The Ofen Pass, 2,149 metres at its top, is the lesser-known doorway between the Lower Engadin and the Val Müstair, and it deserves more attention than it gets. The road runs from Zernez through the Swiss National Park, climbing through a dark stand of mountain pine to a high, rocky plateau, and then dropping on the other side toward the quiet Val Müstair, the Swiss corner that feels as much Italian and Tyrolean as it does Swiss.
On the ride, you pass from forest into bare limestone and dolomite, the pale rock giving the mountains a lighter, almost bleached look compared with the dark granite of much of the Alps. The curves are smooth and sustained, with enough room to enjoy a rhythm but a few tight sections that ask for attention, especially in the descent. Traffic is modest, partly because most people prefer the big names, and partly because the road has a reputation for strict speed enforcement within the park. It is wise to keep to the limit.
At the foot of the Müstair side, the road meets the junction for the Umbrail Pass, which climbs to the Stelvio road, the great Italian classic. You can continue that way if you want to make a bigger day of it, but the Val Müstair deserves a stop on its own. In the village of Müstair, the Benedictine convent of St John, a UNESCO World Heritage site, holds some of the best-preserved Carolingian wall paintings in Europe, traditionally linked to the time of Charlemagne. The nuns still live there, and the museum is a quiet, intelligent place.
The valley also has a flavour of its own: Romansh is spoken here, the farmhouses are broad and painted, and the rye bread and barley soup of the Grisons are everywhere. Nearby Livigno, across the Italian border, is a duty-free town and a popular fuel stop for riders, with cheaper petrol and large queues in summer. On the Swiss side, Zernez and Santa Maria in Val Müstair are the places you can count on.
Do not expect pumps at the top. Snow can close the road on rare occasions in winter, and summer storms roll up the valley in the afternoon, so aim for a morning crossing, when the air is crisp and the animals are still out.