As the name Ferrera (ferro) suggests, mining shaped the more distant history of the Ferrera valley. The excavation and smelting of iron, copper and lead ore only stopped in 1869. The entrances to the mines and tunnels can still be recognized today. The «Schmelza» (smelter), the well-preserved chimney of a furnace, together with the ruins of a smelting and preparation building are impressive evidence of the last significant phase of mining under British management. The well-preserved historic monument to the mining industry has been under a preservation order since 1972.

For a long time, Innerferrera was a poor community with a very limited usable area of land, almost exclusively made up of mountain farms. The construction of the Lago die Lei dam and its power station at the beginning of the 1960s led to an economic boom. Today, soft tourism plays an ever more important role for the 35 inhabitants of the village. Hikers and ski tourers appreciate the remoteness and primeval character of the region. The surrounding mountain pastures with their lovingly cared for huts and barns as well as the valley’s oldest church (Cresta above Ausserferrera) are well worth visiting. In bouldering circles, the «Magic Wood» near Ausserferrera boulder-climbing area is considered one of the most remarkable in the world.