Lago dei Cavagnöö: The High-Altitude Service Road of Ticino
Situated at an elevation of 2,352m (7,716ft) above sea level in the Maggia Valley of the Ticino canton, Lago dei Cavagnöö is a high-altitude reservoir. The road serving the dam is one of the most unusual paved tracks in the Swiss Alps, as it operates as an isolated infrastructure network disconnected from the public valley roads.
| Road facts: Lago dei Cavagnöö | |
|---|---|
| Location | Ticino, Switzerland |
| Elevation | 2,352 m (7,716 ft) |
| Surface | Paved / Asphalt |
| Access | Restricted (Technical Service Only) |
| Dam Completed | 1968 |
How is the road to Lago dei Cavagnöö reached?
The asphalted road at Lago dei Cavagnöö is not accessible via a standard driving route from the valley floor. All public vehicle transit ends at San Carlo in Val Bavona. From there, heavy machinery and service vehicles must be transported via a heavy-duty industrial cableway to the Robièi plateau. Once at this upper level, a private network of paved service roads connects the various hydroelectric installations, including the dams at Robièi, Lago Bianco, and Cavagnöö. This isolated road system was built primarily to support the construction and maintenance of the reservoir, which was completed in 1968.
Is the road to Lago dei Cavagnöö open to the public?
No. The road is a private industrial corridor managed by Maggia Kraftwerke AG. Motorized access for private vehicles is strictly prohibited. The route is used exclusively for the maintenance of the 111-meter-high arch dam and the surrounding hydroelectric galleries. While the road is fully paved, it is exceptionally narrow—often measuring less than 3 meters in width—and includes unlit service tunnels carved through the granite mountainside. There are no safety barriers or guardrails, and the path is frequently shared with heavy maintenance equipment.
Driving conditions and logistical hazards
Operating a vehicle on this track requires high-precision steering. The asphalt surface, while functional, is subjected to extreme thermal stress due to the 2,352m altitude, resulting in frost heaves and seasonal cracking. The primary hazards include rockfalls from the Basodino glacier slopes