Gridone (Monte Limidario) & Rifugio Al Legn Hike (Ticino): Top Highlights & 6 Essential Tips
DETAILS*
We hiked Rifugio Al Legn on day one, stayed overnight, and hiked down via a different route the next day.
Hike up: partly T4 (blue-white)
Duration: 6h 15min including all breaks
Difficulty:
Distance: 11.7 km point-to-point
Total Ascent: 1779 m
Total Descent: 520 m
The highest point: 2178 m above sea level
Hike down: T3 (red-white)
Duration: 3h 12min including all breaks
Difficulty:
Distance: 11.4 km point-to-point
Total Ascent: 40 m
Total Descent: 1593 m
The highest point: 1783 m above sea level (Rifugio Al Legn)
OUR EXPERIENCE:
Start point: We took a train to Locarno station, then continued with Locarno FART train to Intragna (19 min). From Intragna, Stazione we took a bus to Palagnedra, Stazione (15 min).
End point: For the retour journey, we took a bus from Brissago, Posta (B316) to Locarno (30 min), and from Locarno we continued by train to Basel.
Itinerary:
We first hiked up to the Palagnedra village. From the bus station to the village the path follows the road, which is not the most scenic section, and the beginning is quite steep.
TIP #1: It took us less than 40 min to hike to the Palegnedra. On the way up there is almost no shades.
There was a Saturday market – amazing vibe, live music, and people hanging around. We passed by it (passing the sign “Gridone 4h 10min”) and continued to look for the T4 blue-white trail up to Gridone. At some point the red trail enters the forest, which provides shade and becomes much more pleasant than walking on asphalt.
The T4 trail starts at approx. 836 m above sea level and leads up to Gridone (2187 m). It follows a creek with cold, refreshing water. This is where the hike truly becomes interesting. The main challenge is the lack of markings (on some of our photos you will see signs, the route is actually better marked when hiking in the opposite direction). This makes it an exciting but demanding adventure.
TIP #2: Continuously check the SchweizMobil app for safety reasons, you often cannot clearly see the path ahead, so orientation is critical.
The trail crosses the creek multiple times and is not very frequently used, so there is often no visible path. You sometimes have to cross water in less protected areas. In a few places there are chains and metal climbing aids – use them. Without them (and without our own gear) we would not have been able to continue safely.
Rocks become slippery, moss is wet and unstable. Until the Swiss-Italian border this section is mostly shaded, which makes it comfortable even on warm summer days.
TIP #3: Due to the constant slippery conditions on this trail, regardless of the weather, please wear solid hiking shoes.
After reaching Bocchetta del Fornale, the ascent becomes gentler and more elegant as you walk directly at the Swiss-Italian border. With only about 200m of incline, this feels like the easiest part of the T4. However, due to minimal number of signs, a few sections are still tricky when navigating knee-high rocks and grass.
The views are incredible, green hills and meadows on the Italian side, rocky alpine terrain on the Swiss side, and wide mountain panoramas behind you.
At Gridone, we noticed many alpine black birds, so we took only a short break, knowing that a delicious dinner awaited us at Rifugio Al Legn.
From Gridone there is still about 400 m descent to the hut. This part returns to a T3 red-white trail and offers beautiful views of Lago Maggiore and the surrounding Alps.
Rifugio Al Legn is a truly unique place. During our stay it was hosted by our friend from Basel and her friend (Thank you M.!). You can even book a volunteering slot for a week – hosting guests, cooking, and spending evenings chatting together. We even had a guitar concert, and Piotr prepared bread dough for next-day baking, it was an amazing mountain hut evening.
TIP #4: Consider volunteering at the Rifugio one day, it is a beautiful and memorable experience.
The hut is quite new, with around 12 sleeping places (approximately), an amazing terrace, and an incredible atmosphere. Most hikers arrive from Brissago and then continue to Gridone the next day – we were the only ones coming from the opposite direction.
There are several descent options from Rifugio Al Legn. The next day it was raining, so we chose the least steep option for safety reasons.
The first half follows open green terrain, later entering the forest.
The second half goes through villages and small towns, partly along roads. It is a continuous downhill hike. We finished in Brissago, where we caught the bus to Locarno. The entire descent offers views of Lago Maggiore.
Our drinks:
We brewed our Basler Drip Coffee at Rifugio Al Legn – there is nothing better than enjoying coffee on the terrace with a spectacular view of Lago Maggiore!
TIP #5: Apart from the creek on the T4 trail, there are no reliable water refill points along the route. Plan your water carefully.
We carried a total of 3.2 L (4 × 0.8 L bottles) and refilled 0.8 L once or even twice, giving us roughly 2 L per person overall.
What we packed:
On the way up, the weather was like a standard summer day – shorts and T-shirts were enough. However, shaded areas and the ridge along the border can be windy and chilly, so we kept a long-sleeve layer ready in our backpacks. We always carry a rain jacket, an extra long-sleeve layer, long pants, and a lightweight down/goose vest. These were extremely useful during the overnight stay at the hut while enjoying the terrace view.
For the overnight stay, flip-flops are not necessary. Crocs are usually provided in Swiss mountain huts. We brought linen sleeping liners and fast-drying towels..
Specific season conditions:
We did this hike at the end of August – no snow and no technical winter difficulties.
TIP #6: If it is raining, I do not recommend this hike unless you are well prepared. Half of the blue trail is rocky, and creek crossings become extremely slippery and potentially dangerous.
Highlights:
Hiking to Gridone along the Swiss-Italian border is very satisfying and scenic.
Rifugio Al Legn is an incredible place to relax, with breathtaking views over Lago Maggiore day and night.
The blue-white T4 trail is adventurous and slightly technical, with very few markings – exciting, but recommended only for experienced hikers.
Let's sum up our TIPs:
TIP #1: It took us less than 40 min to hike to the Palegnedra. On the way up there is almost no shades.
TIP #2: Continuously check the SchweizMobil app for safety reasons, you often cannot clearly see the path ahead, so orientation is critical.
TIP #3: Due to the constant slippery conditions on this trail, regardless of the weather, please wear solid hiking shoes.
TIP #4: Consider volunteering at the Rifugio one day, it is a beautiful and memorable experience.
TIP #5: Apart from the creek on the T4 trail, there are no reliable water refill points along the route. Plan your water carefully.
TIP #6: If it is raining, I do not recommend this hike unless you are well prepared. Half of the blue trail is rocky, and creek crossings become extremely slippery and potentially dangerous.
*supported by Garmin and SchweizMobil