Lago Vintage: Passo Tremalzo via Val Scaglia

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This ride features varied climbs of 2,000 meters, beginning in Riva (elev. 70m) at Strada del Ponale: The lower part of Old Ponale Street. It is a nice mix of gravel roads, some small paved roads, and tracks. You'll ride lakeside along Lago die Ledro (elev. 655m). Now you'll have to climb! On a short section, you have to shoulder or hike your bike. The first summit is Bocca Cast (elev. 1,603m). But you have to ride down to the asphalt road (elev.1.500m) and climb again. The next summit is a tunnel at Passo Tremalzo (elev. 1,850m), like Tremalzo Road built in the first World War.

You then fly down on old gravel roads, through tunnels to Passo Nota (elev. 1,205m) and on smaller tracks. Near Passo Rocchetta (elev. 1,159m) there are some steeper and rocky singletrails, which alternate with flowing forest roads to Pregrasina (elev. 580m), a small town high above Lago di Garda. The last section is again Strada del Ponale: The lower part of Old Ponale Street a gravel road, carved in the limestone rock. You have to decide between taking pictures or getting in the flow down to Lago di Garda.

Start at Riva, ferry port, take the street to the south, toward Limone, for about hundred meters to the start of Strada del Ponale: The lower part of Old Ponale Street. When the road reaches the Ledro-Valley stay to the right and head uphill on the bends of Strada del Ponale: The upper part of Old Ponale Street (from the left side, from Pregrasina, you'll come back over a bridge). This trail enters the new road to Ledro (a lot of traffic), but you'll leave these road after about 300 meters to the left, direction Pregrasina. Cross the bridge, and turn right.


This dirt road is the start of Lower Valle-di-Ledro-Bikeway (there should be signs for the mtb-route to Lago di Ledro). The trail leads through the forest and gardens to a small town, Pr (elev.501m). Here you enter the paved Middle Valle-di-Ledro-Bikeway, wich will lead you to the town Molina di Ledro (elev.638m) and to Lago di Ledro. Ride now on a small tarred road on the lakeside clockwise to Pur,a small holiday-village.

Leave the lakeside road to the left and follow the trail Pian di Pur - Lago di Ledro to Malga Cita (marked #419) throug the lakeside plains. This small tarred road ends at Malg Cita (elev.756m).

Continue on Val Scaglia: Malga Cita - Malga Gi. This is the most strenuous part of the ride; the trail (marked #419) is steep and you'll likely have to hike or shoulder your bike soon. There is a nice spring of cool water on the left. This singletrack ends on the meadows of Malga Gi, at the alpine hut Ca de Mez (elev.1.225m), which is usually closed (you can get water there).

Continue on the doubletrack ( Malga Gi - BoccaCast ). After few minutes you'll pass the house of Malga Giu. Follow the gravel road (you're back on marked trail #419) upward to Bocca Cast (1.65m). Turn left and stay on the forest road Bocca Cast - Rifugio Garibaldi Strada per Tremalzo. After a little climb, you'll have a fast down until you enters Strada per Tremalzo.

Turn left and follow the paved road up to its end at Rifugio Garda (1, 686m). Here a gravel road ( Tremalzo: Old Military Road marked #224) continues to the highest point, a tunnel at Passo Tremalzo (elev.1.820m). Here you'll start the breathtaking downhill on the old road with lot of gravel, some easy rocky section, some tunnels, and a big flow that brings you quickly down to Passo Nota (elev.1.205m).

For the moment the downhill is over; now follow the Doubletrack from Passo Nota to Passo Guil (marked#421), a faster section with a little up and down. At Passo Guil (elev.1.206m) you continue straight ahead at Rocchetta Trail: Passo Guil to Passo Rocchetta (marked #101). At the right you can see down to Lago di Garda and the town of Limone. The last meters to Passo Rochetta (elev.1,159m) are steep, but the ground is gravel.

Now I recommend taking the left trail ( Passo Rocchetta: #422 to Palaer Forest Road ), which is small, but not too steep. A few rocky or wooden obstacles will force you to get off the bike (but the direct trail #422B, a groove, is much harder).

The trail enters Forest Road: Trail #422 to Malga Palaer; turn right on this road, which goes first upward and later downward to Malga Palaer (elev. 946m). Here you can test your downhill-experince at Old Pregrasina Road, a rocky trail (#422B), paved by monster-cobbelstone (or follow the Palaer Forest Road to Pregrasina ).This old trail crosses the forest road sometimes, so you'll choose the best way for you.

At the beginning of Pregrasina (elev.580m), there is a fountain on the left; the water is fresh and cold. Now take Pregrasina: Village Road, there's not a lot of traffic. Before the tunnel turn right on Old Pregrasina Road, a traffic-closed road. Crossing the valley on a bridge you'll reach the ascent route. Turn right, at Strada del Ponale: The lower part of Old Ponale Street. This gravel road with tunnels, nice views, and a big flow brings you down to Lago di Garda.

The old streets and tunnels were made in World War I and are now used by bikers from many (European) countries.