4.3
(6)
131
riders
Da Lugano a Cima alla Pianca – giro ad anello
07:36
62.4km
2,220m
Mountain biking
This difficult 38.8-mile mountain bike loop from Lugano to Pianca Peak offers 7286 feet of climbing and stunning Swiss Alpine views.
Last updated: February 26, 2026
Tips
Includes a very steep uphill segment
You may need to push your bike.
After 34.6 km for 148 m
Waypoints
Start point
Train Station
Get Directions
18.7 km
Pairolo Hut
Highlight • Mountain Hut
Translated by Google •
Tip by
22.2 km
Pianca Peak
Highlight • Viewpoint
Translated by Google •
Tip by
35.6 km
Monte Bar North Flank Trail
Highlight (Segment) • Trail
Translated by Google •
Tip by
62.4 km
End point
Train Station
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
27.9 km
18.3 km
8.66 km
6.28 km
725 m
549 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
19.2 km
13.0 km
9.96 km
7.40 km
6.50 km
5.98 km
382 m
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Elevation
Highest point (1,680 m)
Lowest point (280 m)
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Weather
Powered by Foreca
Friday 29 May
29°C
14°C
0 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 9.0 km/h
to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route
This route was planned by komoot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difficulty level of the 'Da Lugano a Cima alla Pianca – giro ad anello' mountain bike trail?
This is a challenging mountain bike route, classified as difficult. It requires a high level of physical fitness and technical skill due to its significant elevation gain of over 2,200 meters and varied terrain. Be prepared for very steep uphill segments where you might need to dismount and push your bike.
What kind of terrain can I expect on this mountain bike route?
The route offers a diverse mix of surfaces. You'll encounter significant portions of unpaved roads and natural single tracks, along with alpine paths, gravel sections, and some paved and asphalt roads connecting different segments. Expect steep forest roads and wide grassy tracks as well.
Are there any notable viewpoints or landmarks along the trail?
Yes, the trail is known for its spectacular views. You'll pass by Pianca Peak, which offers magnificent panoramas of Val Colla. The Pairolo Hut is another key point, providing superb vistas extending to Monte Rosa and the Valais Alps.
Is the 'Da Lugano a Cima alla Pianca – giro ad anello' a loop trail?
Yes, as its name 'giro ad anello' suggests, this is a loop trail. It conveniently starts and ends in Lugano, allowing you to complete the circuit without needing a return trip arrangement.
Where does the trail start, and is there parking available in Lugano?
The trail starts and ends in Lugano. While specific parking details for the exact trailhead aren't provided, Lugano offers various public parking options throughout the city. It's advisable to research parking garages or lots near your intended starting point in Lugano before your ride.
What is the best time of year to mountain bike this route?
The best time to ride this trail is generally during the warmer months, from late spring through early autumn. This avoids snow at higher elevations and ensures more favorable weather conditions for mountain biking. Always check local weather forecasts before heading out.
Is this mountain bike trail dog-friendly?
While many trails in Switzerland are dog-friendly, given the length, difficulty, and varied terrain of this specific mountain bike route, it might not be ideal for all dogs. If you do bring your dog, ensure they are fit enough for a long, strenuous ride and always keep them on a leash, especially in areas with livestock or other trail users.
Do I need any special permits or pay entrance fees for this trail?
Generally, no special permits or entrance fees are required to ride this mountain bike trail. However, it's always a good idea to check for any local regulations or temporary restrictions before your trip, especially if you plan to access private land or specific protected areas.
Does this trail intersect with other well-known mountain bike routes?
Yes, this route integrates with or follows parts of established mountain bike routes. It passes through sections of the Lugano Bike Tappa 2, Cattle Trail, European Long distance path E1 - part Switzerland, and Lugano Bike Tappa 1, among others.
What kind of scenery can I expect along the way?
You can expect breathtaking and diverse scenery. The route offers spectacular panoramas of Val Colla, and from higher points like the Pairolo Hut, you can see Monte Rosa and the Valais Alps. The landscape features extensive forests, alpine pastures, and views over Lake Lugano, the Bernese and Valais Alps, and even Lake Maggiore. You'll also ride through areas with rhododendrons, majestic beech forests, and historic chestnut groves.
How long does it typically take to complete this mountain bike loop?
This is a long and challenging route. The estimated duration for completing the entire loop is over seven hours, not including stops. This can vary significantly based on your fitness level, technical skill, and how often you pause to enjoy the views or rest.
Nearby routes
Trail Reviews
Great tour, thanks @Jupp🇨🇭Toggenburg for the GPx unfortunately there was a car race in the village. That took almost an hour that I would rather have spent up on the Paso San Lucio. Local racing cyclists helped us to find a bypass. Otherwise we would have stood there much longer. Reloaded on the Paso 1 hour. On the way at the roadblock @MT met and rode the tour with him. Nice company unfortunately he talks a bit much. But everyone has a make 😂😂 and @ICH was also on the road. I was glad to have taken the journey instead of sitting at home in the rain....
Tour to @moelipesche and @Daniela H. ☀️❄️. slightly modified, but this turned out to be partially a botch. So, if you're interested, it's better to do the tour from @moelipesche.https://www.komoot.de/tour/986574560?ref=itd Something went wrong today, similar to my ancestors. I underestimated the tour, so I added a few extras, since I have e-support. But only as long as the battery gives something 😂. This is the first time I've run out of boos in years. Thanks to rescheduling at the end, I was able to save myself to the finish 😝 In any case, the tour took longer than expected, because some of the trails were not smooth to drive, or e.g. a herd of cows on the trail prevented me from continuing or I had a leisurely lunch in the capanna San Lucio 😋. In addition, I kept taking wrong turns🤪, despite komoot navigation😂. Shortly before the end I had 0% battery, my own battery is also empty, my hands are empty (that's why the tour wasn't recorded until the end): rain started and another flat tire, which I only noticed when I was in the car🤷🏼♂️
The classic and legendary round tour with a magnificent view leads mainly on bike route 66 with some adjustments and an extension around the north flank of Monte Bar. Due to the snow, not all single trails could be ridden as planned and due to the amount of snow on the north side of Monte Bar, this section of the route took so much time that the darkness forced us to do without one or the other trail on the final descent! This super round deserves to be repeated in warmer temperatures and guaranteed refreshment options at the many huts along the route! I really missed the coffee..! This, a fall with a defect in the S3 ravine right at the beginning, the cold feet and the many sections of running in the snow made my mood sink into the minus range at the end. This tour and the planner (@moelipesche) definitely didn't deserve that! I look forward to a repeat!! (If I can come again.. 😌)
Ticino is known as the sunniest part of Switzerland. But that doesn't mean that there isn't winter there! Today's tour was simply a bad planning and thus became Tortour! I really felt sorry for my companion Daniela because of the conditions I encountered. I have told her several times about this long tour. The weather report promised temperatures of up to 13°C for that day in Ticino. When we started in Mezzovico at 09:00 in the morning it was just 0°C. But you felt a pleasant warmth in the sun. The uphill to Alpe Pairolo was quite steep in parts, but quite pleasant because of the temperature. There at 1400m we decided not to take the S2 trail to Cima alla Pianca because there was snow on this trail, but to take the path that first leads a little down and then up again. This was a wrong decision, because there on the north side in the forest there was also snow and where the path goes up we had to walk practically everything. We didn't know that at the time, running in the snow was to accompany us all day. Up to Como di San Bernardo we were only on snow. The uphill to Monte Cucco was aper and the 360° view up there was simply amazing! At Passo San Lucio we allowed ourselves a short break in the sun. The onward journey on the long traverse with constant ups and downs to Alpe Pietrarossa, Pandanazzo and the Passo at Cima Moncucco was very demanding because of the subsoil (ice, snow and mud). If we had known what awaited us after crossing the pass at Cima Moncucco, we would certainly have chosen a different route. For the way from Alpe Matro to Alpe Crocc, about 5km, we needed 90 minutes. Because of the snow we had to push our bikes practically the entire distance. A real torture! I don't want to document all the swear words we called around here. With ice-cold feet and an understandably bad mood, we reached Alpe Crocc. By now it was pitch dark. Luckily we had a light with us so that we could still get the downhill to Mezzovico behind us. Due to the darkness, the mood and the cold, we more or less took the fastest route down and skipped some of the beautiful trails. After almost 10 hours we arrived at the bottom completely exhausted but somehow proud and happy to have managed this ordeal. I learned two things on this tour. In Ticino it can be quite wintery in winter and next time I will also check the snow situation on the northern slopes when planning! Tour description of @Daniela H. ☀️❄️ https://www.komoot.de/tour/986567700?ref=wtd
Parked at the sports field. Stop for a coffee in Pairolo. The Bike Energy Station tested. Up at the Passo Polenta as always and loaded an hour later. Today all sockets were actually occupied. Great autumn mood. It doesn't get any better
Good end to a great Ticino season. And with what? Of course with THE Ticino signature trail - the Monte Bar - EPICTrail, the loop around Val Colla: up to Capanna Pairolo, and that's where the 17 km long trail begins over to Capanna San Lucia and on over the new piece of flow trail to Capanna Monte Bar... On the first section there was still a lot of snow on the shady side, but up to a few hundred meters it was mostly easy to drive... from Capanna San Lucio then on the sunny side, and here, apart from a few ice sheets, it was always good and recently also very flowy. .. From the Capanna down to the Motta della Crocce, the beautiful trail to the right and finally back to the car via various other trails. Gerold @skyhopper-mtb and Fred @Fred vom Berg will probably have more beautiful pictures sooner or later
Absolutely wonderful round trip from Canobbio. Just perfect to escape the almost unbearable heat. The tour contains everything that makes a biker's heart beat faster. Crunchy uphills, technically challenging trails, flowing passages and the true endless trail. This of course in reference to the name, from the Cima alla Pianca to the Monte Bar and from the Motto della Croce to Gola di Lago, the endless trails outdo each other, coupled with the breathtaking view makes this circuit unique. Tip for e-bikers: There are charging stations on Alpe Pairolo and Monte Bar, although the one on Monte Bar has certainly seen better days and (at least to me) didn't leave a really neat impression. @Jupp🇨🇭Toggenburg Thank you very much for the tour tip and the through ball, it really was a wonderful day...
Epic Trail #Round at Mt. Bar with @Jupp🇨🇭Toggenburg and @Fred vom Berg. After the Refugio Capanna Monte Bar also via the Cima Caval Drossa (150m Enduro high), into the valley largely on trails. Tip: Don't take the road in Davrosio - take the trail... Very nice tour There was little snow left on the northern slopes, we kept getting stuck in the snow, but we got through with little pushing. Difficulty S1+, from Caval Drossa towards S2, with difficult spots.