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The Greina plateau and its arch

Hiking Trail recommended route Hiking Trail  · Blenio closed

The Greina plateau and its arch

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  • The arch of Greina
    The arch of Greina
    Photo: Bellinzona e Valli Turismo
This route passes through an inaccessible area and is therefore closed. Current information

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    Let yourself be fascinated by the poetry of the Alpine tundra. Lose yourself, body and soul, on the Greina plateau, where streams flow undisturbed and play creating bogs and ponds.

    closed
    moderate
    Distance 18.2 km
    6:00 h
    474 m
    888 m
    2,372 m
    1,608 m

    You will discover a place that will captivate you thanks to its natural treasures. Crossing scree, snowfields and meadows covered with delicate and colorful mountain flowers, you will be able to perceive all the strength and beauty of nature.

    The Greina Plateau, between Canton Ticino and the Canton of Grisons, is an area accessible only on foot that extends for almost 6 km in length and one in width at an altitude of over 2200 m. This circular route allows you to admire the landscape peculiarities that give the region a unique appearance, similar to an alpine tundra. Here numerous streams and torrents flow undisturbed creating unusual ponds, meanders, bogs and marshes.

    The circular route starts in the locality of Campo Blenio, easily reachable by Autolinee Bleniesi. From here, to save some effort, the Alpine Bus departs which, traveling the picturesque Val Camadra, takes you to Pian Geirett. From here, in an hour's walk, you easily reach the Scaletta Hut (2205 m). Then ascend, crossing scree and snowfields, towards the Greina Pass. Here a short detour of 600 meters will allow you to encounter the Greina Arch, a majestic and symbolic 40-meter opening passable on foot. Then begins the magnificent Greina Plain, included among nationally important landscapes for its exceptional geological and natural qualities. After passing the plain, past Crap la Crusch (Cross Stone), you reach the hospitable and renovated Michela-Motterascio Hut (2172 m). The panoramic terrace offers a splendid view of Piz Terri, the Luzzone lake, Sosto and Pizzo Rosetto. From Motterascio you then descend towards Rafüsch and after crossing a characteristic gorge, reach Alpe Garzott and the impressive Luzzone dam. Finally, you return to Campo Blenio, always with the comfortable shuttle bus, ending a tour that remains a great classic and always offers strong emotions and great satisfaction.

    Author’s recommendation

    To enjoy the route we recommend purchasing the official maps from the Swiss Federal Office of Topography Swisstopo. In addition, the website map.geo.admin.ch offers constantly updated data.

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    Author
    Bellinzona e Valli Turismo
    Logo Bellinzona e Valli Turismo
    Responsible for this content
    Bellinzona e Valli Turismo  Verified partner 
    Difficulty
    moderate
    Overall difficulty
    moderate

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Experience
    Landscape
    Highest point
    2,372 m
    Lowest point
    1,608 m
    Best time of year
    Jan
    Feb
    Mar
    Apr
    May
    Jun
    Jul
    Aug
    Sep
    Oct
    Nov
    Dec

    Track types

    Asphalt 6.77%Dirt road 9.92%Forested/wild trail 5.93%Path 70.31%Road 2.60%Traces of trail 2.98%Unknown 1.46%
    Asphalt
    1.2 km
    Dirt road
    1.8 km
    Forested/wild trail
    1.1 km
    Path
    12.8 km
    Road
    472 m
    Traces of trail
    542 m
    Unknown
    266 m
    Show elevation profile

    Rest stops

    Casa Lucomagno (Bike Friendly)
    Pensione Centrale, (Bike Friendly)
    Ristorante Casa Greina (Bike friendly)
    Capanna Bovarina (Bike friendly)
    Pineta Saracino (Bike friendly)

    Tips and suggestions

    From late June / early July until the beginning of October, the Alpine bus guarantees access to Greina starting from the Blenio Valley. Schedules, tourist offers and additional information are available at: www.busalpin.ch www.busalpin.ch

    Montagnepulite: This project was created to promote effective and sustainable management of alpine huts in the Ticino area. In particular, waste management. Responsible waste management in the mountains is a matter of common sense. We can all contribute: www.montagnepulite.ch/it/regole-d-oro

    The trail can also be traveled in the opposite direction (counterclockwise). Starting from Campo Blenio, at the beginning of the village there is a large parking lot available, ascend in the direction of Luzzone, continuing to Alpe Garzott, to the Michela-Motterascio Hut, then reaching Greina Pass and concluding the route passing through Val Camadra to Campo Blenio.

    Roadbook

    The trail can also be walked in the opposite direction (anticlockwise). Starting from Campo Blenio, where a large car park is available at the beginning of the village, the trail climbs up towards Luzzone, continuing to Alpe Garzott, to Capanna Michela-Motterascio, then to the Greina Pass and concluding the itinerary by passing through Val Camadra to Campo Blenio.

    Rest stop
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    Photo
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    Lago Retico
    Casa Lucomagno (Bike Friendly)
    Pensione Centrale, (Bike Friendly)
    Museo Cà da Rivöi
    E-Bike charging point - Blenio
    Ristorante Casa Greina (Bike friendly)
    Capanna Bovarina (Bike friendly)
    Lago / Diga del Luzzone
    Pineta Saracino (Bike friendly)

    Public transport

    Public-transport-friendly

    Coordinates

    SwissGrid
    2'714'588E 1'162'552N
    DD
    46.604403, 8.934320
    DMS
    46°36'15.9"N 8°56'03.6"E
    UTM
    32T 494969 5161206
    w3w 
    ///steepest.series.shunts
    Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!

    Equipment

    •  Waterproof, lightweight and warm clothing
    • Trekking boots
    • Gloves, hat, spare underwear
    • Backpack maximum 5-8 kg fully loaded
    • Small first aid kit with pocket knife
    • Sheet-bag for overnight in a mountain hut
    • Flashlight, sunglasses, sunscreen, water bottle
    • Hiking / topographic map
    • Compass
    • Camera
    • Food
    • Backpack cover

    Localization

    Parts of this content were machine translated using Italian as the source language

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     These suggestions were generated by our system
    Status
    closed
    Difficulty
    moderate
    Overall difficulty
    moderate

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Distance
    18.2 km
    Duration
    6:00 h
    Ascent
    474 m
    Descent
    888 m
    Highest point
    2,372 m
    Lowest point
    1,608 m
    Public-transport-friendly Scenic Refreshment stops available Insider tip

    Weather at the starting point

    10-day forecast

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