Lake Tovel is a mountain lake in Trentino, in the Italian Dolomites, lying at 1,178 metres with a surface area of 0.38 km². It was long known for a red bloom that coloured the water in summer and stopped in the 1960s; a limnological research station on the shore still works on the lake. Two car parks stand close to the water, and information panels on the bank cover the springs feeding the lake and the flora around it.
Lake Tovel
Local name: Lago di Tovel
Lake Tovel has been on the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance since 1980.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible parking and a step-free entrance.
- Parking
- Two car parks: the nearest gravel-surfaced, about 136 m from the shore, the second about 372 m.
- Transport
- Bus stop "Lago di Tovel", about 1.1 km from the lake.
What makes it special
For a few summers in the last century the water here turned red, and people came up the valley for it. The bloom stopped in the 1960s and has not returned; what stayed behind is the science. A limnological research station stands on the shore, and two information panels within sight of the water explain the springs that feed the lake from below (Le sorgenti perilacuali) and the plants growing around it (La flora del lago). The lake reads in a single look from the bank: dark green water, forested slopes closing it in, Brenta limestone above the treeline.
Good to know
- No toilets: none are mapped within 800 m of the lake. Sort that out before you drive up.
- Gravel underfoot: the nearest car park is gravel-surfaced, so walking shoes beat sandals.
- Mountain air: the lake sits well above the valley floor and stays cooler than it. Take a layer even on a warm day.
Getting there
Almost everyone drives in and finishes on foot, crossing from the gravel car parks to the shore. By bus it is different: the stop leaves you just over a kilometre short of the water, and that kilometre has to be walked in both directions — worth knowing if the timetable back is tight.
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Lake Tovel, and how big is it?
In Trentino, in the Italian Dolomites. The lake lies at 1,178 metres and covers 0.38 km².Is there parking at the lake?
Two car parks. The nearer one is gravel-surfaced and about 136 m from the shore; the second is about 372 m out.Can you reach the lake by public transport?
There is a bus stop called Lago di Tovel, about 1.1 km from the lake, so the last stretch is on foot.Are there toilets at the lake?
None are mapped within 800 m of the lake. Deal with it before you come up the valley.Is the lake wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair-accessible parking and a step-free entrance are listed at the lake.