Lodano: Riverside Trail and Forest Reserve

Lodano is a village and former municipality in the Vallemaggia district of the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Different excursions may be the focus of your stay: Would you like to learn about river habitats, choose a circular route with nature and cultural stops, or set aside time for a hike in the Valle di Lodano? The routes described differ in scenery and time required—useful information for planning your tours around your stay.

Riverside Trail and Circular Route in Lodano

The riverside trail along the Maggia passes wet woodlands, oxbow lakes and streams, as well as flower-rich meadows on nutrient-poor soil and bare, sandy riverbanks. If you are interested in different habitats, the clear focus here is on the floodplain landscape. There are picnic areas along the riverside trail in Lodano, so you can plan a break into your tour.

The Lodano Info Point provides information about the biodiversity and ethnographic features of the side valley and its valley floor. Audiovisual material explains the valley’s natural environment; a film about the floodplain landscape is also available. Information about nature and ways of life thus complements the landscape features you can discover outdoors.

Another route is the Sentiero paesaggistico Lodano: an easy 5.5-kilometre circular route with 18 stops. They cover rural buildings, evidence of traditional activities, and valuable natural habitats. The trail runs along the valley floor of the Lodano Valley. Remains of old cableways can be seen alongside it; a charcoal burner’s hut has also been reconstructed there for educational purposes. This circular route therefore combines nature with visible traces of earlier forestry work.

Hikes in the Valle di Lodano Forest Reserve

The Valle di Lodano Forest Reserve covers 780 hectares and has been protected since 2010. It combines valuable natural features with numerous examples of traditional human activities. On a walk in the forest, you may spot rare birds, edible plants and beetles. If you are particularly interested in the history of forestry, the Lodano–Soláda–Castèll–Lodano hike passes evidence of logging and charcoal production.

There are four themed excursions in the forest reserve. Two can be completed in one day; the other two are designed to take two days and allow for an overnight stay at the hut near Alp da Canaa. Your choice therefore depends not only on the theme, but also on how much time you would like to set aside for your hike.

Multi-day Route and Hut

The two-day Lodano–Alp da Canaa–Lodano route covers 6.5 kilometres on the first day, with a stated walking time of 4 hours and 30 minutes. For the second day, the stated distance is 8 kilometres, with a walking time of 3 hours and 10 minutes. Compared with the 5.5-kilometre circular route, this is a considerably longer hike spread over two stages.

Capanna Alpe Canaa has 20 sleeping places, a shower and a toilet. When the hut is unattended, you can cook there. It is generally open from mid-May to the end of October; check current availability before your trip. During excursions to Alp da Canaa, forest ingredients can be gathered and a meal prepared for participants in the hut. Check in advance whether this offer is currently available as well.

Local History

Lodano was first mentioned in 1260. Names recorded in historical sources include Lodino, Lodeno, Ladino and Lodine. On 4 April 2004, Lodano was incorporated into the municipality of Maggia; it continues to exist as an independent civic municipality. These dates place the municipality’s current affiliation in its historical context and complement the picture of the valley’s natural and cultural landscape.

Discover more destinations: Avegno Ti, San Carlo, Cerentino, Bosco/Gurin, Menzonio, Maggia, Avegno-Gordevio, Cavergno.

For the regional travel overview: Vallemaggia.