Piani Artavaggio, Valle Asinina

A beautiful loop ride starting from Val Taleggio, featuring a long climb that’s almost entirely rideable, a stunning panoramic traverse beneath Monte Sodadura, and a long descent that’s generally easy and fun. This route is suitable for many riders, especially those on e-MTBs: it doesn’t involve any significant sections where you have to carry your bike, and the difficulty of the descent is mostly S2, with only a few short, more technical sections.

Ascent to Piani di Artavaggio

From Val Taleggio, you begin climbing toward Piani di Artavaggio along an easy dirt road.

The climb is long but steady, allowing you to gain elevation almost entirely while riding.

It’s particularly enjoyable on an e-MTB, and once you reach the Piani area, you can also take advantage of some trail connections to shorten part of the route.

This brings you to Piani di Artavaggio, where the various mountain huts provide an excellent spot for a break before continuing the ride.

Artavaggio - Monte Sodadura - Bocchetta di Regadur

From Piani, you set off again along the high-altitude trail that passes beneath Monte Sodadura, without needing to reach the summit.

This is probably the most scenic part of the route.

The route proceeds mostly along the hillside with several ups and downs, crossing open pastures with sweeping views of the Val Taleggio and the surrounding mountains.

It’s not a particularly challenging stretch, and most of it remains rideable.

Continue in this manner until you reach Bocchetta di Regadur, at an elevation of about 1,850 meters.

From here, the character of the ride changes completely, and the long descent begins.

Bocchetta di Regadur – Valle Asinina

From Bocchetta di Regadur, you begin the descent toward the Taleggio Valley.

The overall difficulty is ratedS2.

The first section requires the most caution: the trail is more technical and includes a few short exposed sections.

However, there are no long difficult sections, and any passages you don’t feel comfortable tackling on your bike can be easily navigated on foot.

After losing a bit of elevation, the trail gradually becomes easier and smoother.

Singletrack, meadows, and more flowing sections alternate, with the difficulty generally remaining moderate.

It is therefore a descent where you can really get into a good rhythm, without constantly encountering major technical obstacles.

You continue descending through the Valle Asinina area, following the trail as it gradually leads back to the starting point.

Difficulty: What to Actually Expect

This is one of the most accessible routes in the area.

The climb is long but doesn’t present any particular technical challenges, and on an E-MTB, you can spend practically the entire day in the saddle.

Even the traverse from Piani di Artavaggio to Bocchetta di Regadur doesn’t require any real portage.

The descents are mostly S2 in difficulty.

In the upper section from Bocchetta di Regadur, there are a few slightly more technical sections and some exposed spots where you need to be careful, but these are isolated sections.

It is therefore not a trail for those seeking a particularly technical descent: it is above all a beautiful, scenic ride—rideable and smooth—also suitable for those who want to try All-Mountain routes without facing continuous S3/S4 sections or long stretches of carrying the bike on their shoulders.

Technical Details

Trail Style: AM / E-MTB

MTB: Yes

E-MTB: Yes, particularly suitable

Rideability: Very high

Portage: Virtually none

Climb difficulty: Moderate, mainly due to length and elevation gain

Artavaggio–Regadur traverse: scenic and mostly rideable

Descent difficulty: Mostly S2

Most challenging sections: Few and limited to the upper section

Exposure: a few short sections after Bocchetta di Regadur; use caution

Technical difficulty: Medium-low

Physical effort: Medium

Highlights: excellent rideability, panoramic views, and a long, accessible descent