Crystal-clear waters, towering granite walls, high peaks looming on the horizon. Many call it the “Yosemite of Italy,” but for us it is simply Val di Mello: a natural jewel in the heart of the Rhaetian Alps. A place so enchanting that it deserves special protection and in fact was made a Nature Reserve in 2009. In this new article we move from Lecco to nearby Valtellina, to discover theVal di Mello loop.
General Information
It is a relatively easy hike and therefore suitable for everyone. Because of this, unfortunately, especially on summer weekends, the valley is taken by storm by a lot of hikers. We recommend, if possible, to go on weekdays. The start is in San Martino, a village in the municipality of Val Masino, which is a side valley of Valtellina.
- Start and finish: San Martino di Val Masino
- Loop length: 10 km
- Total elevation gain: 350 meters
- Duration: about 3 hours
- Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Excursion carried out on May 27, 2025.
Approach
We can park our car in the parking lot at the San Martino’s sports field. There are some free stalls, some with hourly discs and some with a fee. On foot we walk on asphalt for a few meters in the direction of the village, until after a few meters we find a path off to the right , with a wooden sign pointing to Val di Mello.
The trail from San Martino to Val di Mello
We follow it and enter a beautiful forest, dotted with huge granite boulders, that runs alongside the Mello stream. The trail is not always clear, in some places tending to get a bit lost in the woods. Care must be taken to follow the red-and-white markers that indicate the official trail.
The trail is always mildly uphill, with very modest inclines. After about 35 minutes from the start, we reach a junction. On the left we find a bridge crossing the river. We follow it and move to the other side, where we find the driveway that climbs from San Martino to the mouth of Val di Mello.
The scenery is breathtaking: the river forms wide crystal-clear pools, and in the background emerge the sharp silhouettes of the peaks of the Central Rhaetian Alps.
We follow the wide track, pass a campsite and come to an restaurant. Here the road ends and the trail develops on a cobbled track, with an almost flat course. In a short time we arrive at the Laghetto del Qualido, a spectacular mirror of green and transparent water in which the surrounding rock walls are reflected.
The valley floor of the Val di Mello
We proceed further, still on a flat path. Past a farmhouse, we come to another pond, called Bùrgùn but known as Bidet della Contessa. Definitely a great spot for photographs!
Continuing on the track we come to a cluster of houses in Cascina Piana. Here we find two refuges: Mello refuge e Luna Nascente refuge (about 1 hour and 20 minutes from the start).
Many end the hike here, but we recommend continuing further. We continue for another 20 minutes still on the mule track, which is still flat, and arrive at the Rasica locality, where we find the Rasega refuge (1 hour and 45 minutes from the start).
At this point the loop changes sides of the river, but first we recommend, for those who want to add a little more walking, to continue further: on a path, the trail enters a beautiful coniferous forest, very impressive (and the more demanding walkers can continue further, until they reach a beautiful viewpoint and, if they wish, further on the Casera Pioda, at high altitude).
Closing the Val di Mello loop.
Back to us, from the Rasega refuge we ford the river using the overhanging boulders and being very careful because the current can sometimes be very strong. We then move to the opposite side of the valley and start heading back toward San Martino. We follow the trail, which always proceeds through the forest fairly level. The trail is not always obvious, but to orient ourselves we can use the river, to our right, as a reference. We continue without major upheaval on the trail.
After 40 minutes, we arrive at the height of the previously found farmhouse. We then skirt the Qualido Pond on the other side, then proceed further for another 20 minutes and return to the initial bridge.
At this point we can return to San Martino with the path taken on the way out, or – doing a kind of 8 – we can follow the driveway downhill. In this case, after about 15 minutes of descent, we find a path on the left. To cut some of the road we recommend taking it and following the main trail. We continue on the path all the time until we come to the paved road (Via dei Mulini). We continue on the road, at the end of which we turn left and in a few steps we are back at the starting parking lot (just over 3 hours from the start).
Foto and text by Michele Castelnovo
Reproduction reserved – Trekking Lecco
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