On the Monte Baldo High Road

In June 2020, the initial widespread lockdown and travel restrictions due to the Corona pandemic were temporarily lifted. We discussed the possibility of a trip to Lake Garda and on to Verona, weighing up, for example, health risks against the urge to discover new destinations (such as the Monte Baldo Panoramic High Road). Ultimately, we decided to spend 4 days at Lake Garda and in Verona.

The motorway over the Brenner Pass was emptier than I’d seen it since the 90s. Even journeys in the middle of the night in recent years had more traffic, as I recall. So, we quickly and relaxed left the motorway at Rovereto to explore the less-visited side of Monte Baldo. Near the town of Mori, we drove through many hairpin bends, climbing over 1,000 metres into the high valley between the Adige Valley and Lake Garda. The well-maintained SP3 leads from the warm, Mediterranean climate of the valley floor to the alpine vegetation zone with mountain forests and pastures.

At San Valentino, at an altitude of around 1,300 metres, the now narrow, winding SP230 road branches off, hugging the mountain slopes, and we followed it. Through several natural rock tunnels and many more bends, we reached the Albergo Rifugio Graziani on the Bocca del Creer saddle between Corna Piana and Monte Altissimo, at over 1,600 metres, one of the highest points on the road. Numerous hiking trails intersect here. The entire region is a fantastic area for hiking, far removed from the hustle and bustle on and around Lake Garda.

Along the grassy eastern flank of Monte Altissimo, the road quickly led to Rifugio Bocca di Navene. The guesthouse is situated on a narrow, wooded saddle at an altitude of 1,420 metres, the lowest pass in the Monte Baldo massif. Just below the cloud cover, the terrace offers the first deep view down to Lake Garda today. The onward journey continues at a roughly constant altitude through dense mountain forests along now significantly steeper mountain slopes. It was only at the hamlet of Novezza that the road finally descended again. Everywhere, the blooming laburnum adds colourful splashes to the forest. The journey is also a botanical experience. Monte Baldo boasts impressive forests, pastures, and wetlands, including many endemic species. Monte Baldo protruded like an island between the glaciers during the Ice Age, allowing several local plant species to develop.

We passed the village of Spiazzi, where a detour to the mountain church Madonna della Corona is worthwhile. The church was built into the steep rock faces towards the Adige Valley and is clearly visible from the motorway. We skipped the opportunity, as by now it was afternoon and we were drawn west to reach Lake Garda. On the pass road, we turned towards Lumini and then, via Albisano, finally descended to Torri del Benaco on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. There, we wanted to find a quiet spot with a view to spend the night in our roof tent.