Best Day Hikes in the Dolomites
a very unofficial list of what I found to be the most enjoyable day hikes in the Dolomites and how you can get the most out of them.
Hello hello! It’s been a minute, but I have finally crawled out of my pit of election despair to bring to you a letter about hiking. How fun. There is no shortage of ‘Guide to the Dolomites’ or ‘Best Hikes in the Dolomites’ posts on the internet. But alas, I hope this one fills a gap I found to be infuriating during my research leading up to our trip.
Here’s the thing…while I love hiking, I hate people. Or rather I should say, I hate hoards of people on hiking trails that make beautiful locations feel more like an amusement park than tranquil piece of nature. It’s because of this that Marco and I typically plan our trips during the shoulder season (the season between peak and off). Pros: less tourists. Cons: unreliable weather. It’s a gamble we continue to take and I would say it works out for us 90% of the time. While I wish these photos were a little more sunkissed and a little less rain and gloom, it was still worth it to avoid the crowds (IMO). The Dolomites are an EXTREMELY popular destination and the hiking is super accessible so I think if we had gone in August it would have been, quite literally, a nightmare.
In this letter, I am breaking down our top 5 day hikes including their difficulty, popularity, stats and if it’s actually worth doing during peak season. As always, if you have any questions leave me a comment. Without further adieu, my top 5 day hikes in the Dolomites…
I am starting with Lago Di Sorapis because it’s the hike I was least convinced we should do. It’s on (quite literally) every ‘must hike’ list and everyone mentioned how overrun with tourists it was. We had considered just skipping this hike altogether because there are a gazillion beautiful alpine lakes with less people. Instead of doing the traditional out and back trail we decided to do the loop trail via Passo Tre Croci (linked to alltrails).
We did this hike counterclockwise and that is the only way I would recommend doing it. There is a steep pass with lots of shale that requires some scrambling. If you are a seasoned hiker you will be fine, but I wouldn’t want to do it descending. My favorite part of this hike was actually before we got to the lake. There was hardly anyone on the trail and the views of the mountains was nothing short of majestic. To me, this part of the hike is worth doing REGARDLESS of what time of year you go.
Once we made it through the pass we were greeted by one of my favorite things in the world…an alpine meadow. For me, this was the best part of the hike. It was beautiful, secluded and felt like something out of The Sound of Music.
From here we made our way down to Refugio Vandelli for a beer and some pasta (I found the food at this particular Refugio to be underwhelming, but the beers were cold and the view was top notch). From this point forward the trail was borderline unbearable. It was only a few short steps to the lake and then began our trek back to the car park which was essentially 2 miles of walking in a slow moving line. So was it worth it? In short…yes, but if I were here during peak season I would have started the hike before sunrise
Here’s the thing, while the hike itself is fine, the views of Cinema delle Odle are not to be believed. There is a delightful little Refugio where you can grab a bite to eat or just relax in the nearby loungers and take in the mountains. If I were to do this hike again, I might have done it as an out and back which’s cuts about an hour of time. You can also get here via bike, which could be a fun adventure if you’re into that kind of thing.
I would consider this more of a nature walk than a hike, but 100% worth doing nonetheless. Had we not already hiked 30 miles the two days prior, I would have probably done a longer hike up here, because it’s absolutely magical. There was also tons of people paragliding in this area, which I plan on doing whenever we return. After a morning of hiking, photos and exploring we made our way to Baita Sofie Hütte for one of our most memorable lunches overlooking the landscape.
You must do it. I know, it’s annoying when the most popular hike really is one of the best, but it is gorgeous. Also, it’s easy. When we arrived after a long day of driving the rain came rolling in and we couldn’t even see the peaks. After a bite of lasagna and meeting a few donkey’s, I was ready to throw in the towel and admit defeat. But Marco insisted we push through and boy am I glad he did. As we made our way to the backside of the mountain the sun began to burst through the clouds just in time for sunset and we got to watch the landscape change from oranges to greens to purples…it was beyond.
We were in a torrential downpour for the last 4 miles of this hike, and fog made it so we missed 70% of the views, but this was still one of my favorite hikes I have ever done. The trail was just…fun. You gain 2700 ft of elevation in the first 3 miles, which I imagine would be brutal on a hot day, but was totally tolerable at 60 degrees. Once you push through that, the hike is very balanced with varying views and terrain. Marco and I plan on coming back to experience this one in all its glory when the weather is more accommodating. I cannot recommend this trail enough. Also, Alpe Di Siusi is stunning. More on that in the coming weeks.
We’ll there you have it. The Dolomites were absolutely stunning rain or shine. It’s a place I look forward to visiting again and again through the years. I’ll be putting together a full itinerary of our trip in the new year. If you have any specific questions regarding travel to this area drop them in the comments below and I’ll be sure to include them when I share. - Xo, Alex
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Great post and pictures. I’ve been there often and agree that this place it’s magical.
Thank you so much for sharing this! It couldn't have come at a better time - my husband and I are currently toying with the idea of going to the Dolomites in the fall next year and I always love a recommendation for a good hike. I will definitely save your post so I have it ready for when we're planning our exact itinerary.