In Lombardy, one of the best places to enjoy the Foliage spectacle is undoubtedly the beautiful Val di Mello. We are in the province of Sondrio (in Valtellina), in an environment where your gaze runs freely along dark rocky walls dotted with sparse orange-tinged larches, then lowers to observe vast coniferous forests, massive boulders covered in moss, crystal-clear streams, and small stone huts that rise in the few grassy areas. The view is exceptional in every season, but it's in autumn that Val Masino truly shines. When the highest peaks of the mountains start to be dusted with white, red and yellow tree leaves carpet the trails, and incredible bursts of red and orange disorderly paint the nearly vertical rock walls surrounding the valley.
In this short article, we will discover this valley, focusing on scenic points and photographic spots that are particularly worth admiring during this time of year.
Besides Val di Mello, on your autumn trip to Valtellina, you might also consider visiting other places to admire the Foliage. I suggest:
- The Piana di Predarossa, entirely covered in red dry grass, framed by fantastic larches and dominated by the immense snow-covered wall of Monte Disgrazia.
- The Foresta dei Bagni di Masino, which, with its straightforward paths, will lead you to discover the ancient thermal complex and admire an immense forest of deciduous trees completely in red and orange.
Summary: Foliage in Val di Mello
- Summary: Foliage in Val di Mello
- How to Reach Val di Mello and Where to Park
- Map: Foliage in Val di Mello
- Where to Admire the Foliage in Val di Mello
- Where to Eat in Val di Mello
- Galleria fotografica – Foliage in Val di Mello
- Conclusioni – Escursione autunnale in Val di Mello
- Webcam in Val di Mello
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How to Reach Val di Mello and Where to Park
Val di Mello is a small side valley of Val Masino, and to reach its beginning, you'll need to follow the signs for the village of San Martino. Just before the small cluster of houses, you will find an info point and several paid parking lots.
- Roadside Parking: Location to set on your GPS.
- Info Point Parking: Location to set on your GPS. posizione da impostare sul navigatore.
- Sports Field Parking: Location to set on your GPS. goo.gl/V4gWMwRva7hNGRfk9) posizione da impostare sul navigatore.
All the parking lots have a small area with white lines, but to find a free spot, you'll need to arrive very early. Alternatively, you'll have to pay rates (as of 2023) of €1.50 per hour or €9 for the whole day. After 6:00 PM and before 9:00 AM, parking becomes free in all spaces.
Val di Mello is also accessible by car with the purchase of a special pass, which can also be provided by various refuges and restaurants if you decide to stop and eat or stay in their facilities. However, parking spaces in the valley are limited, and conditions for access could change easily. Therefore, I encourage you to contact the tourist office directly for information: Val Masino Tourist Office.
To fully enjoy the beauty of autumn, the advice is to park in one of the village parking lots and enter the valley on foot, following a path that offers various truly scenic views of the surrounding mountains and the forest that covers much of the valley.
Map: Foliage in Val di Mello
Mappa: Trekking foliage in Val di Mello
Where to Admire the Foliage in Val di Mello
The main trail that crosses the entire valley is suitable for everyone and can be tackled by staying on a cobbled road or following a parallel path in the forest. The elevation gain to reach the Rasega refuge is about 300 meters (5.5 km in length), but the route can easily be extended (reaching a panoramic point at the valley floor) or shortened based on individual preferences.
While the entire valley offers truly unique views and the chance to admire the explosion of autumn colors along the entire route, there are sections that I personally consider more deserving, especially from a photographic perspective.
Sezione iniziale del sentiero – Immersi in un bosco autunnale
The entire initial part of the trail leading to Val di Mello and developing along the left orographic side of the homonymous stream is dotted with splendid views of the surrounding mountains and beautiful sections immersed in a deciduous forest that is often very colorful. Walking along this section of the trail, you will also come across several openings to the stream, sometimes partially hidden by the tree branches, while other times wider, allowing you to even touch the water by deviating slightly from the main path.
Attraversamento sul torrente – Vista centrale sulla Val di Mello
When you approach some stone huts, you can now choose whether to continue straight along the stream or turn left to cross the water and reach the main road of Val di Mello. The short crossing, consisting of boulders and small wooden bridges, is probably one of the most characteristic viewpoints in the entire valley. From here, you can perfectly admire all the snow-covered peaks that close the valley to the east, enjoy a central view of the beautiful stream (which appears particularly intense in this section of a particularly deep blue), and, of course, the composition includes many orange spots distributed along the forest and rock walls.
Cascate del Ferro – Un’immenso salto d’acqua
A short detour from the main trail that is truly worth it is the one that leads to the imposing Cascades of Ferro. To reach them, you'll need to walk uphill a bit, passing a nice group of stone huts and going through a fantastic tunnel colored with trees. After about ten minutes, the trail will start to bend downward, and in no time, you'll find yourself in front of an impressive waterfall that descends for several meters along a dark rock wall. Seeing the waterfall from such a close distance, walking along the stream until you feel the splashes of water on your face, and then admiring the lush vegetation that grows all around the stream is truly an experience that must be had. Once again, the autumn setting will only enhance and load the entire landscape with color!
Bidet della Contessa – Il laghetto naturale della Val di Mello
Another classic location in Val di Mello, often used as a picnic spot or a place to rest, is the small lake called Contessa's Bidet. It's a very small body of water surrounded by a convenient path that follows its perimeter, characterized by particularly clear water with shades of emerald green. Observing the small lake, surrounded by a colorful grove and dominated from above by immense peaks whitened by early snowfalls, is truly impressive, and there's no doubt why this beautiful body of water always emerges in photographs when talking about Val di Mello.
Cà dei Scuma – Prati e immense cascate
Going beyond Contessa's Bidet, you reach an area that is decidedly more open near the Cà dei Scuma refuge. In this location, your gaze can embrace even better all the surrounding mountains, focusing on broad veins in the rock where incredibly little trees have grown (now completely red) and admire immense water tongues descending steeply from the walls, slaloming through trees and bushes, and then falling into the valley floor, gradually returning to the main river. To enhance all of this, the usual river creates broad recesses, where the water becomes calmer, and its greenish colors become even more vibrant.
Località Cascina Piana – Un bellissimo borgo in pietra
In the Cascina Piana location, most of the trees that make up the grove have now turned into green fir trees. Nevertheless, among the village houses, you can still find some deciduous trees that manage to add a nice burst of color to the entire landscape. Walking on the cobbled paths that connect the various huts, you transition from stepping on dark rocks partially moistened by the slow flow of the river that laps them to having to cross once again beautiful orange leaf carpets that extend for a few meters right under the lush canopy of some small trees.
Rasega Refuge and the View of Cameraccio Peak
The last stop I'd like to point out is the grassy area around Rasega Refuge. Here, the trees have completely made way for spruce trees. By looking up, you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the Southern Peak of Cameraccio (2741 m). Its steep slopes are now covered with a light dusting of snow, creating a beautiful contrast with the dark gray of the rock and the vibrant orange of scattered larches growing along the flatter part of its western slope. Once again, autumn has contributed to further ignite the colors and contrasts of this fantastic composition.
Where to Eat in Val di Mello
The valley is literally scattered with restaurants and refuges that offer numerous local dishes or simply desserts and hot drinks. The ones closer to the entrance can be reached directly by car (provided you have purchased the pass allowing vehicle access to the valley), while those deeper into the valley must be reached on foot.
Below is a list of all the refuges available, but please remember to contact them in advance to understand their opening periods and potentially make a reservation.
- Trattoria bar Gatto Rosso: Sito ufficiale
- Cà dei Scuma: Sito ufficiale
- Rifugio Mello: Sito ufficiale
- Rifugio Luna Nascente: Sito ufficiale
- Agriturismo Al Camer: Pagina Facebook
- Rifugio Rasega: Sito ufficiale
- Casera Alpe Pioda
Other excursions in Sondrio
Trekking sulla piana di Predarossa – Autunno 2021
La Val Masino è piena di luoghi veramente incredibili dove poter ammirare il foliage e…
Escursione al ghiacciaio dei Forni – Sentiero glaciologico
Escursione nella Foresta dei Bagni di Masino
Lombardia Autunno Sondrio L’autunno in Valtellina è veramente un periodo magico e in questo 2021 ho avuto la fortuna di…
Galleria fotografica – Foliage in Val di Mello
All the photos from this trip are also available in high resolution on my Facebook page: Photo Gallery - Foliage in Val di Mello
Conclusioni – Escursione autunnale in Val di Mello
Since this is not a detailed description of the trail, all I can do is to encourage you to take a walk in Val di Mello, discovering all the unique views it offers (many described but many others to discover) and letting yourself be captivated by the beautiful colors that only this time of the year can provide.
As previously mentioned, the trail is suitable for everyone and can be easily adapted to your preferences:
- Si può partire dal campo sportivo ed entrare in valle a piedi,
- Si può lasciare l’auto al primo rifugio della valle acquistando il ticket,
- è possibile muoversi rimanendo sull’ampia strada ciottolata che corre lungo tutta la valle,
- oppure è possibile imboccare svariati tratti alternativi e più impervi che si sviluppano nel bosco e attraversano a più riprese il torrente.
Water along the trail
I didn't find water sources along the trail, but there are several restaurants and refuges available. I recommend using this app to quickly locate fountains around your position: Mapy.cz Review - The Best Hiking App
Recommended period
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
- Winter: Possible with snowshoes
Links and useful references
- Info Point Val Masino: Infopoint e contatti – Infopoint inLombardia – Val Masino
Webcam in Val di Mello
There are no webcams in Val di Mello, but there is a webcam roughly halfway in Val Masino: Val Masino Webcam
I will however leave you the exact location of the place on Instagram: Link Val di Mello. If you find recent posts or stories you will get a clearer picture of the weather conditions.
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Some of the photos you see in this article were taken and post-produced by @stefanodosselli (Instagram page).
