Spectacular Hike over the Campolungo Pass, from Lake Tremorgio to Fusio

Sunday July 5, 2026 -- Urs has a vacation week and this time we finally have nice and sunny weather, but it's the start of our next heatwave, so we have to carefully consider where we want to go. It would also be a good time for multi-day trips, but even those are hard to plan, as it's warm at lower elevations. 

Nevertheless, there was a pass hike we had long planned to do, which could have been done as a day-trip but required a long trip home, so we had always wanted to do it as a two-day trip. There is a lovely lake in the mountains of the upper Leventina in Canton Ticino called Lago Tremorgio, where we have started twice before on other hikes, and at that time became aware of a mountain pass into the remote Lavizzara Valley at the far back of the Maggia Valley. This day was ideal for this hike, even at times a bit cool, OK for the uphill sections! 

The 4½-hour hike over the Campolungo Pass (via Lake Leit) ends in the villlage of Fusio, but instead of overnighting in a hotel there, we just managed to catch the last bus out for the hour-long ride to Maggia, where we had a lovely room in a charming local inn, and even though the day's temperatures were in the low 30's, a shower and the table fan provided by the staff made it a comfortable night. 

For Day 2 we had planned to walk out of another remote valley called Valle di Campo, not too far to travel from Maggia, and although this was also in the mountains, it got quite warm and we changed our plans to include more forest trails instead of visiting all the villages.

PART 1: Hike from Lake Tremorgio to the Leit Alpine Hostel
Leaving home at 6:30 a.m., it was a 2¼-hour trip by train and bus to the Tremorgio cable-car station in the upper Leventina Valley (south of the shorter Gotthard Tunnel). At the top is a restaurant/hotel, and the trail marker there indicated a 1¼-hour hike to the Swiss Alpine Hostel Leit, via the Verett Pass, but it took us closer to two hours! Near the Leit Hostel is a lovely lake, where we spent about 40 minutes before continuing on toward the Campolungo Pass. 

From the train station in Ambri-Piotta just south of the Gotthard Range, a small bus travels through the village of Quinto on the way to the cable-car station in Rodi. At the far back we can see the road up to the Gotthard Pass, where we had hike recently (June 24th). 

As the small van-bus heads south down the valley, we can see the cable-car line up to where the lake (Lago Tremorgio) is located. 

By 8:45 we were headed to the Rodi-Tremorgio cable-car station. The ride up to the summit takes about five minutes. 

Watching the cable-car heading back down to valley bottom from the summit station. 

Our first goal is the Leit Hostel (Capanna Leit) apparently only 1¼ hours from here, via the Venett Pass which we should reach in 50 minutes! We have started two other hikes from here, once to Dalpe via Passo Venett (September 2022) and once to Nante heading north (June 2018). We started here at 9 a.m. 

Starting at 9:00 at the summit station of the Rodi-Tremorgio cable-car, we first hiked to the Venett Pass, then detoured to Lago di Leit (Leit Lake), then over the Campolungo Pass, getting into Fusio village at the back of the Lavizzara Valley at 16:40, with enough time to walk around the village before the last bus out of the valley at 17:15.

Many different views of the Tremorgio Lake as we head up toward the Campolungo Alp. 

Ultimately we are planning to go over the pass at the arrow, after taking a detour to the Lago di Leit and Capanna Leit. 

At 9:55 we reached the Alpe Campolungo, with a beautiful view of the Lago Tremorgio and into the Leventina Valley. 

A beautiful alpine plateau called Alpe Campolungo. It was pleasant temperatures up here, not cold, not hot. Ultimately we are planning to hike over the pass behind me. 

Close-up view of the Campolungo Pass to the west, and approximately where the trail went up along the limestone cliffs. 

This region is the northern part of what is called the Campo-Tencia Massif. The white stripes that look like snow are Dolomite marble, and originate from sediment that settled deep down at the bottom of a sea 250 million years ago or so. The fact that this sediment is found at 2100 meters above sea level is witness to the power of the Earth. And with erosion, the sediment is returned back to the sea.

Looking behind us as we first head eastward to the Venett Pass. We could have gone directly to the pass from here, but wanted to take a detour via Lago di Leit higher to the south. (on the left). 

At the Venett Pass by 10:15.

Up here at the Venett Pass, the ground is covered in ocean sand, which is quite unusual. But at some point these mountains were under the sea, before being pushed up to here. 

Beautiful rock formations here at the Venett Pass. 

A quick look down into the Leventina Valley and down to the upper plateau called Dalpe. In September 2022 we hiked down from here to Dalpe. 

The stones here at this site originate from a tropical sea, where layers of white sand were deposited and covered in sediment. Through the collision of the European and African tectonic plates, folds were created, the Alps were formed, and we can walk on ocean sand at 2140 meters above sea level. 

Heading up higher now.... we came up the trail on the left to the Venett pass, and now are heading westward again. View is toward the pass and the Leventina Valley. 

The trail to Capanna Leit. 

A view down to the Alpe Campolungo below us. 

Views down into the Leventina Valley. 

From here we can see the trail we are planning to walk later, to the Campolungo Pass, along the layers of Dolomite Marble. The area where we are standing is called the Leit. (Thus the name of the nearby lake and hostel).

In the Leit is the oldest rock of the region. It is believed that these rocks formed not only part of the Alps, but of an earlier range of mountains that existed 300 million years ago. The rock is called Mica Slate, and the minerals in the slate show deformations as evidence of the massive pressure and temperature conditions during the transformation period. 

Perfect hiking conditions and great views in this barren landscape!

We got to the Hostel at 10:55, which is almost two hours from the cable-car station!

A small distance past the hostel is the little lake called "Lago di Leit". 

Another beautiful little alpine lake. (There is a trail which continues on the other side over the next "pass" and ultimately heads toward another mountain hostel called "Capanna Campo Tencia")

Lunch time at 11:15. We spent 40 minutes up here before continued on our hike. Views to the Campolungo Pass behind us. 

Lago di Leit. 

Heading back to toward the Leit Hostel at 11:30. At first we thought we would take some refreshments there, but there were quite a few people sitting at the outdoor tables there. We had a bit of a look around, and then continued on our hike.

PART II:  Hike up to the Campolungo Pass from Swiss Alpine Hostel Leit

At 11:40 we were on our way to the Pass. According to these trail signs, it should take an hour to the pass, and ultimately three hours to Fusio, where we are planning to catch the last bus out of the Lavizzara Valley at 17:15.

We are headed back down to the high alpine pastures called Alpe Campolungo. 

Down here on the lovely alpine pastures, the ground is somewhat marshy as the streams make their way toward Lago di Tremorgio. 

From here we had the choice of two different trails to the pass. The alternate trail is the one behind me, then heading west, which would only have been 10 minutes longer with slightly more ascent, but we didn't know either trail, so we chose the more direct one, which should have taken 35 minutes from here. 

Heading off on the direct route westward toward the Campolungo Pass. It should take 35 minutes and an ascent of 200 meters. 

The trail up through this landscape looks rather daunting!

Views behind us across the Alpe Campolungo toward the Venett Pass. The mountain hostel is on the right side, i.e. south of here. 

Trail up toward the pass along the white bands created by the Dolomite Marble pushed up here from ocean floors hundreds of millions of years ago. 

Interestingly enough, the rocks on this trail were very stable, almost like glued down, as we didn't dislodge any on our way up!

An interesting uphill trail, but I would not want to walk downhill on this stretch!

Another look down to Alpe Campolungo and all the way into the Leventina Valley. 

At 1 p.m. we were finally nearing the pass, 1 hour 20 minutes after leaving the Leit Hostel. But we did take a break on the alpine meadows below. 

13:10 up at the Campolungo Pass, at 2318 meters above sea level. We would have loved to stop here for a long break, but there were three people here having an animated conversation at very loud volume in Italian language, which was very disturbing to us in this vast and otherwise peaceful landscape, so we continued on right away. 

Looking back toward the little shelter building at the Campolungo Pass. We could hardly believe how much noise three people can make having an animated conversation in Italian!

Nice-looking trail, but fortunately we checked our map, as this trail went nowhere, and our trail actually follows the valley bottom to the right. We didn't want to go back to the pass, so we just scrambled down the hillside here. 

PART III: Hike down from Campolungo Pass to Fusio at the back of the Lavizzara Valley

Here starts our long descent to Fusio at the back of the Lavizzara Valley. It should take about two hours, but it took us three hours! (A couple of breaks along the way...)

Alpine flowers

Directly to the west are the Alps of the northern part of the Maggia Valley region and its side valleys. The snow-covered peak is Mt.Basodino, the only glacier in Canton Ticino. 

A closer look at the Basodino Glacier

Perfect spot for a 15-minute break away from the noise of the animated and loud conversation up at the Pass!

More pretty flowers

Below us, a marmot is also enjoying the sunshine!

Another fascinating rock formation along the way!

A look behind us to where we crossed the pass on the left. 

There was one single farm on this entire mountainside. It is called Corte di Zaria, located on another high alpine plateau or cauldron, called Alpe Zaria, and accessed by a road from Fusio. 

After a long downhill walk, we reach the road which continues to Alpe Zaria. We had to follow this mountain road for a while, not an issue, as it was not hot. 

The first fire lilies. 

Well, this could be a problem...

In this case there was no option other to make a large uphill detour!

A long downhill section now through forested hillside, with a peek at the Sambuco Dam to the north. We had visited this dam (as well as the village of Fusio) once before with a friend at least 10 years ago!

Now arriving at the outskirts of Fusio (north end) at 16:40, plenty of time now for our planned departure by bus at 17:15.

North end of the village

Across the bridge is where we have to return to the bus, but we are headed up to look at the village first. 

Hotel Fusio with a nice restaurant and terrace in front, as well as another seating area below. It would have been nice to spend a night here, but too expensive for us (there are actually three hotels in this village). We also had a change of plans and wanted to start further down the valley the next day. 

Of course, a visit to the village church is required. This is the parish church "Santa Maria Assunta". 

The history of a sacred building dedicated to Saint Mary dates back to the 14th Century, but as with all such churches, many changes over the centuries. First recorded dedication was 1464, major changes in 1516, 1667-69, and 1806-07. Important restorations took place in 1935 and 2012. 

Walking up and down the narrow alleyways. 

There is a large proportion of Valais-Style houses here, rather than the usual stone rustici houses you find in these side valleys. There is a lot of history in Switzerland about the wanderings of the Walser Peoples. 

Stone houses and wonderful stone walls is more of what we expected. 

There is even what looks like a palace!

A view of the village from a side-terrace. 

We returned about five minutes before departure to the bus, and had to wait even longer than that as the bus driver was off having a coffee somewhere!

What our hike from Lake Tremorgio to Fusio looks like on Google Satellite Maps. This is an approximately 5-hour hike. 

PART IV: Bus Ride out of the Lavizzara Valley to our Hotel in Maggia

From the bus, a look at the village of Fusio perched high above a ravine through which flows the Maggia River (which has its source higher up, and which has been dammed to form the Sambuco Reservoir Lake). 

As Fusio is at the very back of a high and narrow valley (Lavizzara), the road down consists of many switchbacks. 

At the valley bottom now, the road continues down the Lavizzara Valley, following the course of the Maggia River. This village is called Sornico, just past the junction with the Peccia Valley, which we walked down in August 2019. (And at that time we visited this village). 

Even though it's only a 32-km stretch from Fusio to Maggia, the bus takes an hour and 20 minutes, as it makes detours to two other mountain villages: Menzonio and Brontallo. 

High on the mountain on the east side of the valley and across from the mountain village of Brontallo is a hamlet called "Presa di Dentro" which we walked through on another hike in the Lavizzara Valley in September 2024, having started in the two villages Menzonio and Brontallo, and hiking out to Bignasco along the "Sentiero di Lavizzara". (Photos HERE). 

At the town of Bignasco, which is at the junction of the Lavizzara Valley (seen on this photo) and the Bavona Valley on the left, we have to change to the Maggia Valley bus, which runs down to Locarno. It is now just past 6 p.m., having taken 45 minutes just to travel out of this side valley!

On the 30th of June 2024 there were some extreme storms here in the Maggia Valley, and the flooded river tore away the old stone bridge here in Visletto near Cevio, so a new one is being built. 

We got to our accommodation in Maggia at about 6:30 p.m., it is called the Locanda Poncini, and we got a really nice little room with our own ensuite for 100 Fr., and they were even able to accommodate my wish to be away from the restaurant and the smokers with a room facing north! They even provided a table fan, as down here in the valley the temperatures has gotten up to 30 degrees. 

They gave us this lovely room with a window facing north and our own ensuite, although the price we had booked was to have a shared hall bathroom. It was great, and we even had a table fan. It was quiet, no cigarette smoke, and I slept very well. 

All the hikes we have now done in the side valleys of the Maggia Valley, as well as the Leventina Valley, in the northern part of Canton Ticino. 

Location of Campe Tencia Massif / Lago Tremorgio / Fusio within Switzerland.