Vogorno: Forest, Trails and Local History

Vogorno is a locality in the Verzasca Valley in the Swiss canton of Ticino. It lies at 491 m above sea level on the artificial Lago di Vogorno. When choosing a destination for an overnight stay, local history, hikes or forest landscapes may be decisive. Vogorno offers a range of ways to explore these interests: historic churches and village centers, trails through forests, and traces of the former use of the Monti. The places and routes described offer different highlights, so you can plan your trip around your interests.

Village scenery between the reservoir and its hamlets

Vogorno includes the hamlets of Berzona, Sant’Antonio and San Bartolomeo, as well as the alpine settlements of Odro, Sponda, Costapiana, Monda and Bardüghèe. These alpine settlements lie on sunny slopes. The historic village centers of the various hamlets were not affected by the reservoir. The dam on Lago di Vogorno was built from 1961 to 1965 and is one of the highest dams in Switzerland. Together, this local and construction history offers different perspectives on Vogorno: the established centers of its hamlets and the artificial lake with its dam.

Churches and museum

The Chiesa di San Bartolomeo is located in San Bartolomeo, a small hamlet of Vogorno. It is the oldest church in the Verzasca Valley and is documented as early as 1234. Both its location in the hamlet and its early mention in the valley are therefore characteristic of the church. In Odro, a small residential building now serves as the Museo del fieno. Its subject offers a different focus from church history. If you plan to visit the Museo del fieno, check the current opening conditions in advance.

Trails through Vogorno and the surrounding area

The Sentierone della Valle Verzasca is considered an easy route and follows an old pack trail past chapels. There is easy access to bus stops along the Sentierone. If you plan to use buses, check the timetable for your chosen day. A well-marked trail also runs above the artificial Lago di Vogorno to Corippo (Bivio). The route descriptions have different focuses: for the Sentierone, the easy rating and access to bus stops are relevant; for the trail to Corippo, the markings and endpoint are key.

Val Porta Forest Reserve and hikes

The Val Porta Forest Reserve can be reached from Vogorno via a historic trail. It contains mixed broadleaf forests, beech forests and extensive pioneer birch forests. A round-trip hike leads to the Monti, which lie no higher than 1,400 m above sea level; the round trip is listed as taking 4½ hours. This time estimate therefore applies to the entire there-and-back route. When hiking, take current trail conditions into account.

Another hike follows the ethnographic route Vogorno–Odro–Bardüghé–Vogorno. It leads through chestnut and beech forests to the Monti. People lived there with cows and goats until the 1950s; wild hay was also cut and gathered. The route is 11 km long, with an elevation difference of 1,158 m. The planning information therefore differs between the two hikes: the duration of the round trip is given for the hike in the forest reserve, while the ethnographic route is specified by length and elevation difference. If you are choosing between these tours, also take the current trail conditions for each into account.

Another activity in Vogorno

Golden Eye Bungee Jumping in Vogorno is described as having a height of 220 meters. If you plan to include this activity in your trip, check operating conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Vergeletto, Intragna, Cavigliano, Indemini, Solduno, Corippo, Onsernone, San Nazzaro

For the broader travel overview: Locarno.