasing and frightening them

Starting point

Directions

After leaving the car in Valpiana, walk back along the road towards the village, up to the chapel of Sant'Antonio, and take the path to Malga del Doss. After a short stretch on a forest road, follow the SAT 204 path and reach the pasture of the malga. From here, take the path towards Lago di Barco and, on a flat route, reach a swampy hollow. After crossing the dense forest of larches and alders, you reach a small hut placed above Lago di Barco. The return is planned along the same itinerary.

Alternatively, it is possible to reach Lago di Barco starting from the small lakes of San Leonardo in Vermiglio, where you cross the Vermigliana stream and take the forest road towards Ossana, until you join the SAT 205 path leading to the lake.

In both cases, once you reach Lago di Barco, continuing on the SAT 205 path, which develops through dense vegetation, you arrive at Lago Piccolo, nestled in a tiny hollow (To reach Lago Piccolo, it takes 2 and a half hours round trip from Lago di Barco).

Public transportation

You can reach Ossana by train TRENTO - MALÈ - MEZZANA up to Mezzana and then by the Trentino Trasporti bus line MALÈ - MEZZANA - FUCINE - COGOLO - PEIO (download the outbound and return timetables).

How to get there

Follow the SS42 to Cusiano and once you have passed the church of Santa Maria Maddalena, at the junction turn left onto SP202. Travel along the road for about one kilometer and continue past the church towards Valpiana until you reach the parking lot.

Where to park

You can leave your car in the parking lot located in Valpiana.

To face a mountain hike it is always useful to:

• wear trekking boots suitable for uneven, irregular, and wet ground, long pants, a hat, and sunglasses
• put in your backpack a waterproof jacket, a fleece sweater, hat and gloves, sunscreen, and minimum spare clothing
• bring a water bottle and snacks for energy drops (dried fruit, bars, or chocolate)
• do not forget a camera or mobile phone to capture the landscapes and views you like best. If you want, you can share them on social media using #visitvaldisole