Lago Bianco

Lago Bianco sits above Poschiavo on the Bernina Pass in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. At 2,234 m above sea level, it covers roughly 1.5 km² and reaches a depth of 53 m. Its pale, milky tint comes from fine glacial sediment carried in by mountain streams.

What is Lago Bianco?

Engineers shaped this lake. In 1910–1911 the water level of two smaller natural lakes was raised, and the combined basin was closed off by the Scala dam at the south end and the Arlas dam at the north. The aim was to give the hydropower plants in the Val Poschiavo a steady supply of water. Repower operates the reservoir today, and it serves as the upper basin of a pumped-storage scheme.

Why is it special?

The lake lies right on a watershed. Water from the northern side of the pass drains into the Inn, then the Danube and the Black Sea. The reservoir itself drains south through the Poschiavino, the Adda and the Po towards the Mediterranean. The Rhaetian Railway runs beside the shore and carries the Bernina Express. Ospizio Bernina station, at 2,253 m, is the highest on the whole Rhaetian network, and the line over the Bernina belongs to a UNESCO World Heritage railway landscape.

How do you get there?

The train is the easiest option. Rhaetian Railway services link Pontresina and St. Moritz in the Engadine with Poschiavo and Tirano in Italy, and the lake is visible from the carriage right beside the tracks. Get off at Ospizio Bernina to walk the shoreline. You can also drive over the Bernina Pass road, where there are places to stop near the water.

What can you see and do?

• Stroll along the shore with views of the rocky peaks of the Bernina range and the glacier tongues above.
• Hike to the southern dam and continue towards Alp Grüm, which looks across to the Palü glacier.
• Ride a mountain bike from the pass down into the Poschiavo valley.
• Photograph a train passing just above the water, especially striking in summer and autumn.

When should you visit?

Trails are usually open from June to October. In winter the pass is under snow and the lake freezes, although trains run all year. Even in summer the weather up here can be cold and changeable, so bring a warm jacket. The water level moves through the year with hydropower operations and rainfall, and in dry years, such as 2026, it can fall well below normal.

Frequently asked questions

Can you swim in Lago Bianco? It is not a swimming spot. The water is glacial and very cold, and the lake exists mainly for water management.

How high is the lake? It lies at 2,234 m above sea level on the Bernina Pass.

Can I reach it by train? Yes. The Bernina Express and regular Rhaetian Railway trains stop at Ospizio Bernina beside the lake.

Is it a natural lake? Partly. Two smaller natural lakes were joined and raised by dams in the early twentieth century.