Lake San Pellegrino lies at the top of the Passo San Pellegrino, in the Dolomites above Moena in Trentino. It is a small mountain lake with clear water that mirrors the surrounding peaks and forest, reached by a short path from the SS 346 at the pass. The full loop of the shore takes fifteen minutes without stopping. Mallards and coots live on the water and approach people, and the shore is usually quiet.
Lake San Pellegrino
Local name: Lago di San Pellegrino
Fifteen minutes covers the entire shoreline loop without stopping — the quiet is what turns it into two hours.
- Entrance
- Free — no ticket for the lake or the path in.
- Parking
- Two free car parks by the pass, 220 m and 270 m from the lake, just off the SS 346; the further one is fine gravel.
- Difficulty
- Easy: four to five minutes on foot from the road to the shore, then a 15-minute loop around the lake without stopping.
- Transport
- Bus stop Passo San Pellegrino Costabella, 245 m from the lake.
- Hours
- Open access, with no set opening hours.
What makes it special
Still water at the top of the Passo San Pellegrino, holding the peaks and the forest upside down when the air is calm. Mallards and coots run the shoreline: so used to people that they paddle straight over to anyone who stops at the edge, expecting to be fed. Mass tourism has not found the place — much of the foot traffic is locals walking their dogs, and the shore stays quiet. The lake is small and the mountains behind it fill the frame, which is most of the photograph.
Good to know
- No toilets at the lake — the nearest are 800 m away.
- Drinking water on the way in — a free tap stands about 240 m from the shore.
- Late April falls between seasons — the lake is at its emptiest and the businesses up at the pass are shut.
Getting there
Everything happens at the top of the Passo San Pellegrino, on the SS 346 above Moena. Cars stop at the pass itself, and the path to the lake starts at a gate on the far side of the road from the Costabella hotel, opposite the Arnika. Four to five minutes on foot and you are at the shore. The access is easy, and the walk in is the whole of the effort.
Best time to visit
Better: a windless day — the reflections that make the place are gone the moment the surface ripples.
Avoid: the weeks between seasons around late April, when everything at the pass is closed.
The lake never gets a rush, and much of the traffic is locals walking dogs, so the thing worth timing here is the water surface rather than the crowd.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to walk around the lake?
Fifteen minutes for the full loop of the shore without stopping, plus four to five minutes each way on the path in from the road.Is the lake busy?
It stays quiet. Mass tourism has passed it by, and much of the foot traffic is locals out walking their dogs.Are the ducks tame?
Mallards and coots live on the water and are used enough to people that they come right up to anyone standing at the edge, looking for food.Can you get there without a car?
Yes. There is a bus stop at the pass, a few minutes from the trailhead, and the path to the lake starts across the road.