The Presanella Epic Trail
A 63‑kilometre route with 4,700 metres of elevation gain to be tackled over 5 days, crossing nature, history, and wild high‑altitude landscapes. The Presanella Epic Trail is a trekking tour designed for those who love the mountains and choose to experience the high lands in summer. The itinerary starts and ends in Vermiglio, in Upper Val di Sole, and alternates hiking sections with chairlift and cable car transfers, as well as stretches along via ferratas. It is a very demanding trekking tour that requires good physical preparation. The route crosses the Adamello Brenta Nature Park and the Adamello Regional Park, entering the realm of marmots, eagles, and ibexes, and following Places of the White War, where traces and testimonies of soldiers’ life at high altitude are still visible. Are yo
Before setting off, make sure the entire itinerary is accessible: at the beginning of summer, it may happen (as it does sometimes) that some sections are still covered in snow and therefore not passable!
Tappa 1: da Vermiglio al Rifugio Denza
Length: 8.5 km Elevation gain: 1,120 m Duration: 4h 10 minutes
The itinerary starts from the Laghetti di San Leonardo in Vermiglio and follows the Vermigliana stream through green meadows and forests. From here, the trail climbs along the path known as ‘la Scala’, reaching the 2,298 metres of the CAI Francesco Denza Mountain Hut, where overnight accommodation is available. Next to the hut is a small chapel built using the remains of an Austrian barracks from the First World War. A short distance away, a small lake reflects the silhouette of the Presanella Range, which at 3,558 metres is the highest peak in Trentino and known as the Queen of Trentino.
Stage 2: from the Denza Mountain Hut to the Capanna Presena
Length: 13.5 km Elevation gain: + 1,380 m, - 1,101 m Duration: 7h
The second stage is longer than the previous one and crosses very different environments. After an initial uphill stretch over a scree to Passo dei Pozzi, the route descends into the valley, passing near Forte Pozzi Alti, then continues towards Velon until reaching the Ponte degli Alpini. After crossing the bridge, the trail climbs towards Tonale, passing through the Presena riverbed (the well‑known winter off‑piste area ‘Cantiere’) and finally reaching the Paradiso Pass at 2,585 metres. From here, the Presena Cable Car, operating from mid‑June to mid‑September, allows you to comfortably reach Capanna Presena, where you can rest and stay overnight. In summer, the glacier is protected by geotextile sheets that shield it from the sun, while all around there is a rocky landscape with an almos
Stage 3: from the Presena Glacier to the Tonale Pass (the Path of Flowers)
Length: 5.1 km Elevation gain: +390 m, – 800 m Duration: 5h
ATTENZIONE! A causa del recente incendio presso 'Capanna Giovanni Faustinelli', ubicata nei pressi di cima Lagoscuro, un tratto della linea di sicurezza della via ferrata ha subito significativi danni e nelle immediate vicinanze del luogo sono presenti detriti che compromettono la sicurezza al transito. Per questa ragione con l'Ordinanza n. 09 dell'11.06.2026 il Comune di Ponte di Legno ha predisposto la chiusura temporanea dell'intero Sentiero dei Fiori (in entrambe le direzioni di percorrenza) per opere di manutenzione straordinaria fino a revoca dell'ordinanza.
La terza tappa inizia con la cabinovia fino ai 3.000 metri di Passo Presena. Da qui il trail raggiunge il Passo di Lago Scuro, dove si trovano un villaggio militare della Guerra Bianca e una chiesetta, oggi adibiti a museo, per poi proseguire fino alla Capanna Amici di Lago Scuro. Lungo il percorso non è raro incontrare gli stambecchi che popolano queste montagne. Si continua sul Sentiero dei Fiori, una delle vie ferrate più famose dell’arco alpino e di grande interesse storico-naturalistico. Qui si attraversano le due passerelle sospese nel vuoto, ricostruite nello stesso punto di quelle utilizzate dai soldati durante la Grande Guerra. Il trail scende quindi a Passo Paradiso, da dove la cabinovia porta al Passo Tonale, dove è possibile pernottare.
Stage 4: from the Tonale Pass to Bait Di Mezzolo
Length: 13.2 km Elevation gain: +630 m, -1,445 m Duration: 5h 30 minutes
The Valbiolo and Contrabbandieri chairlifts allow you to comfortably reach the starting altitude, crossing wide meadows where marmots are often seen. From here, the trail follows the Austrian Trail, a via ferrata that retraces the old Austro‑Hungarian wartime pathways and leads to the Torrione d’Albiolo, continuing on to Eastern Mount Tonale (2,696 m). On the Torrione, numerous First World War remains are still visible: concrete stairways, artillery platforms, connecting tunnels, and traces of the arrival station of an old cableway. The route then continues along a spectacular ridge path, reaching other military posts immersed in the forest, including Forte Zaccarana and the Strino Barracks. The stage ends at Bait di Mezzolo, a charming forest bivouac where you can spend the night.
Stage 5: from Bait Di Mezzolo to Vermiglio
Length: 22.7 km Elevation gain: +1,180 m, -1,840 m Duration: 8h 15 minutes
The final stage is particularly long, but free of technical difficulties and always remains below 2,000 metres a.s.l. The trail crosses the alpine pastures of Verniana, Saviana, and Malga Boai, set in a sunny, panoramic position facing Mount Presanella, before descending towards the village of Cortina, passing through Dasarè. After crossing the main road, the route continues on the opposite side of the valley and climbs up the Barco Valley to the lake with the same name, a splendid body of water at 1,908 metres, where a new bivouac provides a place to rest. From here, the trail returns to Vermiglio, reaching the Laghetti di San Leonardo, the starting point of the Presanella Epic Trail.
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