Torena Lakes

The walk to the Torena Lakes, with modest elevation difference, is suitable for everyone and combines various interests: scenic due to the particularly picturesque environment, especially in the area of the Torena small lakes; historical for the rock engravings observable near the shores of Lago Nero; faunistic for the high probability to spot ungulates, really numerous in this hunting reserve. From Ponte Frera (1373 m), shortly before the buildings on the right, following the signs for Laghi Torena (sign and marker no. 317), take a wide mule track that departs from the road to enter a mixed forest of birch, ash, and fir. Near a fountain, the broad path gives way to a trail that climbs the pine forest up to the clearing of Malga Fraitina (1698 m), from which you can observe the large Lago Belviso occupying most of the valley floor. The trail returns into thick vegetation on the right, touching the Hunting Lodge (1916 m), a building belonging to the wildlife company of Val Belviso-Barbellino. Again on the left, with a slight climb, leave the deviation to Malga Pila to gain, at the upper edge of the forest, the glacial rocky terrace in the middle of which suddenly appears Lago Nero (2036 m). On the polished rocks surrounding the water basin, characteristic for the islet emerging from dark waters, prehistoric rock engravings have been found. Even hypothetically assuming a more favorable climate than the current one, scholars would not justify prehistoric humans climbing here except in search of an elevated, panoramic dominant place to which to attribute an important symbolic value.