Relive the adrenaline experienced by the best trail runners in the world during the final of the 2024 Golden Trail Series, organized by Salomon. A breathtaking route that winds over the iconic Cardada mountain, overlooking Locarno and Lake Maggiore.
moderate
Distance 18 km
Duration4:00 h
Ascent1,058 m
Descent1,058 m
Highest point1,847 m
Lowest point1,015 m
This technical and varied loop route starts from Cardada and initially develops along a flow trail immersed in the forest, heading towards the Bassa di Cardada. Once out of the vegetation, the climb begins to the Cima della Trosa (1869 m), the highest point of the route. The ascent, though demanding, has regular gradients, runnable by more experienced runners.
From the summit, a fast and flowing descent leads to the Bassa di Bietri, perfect to regain rhythm. The route continues with a new climb towards Alpe Cardada, followed by a technical descent leading to the Monti di Chiodo. From there, a brief ascent returns to Cardada, a prelude to the final descent towards Brè above Locarno.
The finish line is near: only the last climb remains, still requiring strength and determination to complete the loop and return to the starting point, thus closing the circuit.
Author
Mariano Berri
Responsible for this content
Ascona-Locarno Tourism
Verified partner
Difficulty
T2moderate
Overall difficulty
moderate
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
To reach Cardada by public transport, start from the Locarno FFS station. From there, a few minutes on foot leads to the Locarno–Madonna del Sasso funicular station, which takes you up to Orselina. Upon arrival, you find the departure station for the cable car to Cardada, which takes only a few minutes to reach the upper station.
Train connections and public transport are frequent and well coordinated. It is recommended to check the schedules at www.sbb.ch to plan your trip optimally.
Coordinates
SwissGrid
2'703'694E 1'116'389N
DD
46.190976, 8.781828
DMS
46°11'27.5"N 8°46'54.6"E
UTM
32T 483164 5115289
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Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!
Equipment
👕 Clothing:
Breathable technical t-shirt
Trail shorts or leggings
Sports anti-blister socks
Lightweight windproof/rainproof jacket
Cap or headband
Sunglasses with UV protection
👟 Shoes:
Trail shoes with good grip
🥤 Hydration and nutrition:
Trail running backpack or belt
At least 1 liter of water
Energy snacks: bars, gels, or dried fruit
🧭 Safety and navigation:
Charged cell phone
Map or GPS track of the route
Emergency whistle
Mini first aid kit
Emergency thermal blanket
☀️ Other tips:
Sunscreen
Anti-chafing cream
Trail poles (optional)
Localization
Parts of this content were machine translated using Italian as the source language
Similar routes nearby
Cardada-Mergoscia Trail
Vertical Orselina-Cimetta
Locarno Trail
Pizzo Leone Trail
Avegno-Cimetta Trail
These suggestions were generated by our system
Difficulty
T2moderate
Overall difficulty
moderate
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
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