ITRS - International Trail Rating System

The ITRS is an objective way to assess trails and routes from a biker’s perspective, evaluating four aspects:

• Technical Difficulty: riding skill level needed
• Endurance: combined effect of length, uphill and downhill
• Wilderness: amount of planning required based on mobile phone reception, rescue options, water supply and wildlife
• Exposure: consequences of a fall

Discover more about the ITRS system and check the classification of this tour in the photo gallery.

Safety Tips

1. Always wear your helmet.
2. Plan your ride.
3. You share the trail with other users. Yield right of way to hikers.
4. Let your speed be determined by your experience.
5. Ride slowly on crowded trails, overtake with politeness and respect.
6. Cycle only on authorized and open trails.
7. Avoid muddy trails in order not to damage them further.
8. Respect public and private property.
9. Always be self-sufficient.
10. Do not cycle solo in remote areas.

This information is subject to inevitable variations, so none of these indications are absolute. It is not entirely possible to avoid giving inexact or imprecise information, given how quickly environmental and weather conditions can change. For this reason, we decline any responsibility for changes which the user may encounter. In any case, it is advisable to check environment and weather conditions before setting out.

The trail starts out on the lake front in Riva del Garda, in front of the Garda Trentino tourist information office. Take the cycle path which leads along Viale della Liberazione towards the centre of Riva. Pass the imposing structure of the Rocca and Piazza III Novembre, coming to the main road Gardesana Occidentale at the harbour. From here, follow the main road to the south for a few hundred metres. Before you reach the first tunnel on the Gardesana, keep to the right and take a steep cobbled ramp which leads to the start of the famous Ponale Trail. This stretch of the route, on a dirt road, has an incomparable panorama.

Without any alternative trail suitable for a bike we come to the end of the dirt road at the Ponale Alto Belvedere snack bar. At the nearby junction, keep right in the direction of Lake Ledro. Before the tunnel, turn left to cross the valley and the torrent avoiding the main road. Once on the road leading to Pregasina, go to the right and then, before the bridge, take the little road on your left. The trail to follow to get to Lake Ledro is clear. Cycle through Prè and Molina as far as the lake.

With the Pile Dwelling Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in view, we turn left to take Via al Lago and continue skirting the lake along Via Val Maria to Pur. At the crossroads we keep to the right, pass the beach and continue along Via Mal Maria. After about 1 km, at a hairpin bend, we take the cycle path on the right, which leads to the Pieve sailing club. From here we continue along Via Alzer and turn left at the first opportunity to rejoin the cycle path. This briefly rejoins Via Alzer and then turns left and runs alongside the stream for 1 km, after which it joins Via Imperiale near Pieve. We head left and follow the signs for the cycle path for about 6 km. The cycle path runs entirely on tarmac, alternating between exclusively bicycle and mixed stretches.

Just before reaching the Lago d'Ampola nature reserve, almost at the end of the cycle path, we take the dirt road on the left, a rather steep shortcut to the provincial road to Tremalzo. From here the route to Passo Tremalzo is clearly defined and runs entirely on a tarmac road for about 15 km. From the pass we continue along the old First World War military road towards Bocca di Val Marza, pass the tunnel and begin the descent towards Passo dei Gatùm, Passo Prà della Rosa and Passo Nota, characterised by the breathtaking curves that are among the highlights of this route. From Passo Nota the route becomes less steep and presents a slight up and down with beautiful views of Lake Garda, always on a dirt road. We thus pass Baita Segala and reach Passo Guil.

From here, the road curves to the right and continues towards Passo Rocchetta, soon becoming a path (or alternatively, we can turn left and follow route 733a. Variante Leano). Some passages here are rather exposed, but always on a rather wide and comfortable track. The last few metres of ascent, which take us to the beginning of Passo Rocchetta, are steep and rather technical. Once past the barrier, we find two routes that descend towards Malga Palaer. As indicated by the signs, we take the one on the left, the other one being reserved for pedestrians. This section is the most technical part of the route. When we reach the forest road, we keep to the right and, following this, we reach Malga Palaer. The signs for this route lead us to continue our descent along the forest road, reaching Bocca Larici. Here we find ourselves in the vicinity of one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Lake Garda: Punta Larici.

From the beginning, the route follows the forest road again downhill to the village of Pregasina. We cross the village and then continue downhill on the main road. On this stretch of downhill tarmac road, several of the bends are blind, the roadway is rather narrow and it is not uncommon to encounter a few cars in addition to pedestrians and bicycles. Shortly after passing the viewpoint with the large Regina Mundi statue, near the entrance to the tunnel for Valle di Ledro, we turn right and take the old road, now closed to traffic. This takes us directly back to the fork encountered at the beginning of our ascent at the Ponale zete. Retracing our route along the spectacular Ponale path, we return to Riva, our starting point.

The main towns in Garda Trentino - Riva del Garda, Arco, Torbole sul Garda, Nago – are connected by several urban and intercity bus lines which will take you to the starting point of tours or in the immediate surroundings.

You can also get to Riva del Garda and Torbole sul Garda by the public ferry service.

Up-to-date information on timetables and routes.

Find out how to reach Garda Trentino.

Parking near the former hospital (Via Rosmini) or the former cemetery (Viale Damiano Chiesa).

Paid parking: Terme Romane (Viale Roma), Vecchia stazione (Largo Medaglie d’Oro), Ex-agraria (Via Lutti), Area ex-Cattoi (Viale Rovereto).

Riding your bike requires specific clothing and equipment, even for relatively short and easy trips. It is always better to be prepared… e.g. for bad weather or a sudden drop in your energy levels. The unexpected things are part of the fun!

Remember to thoroughly evaluate the type of route you plan on doing, the locations you intend to cross and the current season. Has it been raining? Attention: The paths may be slippery and require more caution.

What do I need to bring on my bike tour?

• An adequate water supply according to your needs (considering temperature, possibility of refuelling and duration of the route)
• Plenty of snacks (for example, dried fruit or energy bars)
• Waterproof / Windproof jacket
• A spare top / spare socks (Descending in a sweaty garment, will make you cold).
• Suncream
• Sunglasses
• Bike gloves/mitts
• Map or GPS device
• Bike lights: best placed on your helmet or handlebars. (It is always best to be prepared)
• Bike repair kit for punctures and mechanical breakdowns
• First aid kit
• Emergency whistle

It is always advised to let someone know where you plan to go and how long you expect to be.

Emergency telephone number 112.