The Upper Ore Road follows the route where the ore transport system of the Monteneve Mine to Vipiteno once stood
Image gallery: Hike on the “Obere Erzstrasse” path
The hike we have chosen for this mild September day runs through the Val Ridanna between Mareta and Masseria. The starting point is Mareta, a small village with the pale pink Wolfsthurn Castle, South Tyrol's only Baroque castle, which stands on a hill. We start at the car park in the village, first heading south-west across the road and then up the mountain.
After a steep climb up a narrow path, we reach the flat forest road, the Upper Ore Road, or Obere Erzstrasse. It follows historical routes: From the 1870s to 1925, it was a section of the 27-kilometre-long overground ore transport railway, the longest in the world. The mined ores - silver, lead, and zinc - were transported to Vipiteno from the Monteneve, Europe's highest mine at the time.
Before the railway was built, pack animals and carts did this work. Information boards at the start of the trail provide details about this history. We leisurely follow the forest path westwards: Just before the hamlet of Ento (Gasse), we cross the Val Ridanna road and hike through meadows to Ridanna. From here, it is not much further to Masseria and the Ridanna Mining World.
This is the name of the Ridanna site of the South Tyrol Museum of Mining. You can return along the same path or take the public bus - we choose the fresh-air option and arrive back in Mareta five and a half hours later. In the snow, you can also do this themed trail as a winter hike: the winter hike in the Val Ridanna valley follows a section of it.
Author: AT
Experienced: September 2013
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- Mareta (1,040 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 05:30 h
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- Total route length:
- 19,7 km
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- Altitude:
- from 1.040 m to 1.435 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +400 m | -400 m
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- Signposts:
- "Obere Erzstrasse"
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- Destination:
- Monteneve Ridanna Mining World in Masseria (1,435 m a.s.l.)
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Hike on the “Obere Erzstrasse” path
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks or stops. The article describes the route there and back on foot - alternatively, bus no. 312 runs once an hour between Masseria and Mareta (a 15-minute journey).
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this hike!
