Hiking in Trentino, Italy: Lakes, Waterfalls & Gorges

I recently organized my first group hike for some friends and me, and it was so much fun! I planned it as a short day trip, leaving at 8:00 am and returning by 6:00 pm. This would make a great day/weekend trip for those living in or visiting the Vicenza / Lake Garda / Province of Trentino area!

Lago di Tenno

The first stop of the day was at a serene lake – Lago di Tenno – located above Lago di Garda. It was a 2-hour drive from Vicenza through lakeside towns and tight switchback roads (8,70€ in autostrada tolls). We found a parking lot right by the lake that had plenty of space to park but bring euros! It was 1,50/hour. We followed the trailhead signs pointing to Lago di Tenno and chose the route down the stairs first. We turned the corner after climbing down the steps with a baby stroller and four pups, and the view of the lake was jaw-dropping. From there, we could view the lake in all its entirety. Upon arrival to the lake, we found a snack shop, plenty of picnic tables, and restrooms. We arrived early enough that it wasn’t too crowded or too hot.

The trail around the lake took us about 1-2 hours to hike, but we had 4 people, a baby and stroller and 4 dogs. We found a patch of pavement that looked out over the lake, a little over halfway around the lake, where we stopped and ate our packed lunches. The trail was easy, with a few stairs but mostly long flat stretches. The only part that was tricky was when we came to the river crossing and there was no way to cross except to go through the river. And some of the dogs weren’t a fan of swimming, so we carried the bags, dogs, and stroller across the freezing river barefoot – to avoid getting our shoes and socks miserably wet.

The water at this lake was a shade of blue that I have yet to see in any lake in Europe. It was almost an enchanting shade of teal. Once the sun came out after lunch and beamed onto the lake, it really glistened and shined. I hope that these pictures do it justice, but you should add this lake to your list of places to see without a doubt!

Gorg d’Abiss

The second stop of the day was to Gorg d’Abiss, located in the Ledro Valley. It was a 45-minute drive from Lago di Tenno, through beautiful parts of the Italian countryside. There seemed to be different places along the residential road where you could park, but we parked for free at the end. Gorg translates to gorge in English – meaning a narrow valley between hills, typically with a stream running through it.  Following the signs to Gorg d’Abiss, we hiked along a field and then beside a riverbank through the forest for 5-10 minutes. We could hear the sound of a waterfall a few feet away and as we rounded the last curve of the trail, there it was in all of its glory. It’s one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve seen to date. It flows inside of a cave and the water that pools at the bottom have different blue hues – from royal to baby blue. This would make a great place to swim in the summer to escape the heat. I would love to come back in the winter to see this waterfall frozen.

Related Post: Hiking Brent de l’Art – another gorge that we hiked last winter

Cascata di Storo

The final stop of the day was a waterfall located in Storo. At the end of the road, there is a small no fee parking lot. Most of the path to the waterfall is paved, and you’ll pass a water plant on your right. It’s only about a 5-10 minute hike to the waterfall. When we arrived at the start of the water pool, we stood there awestruck at how tall this waterfall was. We had just missed watching people canyoning down, as we saw them undoing the ropes and sliding down the waterfall. I’ve never been canyoning before, but it’s something I absolutely want to do after this. The large stream that flows down is known as the Palvico Stream. If you’re interested in canyoning here, or in the Trentino region, you can visit mountainlive.org.

After a bit of playing around in the clear blue water and relaxing on the pebbles, we headed back to the car and prepared for our trip home.

The drive back to Vicenza was just over 2 hours and 7,70€ in tolls.

Helpful Tips

Remember for day trips like this, if you’re bringing babies, dogs, or whatever type of animal, be sure to bring lots of water, food, doggie snacks & water bowls, and money for tolls if you’re driving on the autostrada!

If you’re looking for places to stay in the area, Riva del Garda is a beautiful lively town at the very north point of Lake Garda. For hotel accommodations, use the search box below for booking.com or click here for Riva del Garda availabilities.

Booking.com

If you like it or love it, share it! Any tips on other hikes in the area? Let me know below! XOXO