Approximately 40 minutes driving from Locarno you can find one of the most beautiful hikes you can do in Ticino. I am talking about the Foroglio – Val Canegia Hiking Trail. This hike is the perfect mix between waterfalls, mountains, and nature. Trust me when I say you will not regret spending a day hiking in this area.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT FOROGLIO AND VAL CALNEGIA
FOROGLIO
- The village of Foroglio is located in Bavona Valley where there is no electricity.
- Walking through this town is like traveling back in time and it is very well conserved.
- The charming houses and church, the Oratorio de Foroglio, date from the 15th century.
- Next to the village there is a 110 m high waterfall.
VAL CALNEGIA
- Calnegia Valley or Val Calnegia is only accessible on foot from Foroglio.
- The valley begins above the Foroglio waterfall.
- The valley is also known as The Suspended Valley.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HIKE
HOW TO GET TO THE TRAILHEAD?
Foroglio is located in the Bavona Valley, more or less 35km from Locarno. If you’re driving, it will take you approximately 40 minutes to get there. There is a parking lot at the entrance of the village where you can park your car for 5CHF for the whole day.
The parking is not very big but we had no problem parking there in August. As long as you’re not there very late, you should have no problem finding a spot.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED TO HIKE IN VAL CALNEGIA?
Here are some recommendations on what you should bring if you are planning to hike from Foroglio to Val Calnegia during the summer.
- Light and fast-drying clothes.
- Appropriate hiking shoes.
- Hiking poles. These are not mandatory but they always make your hike more comfortable.
- A light backpack with water and snacks.
- Sunscreen and a hat.
- A light towel in case you want to wet your feet in the creek.
- Your phone or camera. The waterfall, the charming stone village and the breathtaking Calnegia Valley will make you want to take photos non-stop!
HIKING FROM FOROGLIO TO VAL CALNEGIA
HIKE STATS
Trail Start/End – Foroglio. There is a big parking lot is outside the village.
Distance – 10 km
Elevation Gain – 560 m
Level – Easy to Moderate
Route Type – Out & Back
Estimated Time Needed – 4 to 5 hours (including plenty of time to stop for photos). Remember to stay within the marked trails.
Best Time To Visit – July to September to ensure the best weather conditions.
HIKE MAP
I always use the AllTrails App during my hikes. The app has a GPX map that can help you stay on the right trail during your hikes. For this hike, we followed the Foroglio Waterfall Trail. We did hike a bit further in the valley than the suggested route on this App.
FOROGLIO - VAL CALNEGIA HIKING TRAIL
Visiting Foroglio
This hike begins in the cute little village of Foroglio. The first thing we did, was walk through the village. It felt like I was back in the 15th century. The stone houses are very well conserved and it allowed me to make myself an idea of how the villages in the region were back then.
We spent some time wandering around the cobbled streets and admiring the cute houses. The village is not very big, so this will not take too much time.
Admiring the waterfall
The Foroglio waterfall can be seen and admired from the parking lot before you enter the village. Nevertheless, I recommend taking a small detour of your hike to get close to the waterfall and admire it from up close. If you don’t mind getting a bit wet, you can get as close as you want to its base.
The detour to see the waterfall is maximum of 1 or 1,5km long (both ways) and it was quite easy to reach. There is only a small part where you had to climb over some rocks while holding onto a chain but we even saw some children doing this part.
Once we got to the waterfall, I knew it was the right decision to get close to it. I could have stayed there for hours just admiring it and listening to the water crashing into the rocks.
Hiking up to The Suspended Valley
Once we were done contemplating the waterfall, it was time to return to Foroglio. Behind the village, a trail will lead you to Val Calnegia. The trail is not difficult to hike but it has a few steep parts. I used my hiking poles to facilitate the ascent but I could have done it without them too.
Even though the trail to Calnegia Valley is not too hard, reaching it took us a bit of time. The trail allows you to get different viewpoints of the waterfall from different heights and angles so, of course, I wanted to stop every few hundred meters to take photos.
Calnegia Valley
When we reached the top of the waterfall we were welcomed by amazing views. There is a small stone house and a cute bridge dominating the view over the Bavona Valley. We decided it was the perfect spot to have lunch and enjoy the views. The scenery felt like a dream.
After having lunch and resting, we started our walk along the valley. The trail leads you along the valley next to the Calnegia creek. There were barely any people there so it was a really peaceful walk surrounded by huge mountains and waterfalls.
At the end of the valley, there is another small village with several stone houses and the mountains as the prettiest backdrop. Since it was still early we decided to rest for an hour near the water and admire the view.
The return
The only “negative” aspect of this hike is that it is a linear hike and you have to return the same way you got there. However, since the scenery is so beautiful I didn’t care that much. We enjoyed the walk back to Foroglio fixing every detail and view in our memories.
WHERE TO STAY NEAR FOROGLIO?
The best place to stay if you’re planning to do this hike is either in Ascona or Locarno. It takes approximately 40 minutes to reach Foroglio but it will allow you to explore the town in the evening and have a nice dinner in a restaurant.
We stayed at the Hotel Garni Montaldi in Locarno, which was very conveniently located in front of the Locarno Train Station.
Photos from Booking.com
I hope you enjoyed my guide about the Foroglio – Val Canegia Hiking Trail. If you are in the area, you will not regret visiting it! In my opinion, it was the highlight of my trip to Ascona and Locarno and the perfect way to end our visit.
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