A very attractive road with endless bends to Bacino di Campo Moro in Valtellina

A very attractive road with endless bends to Bacino di Campo Moro in Valtellina

Italy, europe

Length

30 km

Elevation

300 m

Difficulty

moderate

Best Season

Year-round

# Bacino di Campo Moro: A Wild Alpine Adventure

Tucked away in the Sondrio province of Lombardy, Italy, Bacino di Campo Moro is a stunning alpine lake sitting pretty at 2,013m (6,604ft) elevation. It's right near the Swiss border, making it the perfect escape into the Italian Alps.

What awaits you at the top? A charming little church called Chiesa della Madonna della Providenza, some cozy accommodations and hotels, and a spacious parking lot to call home base while you soak in the views.

Now, here's where it gets fun. The 30km (18-mile) drive from Sondrio is a fully paved roller coaster that'll get your heart pumping. Starting at just 300m elevation, you're looking at a massive 1,716m climb with an average gradient of 5.7% (hitting a gnarly 15% at its steepest). The road gets incredibly narrow in spots, weaving through endless hairpin bends and tunnels blasted right through granite rock as you ascend the Val Lanterna valley.

The scenery? Absolutely jaw-dropping. Picture verdant pastures dotted with cows, towering granite mountains painted in wild colors, glacier-fed streams tumbling down the slopes, and dramatic crevasses carved into the landscape. This is Valtellina at its most spectacular.

Fair warning: winter drivers need snow chains or winter tires if you're planning a cold-season visit, but the road stays open year-round. If you love tight curves, high altitude, and Alpine drama, this drive checks all the boxes.

Where is it?

A very attractive road with endless bends to Bacino di Campo Moro in Valtellina is located in Italy (europe). Coordinates: 42.5493, 10.8599

Share this road

Road Details

Country
Italy
Continent
europe
Length
30 km
Max Elevation
300 m
Difficulty
moderate
Coordinates
42.5493, 10.8599

Related Roads in europe

Estanys de la Pera, one of the highest roads of Spainhard

Estanys de la Pera, one of the highest roads of Spain

🇪🇸 Spain

# Estanys de la Pera: A High-Alpine Adventure Nestled in Catalonia's northern mountains, Estanys de la Pera sits at a breathtaking 2,363m (7,752ft)—one of Spain's highest mountain roads. Located within the stunning Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, this route is absolutely not for the faint of heart. The road itself is a proper mountain challenge: gravel, rocky, and bumpy with steep grades that'll test your nerves and your vehicle's suspension. Winter? Forget about it—this place becomes completely impassable when snow rolls in. You'll need a serious 4x4 to tackle this beast, and honestly, experienced off-roaders only should attempt it. The real deal-breakers? Sketchy weather and those vertigo-inducing drop-offs. Wet conditions turn the muddy track into a slippery nightmare, and if heights make you squeamish, this isn't your road. But if you're the adventurous type with real mountain driving skills and proper equipment, you'll be rewarded with incredible alpine scenery. Top it off by reaching the mountain hut at the summit—the perfect spot to catch your breath and soak in the views. This is the kind of drive that separates casual weekend adventurers from genuine mountain explorers. Come prepared, or don't come at all.

Lac de Cap-de-Long: One of the Highest Paved Roads in the French Pyreneeshard

Lac de Cap-de-Long: One of the Highest Paved Roads in the French Pyrenees

🇫🇷 France

# Lac de Cap-de-Long: A Alpine Adventure Ready for one seriously epic mountain drive? Lac de Cap-de-Long sits pretty at 2,161m (7,089ft) in France's Hautes-Pyrénées, making it one of the loftiest paved roads in the entire French Pyrenees—yep, it actually beats the legendary Col du Tourmalet! Nestled in the Occitania region of southwestern France, this stunning reservoir is just south of Lac d'Aubert. The road curves dramatically around the northern edge of the Crête des Alharisses, treating you to absolutely jaw-dropping mountain vistas the whole way. The best part? The entire route to France's largest Pyrenean reservoir is paved. Sure, it gets a bit squeezed in places, but totally doable. The D929—locals call it the Route des Lacs—climbs as a dead-end road, snaking toward the dam through a spectacular finale of hairpin turns that'll get your adrenaline pumping. Starting from the village of Aragnouet, you're looking at a 13.5 km (8.38 miles) push uphill that gains 1,029 meters of elevation. The average gradient hangs around 7.62%, but some sections crank up to a spicy 11.8%. Once you reach the top, you'll find a sprawling parking area (fair warning: it gets packed during peak season), a café for well-deserved refreshments, and tons of hiking trails branching out through the alpine landscape.

Where is Scarfiotti Refuge located?hard

Where is Scarfiotti Refuge located?

🇮🇹 Italy

Okay, picture this: You're in the Italian Alps, near the French border, ready for an epic adventure. You're headed to Rifugio Scarfiotti, a killer mountain refuge sitting pretty high up. We're talking a stone refuge built in 1923, nestled in a gorgeous glacial valley at the end of the Susa Valley. Think massive limestone cliffs and waterfalls — seriously, it's postcard-perfect. The journey starts from Bardonecchia, about 13.5 km away. It kicks off on paved roads, but things get real once you hit Rochemolles. Boom — gravel track! It's usually in good shape, but expect some dust in summer and mud after rain. Now, the fun part: Get ready for 13 seriously sharp hairpin turns that wind their way up the valley wall. It's a steady climb. You'll want a high-clearance vehicle for sure. 4WD isn't a must for the refuge itself in dry conditions, but trust me, you'll be happy to have it if you're planning on tackling the road past the refuge. The road is long, but oh-so-worth it, and you definitely need to pay attention to your engine. Be prepared for some steep sections near those hairpins. Rifugio Scarfiotti is also the gateway to Colle del Sommeiller, one of the highest driveable spots in Europe. Just past the refuge, there's a toll booth (€8-ish). Heads up: In July and August, the road's often closed to cars.

Monte Campigolettihard

Monte Campigoletti

🇮🇹 Italy

# Monte Campigoletti: A Historic Mountain Pass Worth the Trek Nestled on the border between Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige in the Italian Alps, Monte Campigoletti sits at a commanding 2,052 meters (6,732 feet). This isn't just any mountain pass—it's steeped in World War I history, with some of the war's most intense battles having unfolded across its slopes. The route up is the Kaiser Karl Strasse, a gravel road built way back in 1916. While it's now closed to motor vehicles, it's still passable on foot or bike if you're up for the challenge. Fair warning: this isn't a leisurely Sunday drive alternative. The road is narrow, steep, and strewn with stones and loose gravel that'll test your nerves. Winter conditions and heavy rain can render it completely impassable, so timing your visit is crucial. But here's why it's worth the effort—the views are absolutely spectacular. Seriously, bring your camera. You'll have no shortage of jaw-dropping photo ops as you climb. At the summit, you'll find a solemn WWI cemetery, one of more than 40 scattered across the Sette Comuni plateau. It's a powerful reminder of the region's turbulent past. If you're feeling adventurous, the road technically continues toward Monte Ortigara (2,106 meters), but don't expect to get far—that stretch is largely impassable these days.