How to go around Lake Stua? Some useful tips

In this short article we will give you some information for visiting Lake Stua which is located in the area of Cesiomaggiore, in the Veneto region.

Lake Stua is an artificial body of water fed by the Caorame stream, a right tributary of the Piave, which crosses the Val Canzoi. The Cimonega dolomite group, belonging to the Vette Feltrine, overlooks the artificial basin.

The lake is located within the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park. It is a starting point for high altitude excursions to the Vette Feltrine mountains and the Cimonega group included in group 3 of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What we present to you in this article is a pleasant trek lasting about 3 hours, which considers a difference in altitude of about 300 meters, which turns out to be a rather easy experience. This itinerary will take you along a path that goes around Lake Stua.

Here are some indications for visiting Lake Stua

• Park at Case Guarda (623 m; approximately 6 km from Soranzen). Follow the CAI 805 path (signs for Passo Finestra) which leads to the Cansech clearing.
• Leaving the CAI route you enter the hornbeam forest, after crossing a stream you go up to Sass de Santin (835 m).
• A short crossing leads to a coal emplacement and then to a fenced spring. At the crossroads take the flat path in the centre. A little further on, turning right, you come out onto a dirt road (CAI 811 signpost towards Malga Alvis), which you follow on the right up to the Stua lake dam (700 m). (Possibility to interrupt the ring by going down to the Val Canzoi roadway in a few minutes).
• From the dam, follow the dirt road that runs along the lake, passing a bridge over the Caorame stream (712 m).
• Just before the deviation for the Erera plateau, you leave the road going up to the right and following the blue-lilac and yellow-lilac trail signs you reach a coal emplacement.
• Once you reach a crossroads, the path descends to the ruined Casera Casole (740 m). The two paths converge near the “Bus del Caoron” panel.
• Returning to the main route. You descend to the lake crossing the dry tributary of Val Casole, reversing direction, continue close to the water and then climb up to the maiolera of Col de la Stua, now reduced to ruins.
• The obvious path continues to the stony bottom of Val Scura, populated by mountain pines. Continuing along a now more open path you reach the Case Bernardi clearing (635 m).
• Along the service road of the buildings you go down to the Preton picnic area (590 m) and to the road at the bottom of the valley, less than 1 km from the starting point.

Some advices

• While trekking near the lake, it is essential to pay special attention to safety and protection of the surrounding environment.
• Make sure you respect the rules of the park or natural area, avoiding disturbing the fauna and damaging the flora. Bring the necessary equipment with you, such as suitable shoes, drinking water, a map and a first aid kit.
• Check the weather conditions before you go and keep an eye on the water level in the lake, especially if you plan to do water activities.
• Respect the safety rules, especially if you are exploring steep or steep trails.
• Enjoy the beauty of the landscape but always remember to leave the place as you found it, thus helping to preserve its natural beauty for future generations.

For further information you can also consult the official website of the municipality of Cesiomaggiore.