Lago di Vogorno - Versazca
I did this hike on the 22nd of June, 2024. I had heard a lot about the Versazca Valley, and since the sun only seemed to be shining in Ticino this weekend, I decided to pay the area a visit. I partly got inspiration for this hike from Sentiero etnografico Revöira, but decided to start the hike already at Lago di Vogorno to make it longer.
Full route: Swisstopo
I traveled by train from Zürich to Tenero, form where I conitnued with bus to the Versazca dam. I started out by crossing the dam, which was a very nice experience, with great views both into the valley and back towards Lago Maggiore.
It was a really nice summer morning, with a clear blue sky and great views over the lake. After crossing the dam, the first uphill part started and for the entire hike, the trail constantly changed between parts through more open areas and parts through forest.
On the first part of the hike, you quickly make your way up above the lake, from where you have great views into the valley and to the surrounding mountain peaks. I have been in Ticino several times hiking, but mainly during autumn and winter, so it was very nice to do a proper summer hike here.
After reaching the first of two top points on this hike, I came to a great viewpoint just before the descent back down towards the valley started. From here, I could see deeper into the valley and in the front, I had views to the picturesque village of Corippo.
The hiking trail takes you down to and through the village, and it is a very beautiful area. I had started the hike early, and so far had not met anyone on the trail. I decided to have a short break just before reaching the village to enjoy the calmness of the area.
After passing through the village, the trail goes down and follows the Versazca river all the way to Versazca. After having walked higher up, it was great coming down to the river. In Versazca there is a very famous stone bridge, and it was filled with people as I reached the area, so I just rushed through and continued my hike (it is a very nice area though).
After crossing the river and walking through Versazca, I started the second ascent of the day. The trail was in some parts quite steep, but only for shorter periods, and I quickly made it up to the top. This last part of the hike is also a mix of more open landscapes and parts through forest.
Along the upper part, there were several of the typical stone houses found throughout Ticino, and I decided to have my lunch break here, to enjoy the views. I came across a snake on this part of the trail, which is something I still have to get used to hiking in Switzerland, but it disappeared as soon as I got close.
The clouds started coming together as I started the descent down to the river, but I avoided rain or thunder storms. Back down, I took a short walk by the river, until the next bus arrived. Back in Tenero, I caught the train back to Bellinzona and from there got on the train back home to Zürich.
