Hike to the Strino Lakes

For this itinerary, you will need two cars, as the final destination is not Passo del Tonale but the Rifugio al Fontanino near Lago di Pian Palù in the Val di Pejo. Please plan an extra 30 minutes to bring your car to the final destination. Alternatively, you can take an easier circular path to the laghi di Strino which takes you directly back to the starting point on Passo Tonale. Today, we opted for the first version.

We take the Valbiolo chairlift from Passo Tonale to the eponymous malga, from where we begin our hike. We follow path no. 161 along a rather steep meadow slope known as Alpe del Tonale. On the pass, we admire a stunning view of the entire Presanella group and the Val di Sole. From the small saddle we descend towards the basin and soon arrive at the so-called "Città Morta" (Dead City), where remains of Austrian military installations from World War 1 are still visible. We continue until we reach the fork where path no. 137, signposted "Laghetti di Strino-Bocchetta di Strino" branches off.

After a break at the lakes, we proceed along path no. 137 towards Bocchetta di Strino - the highest point of our hike - until we arrive at Rifugio Fontanino. Caution is required on the rocky and steep descent. However, our efforts are rewarded by the magnificent views of Cevedale (3,796 m), Monte Vioz (3,645 m) and Punta San Matteo (3,678 m) in the Stelvio National Parkwe enjoy from the small alpine lake.

Alternative route: instead of climbing to the Bocchetta di Strino, at the lakes you could return via path no. 137 and 137A towards Forte Strino, from where you can complete a stunning circular hike back to the starting point. This alternative leads you first across a larch forest and then through green alpine pastures. This 16-km long tour with an elevation gain of 970 metres and a drop of 1,305 metres can be completed in 6 hours. The highest point lies at 2,600 m a.s.l.

Date of the hike. 15 July 2017
Last updated in: 2026

Author: Giacomo Roccabruna