The Monte Lerno forest area is located in the municipality of Pattada in the northern province of Sassari. It covers an area of around 2,800 square kilometers and is characterized by its extensive holm oak stands. A forest fire a few years ago unfortunately destroyed many of them, but the forest is now being reforested, which is clearly evident from the tree nurseries and new plantings that can be seen everywhere. The reservoir of the same name is also located in the Monte Lerno area. Inaugurated in 1980, it stretches over an area of 16,000 hectares between the surrounding hills in an extremely attractive landscape. A 67-meter-high wall holds back the water in the reservoir.
Both the summit of Monte Lerno and the retention basin are touched by an easy-to-drive, scenic off-road tour that starts in the town of Oschiri. From there, the wide, well-paved track climbs the western slope of the Monte Lerno massif, skirts some rustic fire watch towers and reaches the summit plateau of Monte Lerno with its radio antenna at an altitude of 1,094 metres. The route then winds its way downhill, follows the reservoir for a short stretch, offering some beautiful views, before returning to Oschiri via the town of Pattada in a constant up and down.
Conditions, closures and tips — from members who drove here recently.
The bridge has been, let’s say, “temporarily repaired.” The riverbed has been completely filled in. It’s safe to cross.
There are a few washed-out sections, but the trail is still passable. After the break at the dam, you come to a gate, but it’s been left open. There were sheep on the path, and the friendly dog cleared a way for us. You’ll encounter a few low-hanging branches.
A beautiful route and stunning scenery
The access road right at the start of the trail crosses a bridge that has currently sagged. It is impassable for heavy or long vehicles and cannot be bypassed. An older Sardinian man with his dog told me to just drive over it—everyone does.... So I did—luckily, the Niva weighs only 1.5 tons even when loaded. However, the route is still only suitable for heavy vehicles; the starting point is just south of Lake Lerno at 40.59426° N, 9.14312° E. The route is easy to drive and the scenery is truly magnificent! It’s also great for hiking and mountain biking (Pattada Wild Trail).
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