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| Tremalzo Trail, with Lago di Garda in the foreground and Lago di Ledro in the distance |
Starting from Riva del Garda, on the north western end of Lago di Garda, the trail ascends for a 10km, initially riding along a old gravel roadway above Lago di Garda. This portion of the route provides wonderful views of the lake, allowing you to watch the windsurfers below. The route weaves through the old tunnels, apparently a part of the original roadway along the lake.
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| Beautiful vistas of Lago di Garda help keep your mind off the 17km/1200m climb that you've just begun! |
The ascent turns away from the lake, heading up a steep valley toward Lago di Ledro. As you continue to climb toward Lago di Ledro, you will be riding along both trail and at times paved roads. It's best to equip your mountain bike with a rear safety light, increasing your visibility to the Itallian and German drivers touring around the small, curvy roads. The drivers are very courteous, and mindful of bikes on the road. The trail toward Lago di Ledro runs through a number of small villages, providing the rider with an opportunity to see parts of quaint parts of Italy rarely seen by car. Molina de Ledro is a small village on Lago di Ledro, and provides an opportunity to rest, refill water, and get a bit of gellato prior to continuing the climb.
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| Small village along the way from Lago di Garda toward Lago di Ledro |
Continuing south along Lago di Ledro, the route turns uphill, and the climbing really gets difficult. Another 7km of climbing await, with the trail reaching over 1250m in altitude. The climb works its way up a number of switchbacks, none of which are terribly technical. The difficulty in the ascent is in the effort to climb, not in any particular obstacle along the way. Concouring the summit means you've just climbed 1200m in under 17km! The reward is worth it, both the immediate view of Lago di Garda below, as well as the upcoming descent.
The summit is a great place for a lunch break, as there are a number of picnic spots along the summit trail. Obviously, this is also a great time for photos!
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| Lago di Garda from atop Tremalzo; 10km descent awaits! |
The descent begins! What you've been waiting and working for all day: 10km of technical descent! Beautiful views may distract you on the way down, so it's best to stop along the way and snap a couple photos. That and so much effort goes into getting to the top, it's best to enjoy the view!
As the trail approaches Pregasina, a small village perched high above Lago di Garda, the trail becomes paved road. While passing through Pregasina, feel free to enjoy a cafe' at the small restarant, Kaffee Pregasina. Another 6km of descent await, about half of it down paved roads, the remaining 3-4km desending the gravel path that were ascended at the beginning of the loop. The descent along the lake is particularly fun, as the view is terrific, and the jumps and other fun obstacles on the gravel route provide some entertainment, too.
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| The old route, now little more than a gravel road. Note the tunnel and the jump ahead! |
Back in Riva del Garda, time for some Italian Pizza and German beer; the best part of the Alps is the mixing of cultures, and the ability to have the best of everything Europe has to offer, including trails!
Tremalzo is a "must ride" trail!
Feel free to download the KML or GPX file of the Tremalzo trail.
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| Italian Pizza and German Beer: northern Italy features the best of Europe! |
