Not as dangerous as its name, but long and demanding all the same.
Signage: 746. Passo della Morte Trail - Tour
Taking on this tour means climbing over 2000 metres and covering almost 60 kilometres. A winding road leads up to San Giovanni al Monte, a little village with a splendid view at the pass over to Val Lomasona. There you switch to gravel and continue uphill on forest tracks and easy trails until you reach the top of the tour: Monte Casale. After descending via the gravelled road to Comano, climb again to Passo della Morte. The descent from the pass starts on forest tracks but gets narrower and steeper towards the bottom, so you need to be able to handle your bike. After reaching the village of Sarche, cycle along attractive level paths until you arrive back in Arco.
For more information on routes, bike services (rentals, workshops, shops) and cycling friendly accommodation: Garda Trentino - +39 0464 554444
ITRS - International Trail Rating System
The ITRS is an objective way to assess trails and routes from a biker’s perspective, evaluating four aspects:
Discover more about the ITRS system and check the classification of this tour in the photo gallery.
Safety Tips
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 route starts in Arco, or more precisely at the cycle path near the Caneve car park. Following the initial directions, head toward the town centre, where it is fairly easy to find the public gardens in the town centre. At the far left of the park, take Viale delle Magnolie and then turn right into Via Porta Scaria, which runs uphill skirting the historic centre and the arboretum. At the town gate in Stranfora, turn left and at the following fork keep left.
At the bend you will find directions marked with the number 746 leading you through the olive groves of Arco. Here the gradient is at times really steep. Once you come back onto the paved road, keep to the right and follow it in the firection of Padaro, about a kilometre away. When you get to the town you will also find a fresh water spring, the gradient levels off a little but you are still looking at around 10%. Keep on straight following the main road past Mandrea and Doss del Cléf. When you come to San Giovanni al Monte, you can stop off at the farmhouse for lunch in the mountains. It is a classic destination for local cyclists, but to get over the hill, you have to climb a further 350 m or so. In Marcarie, you will find yourself back on a dirt road again, with clear signposting to take to the meadowns of Malga di Vigo. Turn right here towards Malga Valbona. Once you reach it you will have to climb again for a bit to come to the higest point on the route but it’s not that far. Follow the clear signposting along the forest road and keep left, then right at the next fork. Finally, you are over the crest of the hill and begin your descent towards Comano, still on a forest road, until you come to the signpost for route 746 which you leave on your right. Here you begin a stretch on an old mule trail which is rather loose and little used. There is then another short stretch on forest road in the area around the church of Santa Croce which you leave on your right. The terrain gets quite loose again, there is a short uphill stretch, then you turn sharp left following a downhill trail which leads you onto a paved road for the centre of Cormano.
You come out on a bend, and follow directions, keeping to the left and continuing on downhill to the nearby town. Before you get there, keep to the right and head straight on down the forest road for the Passo della Morte. One over the pass, you are heading downhill once more until you come to the cycle path in the gorge Forra del Limarò. The terrain is initially smooth, but it gradually gets looser and more technical. Once you come to the cycle path, keep to the right and follow it down until soon after, you come to the main road. Keep on downhill around four bends until you come to the village of Sarche.
From Sarche on, the tour unfolds along the right bank of the river, never crossing it until the very end. At the bridge turn right through the vineyards and take Via Ràuten. At the next bridge you'll find yourself on the main road, which you have to follow for a short while. At the roundabout turn right and head for the mountain and the access trail to the Via Ferrata Che Guevara. Keep on this trail for about 1 km and then turn right onto the Massampiano forest road, which will take you to Borgo Nuovo, a group of houses on the outskirts of Pietramurata, and then rejoin the main road.
At the motocross park turn right and after a short section on asphalt follow the dirt track which runs parallel to the main road, though on higher ground, and is flanked by the walls of Monte Brento. Ride past the Marocche area, Lake Bagattoli and reach Oltra, where you'll find yourself on tarmac once again. Continue along this country lane to go past the Roman bridge of Ceniga and the church of San Paolo and reach Prabi, in the outskirts of Arco. Once you come to bridge over the river Sarca you'll see Viale Segantini, Arco's main street, on your right. Ignore it and go straight ahead to take the cycle path, which runs along the rivee. After 400 m cross the bridge to return to the 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.
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?
It is always advised to let someone know where you plan to go and how long you expect to be.
Emergency telephone number 112.
