Whether you're interested in the breathtaking Stilfser Joch National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites, or the secluded Pfunderer Berge mountains, the region's high-altitude and long-distance hiking trails provide an opportunity for multi-day hikes that take you through stunning landscapes from one mountain hut to another. These extended hikes in the mountains offer an ideal escape from the demands of everyday life, allowing you to truly disconnect and immerse yourself in nature.
The scenic, long-distance hike through the western Dolomites runs from Brixen/Bressanone in the Eisacktal Valley to Feltre in the Province of Belluno.
The eighth stage of the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail II crosses the Senes plateau and reaches Prato Piazza along the northern side of the Croda Rossa d'Ampezzo. This stage invites you to observe the different forms that the relief takes around us: the peaks, the ridges, the valleys, the plateaus, the gorges, are all traces of the balance between erosion and tectonic uplift, which has been shaping the Dolomites for 30 million years.
Discover more: https://www.dolomitiunesco.info/attivita/dolomites-world-heritage-geotrail/
The Dolomites UNESCO Geotrail consists of 10 daily stages, focussing particularly on the Dolomites’ geological history.
This walk has been named after the important German painter Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). During his first trip to Venice, in 1494, due to a flood in the Adige Valley, he had to make a detour through Pochi di Salorno to the Val di Cembra. It is delightful to follow the historical trail through these enchanted woods. We can walk past the Pochi di Salorno mill, past the earth pyramids and the Segonzano Castle, which Dürer immortalized in his paintings.
Stages of the Route
1. Klösterle St. Florian - hamlet of Laag/Laghetti (3.2 km; difference in altitude -20 m; duration 1 hour)
2. Laag/Laghetti - Buchhol/Pochi di Salorno (4.4 km; Height difference + approx. 400 m; Time: 1 hour 40 min)
3. Buchholz/Pochi di Salorno - Sauch Hut (6.3 km; Altitude difference + approx. 450 m; Duration 2 hrs. 20 min)
4. Sauch Hut - Lago Santo/Heilgen See (3 km; Height difference +305 m; Time duration 1 hr. 10 min)
Alte Dürer-Route: (4.6 km; Height difference +292; 1 hr 45 min)
5. Lago Santo - Cembra (4 km; Height difference -539 m; Duration 1 hr 20 min)
6. Cembra - Cantilaga (4 km; Height difference -180 m; Duration 1 hour and 20 min)
7. Cantilaga - Segonzano Castle - Segonzano Pyramids (2-4 km; Height difference +100 m; Duration 50 min)
When you take this extra segment, you will begin from Gfrill, which is located at approx. 1,300 meters above sea-level, and continue to Buchholz at 560 meters above sea-level. At first, you'll have a pleasant, relaxing stroll downhill until you come to Unterstein. You can then continue along the old aerial lift trail until you reach the vestiges of an old cableway. The trail then goes downhill until you come to the brook where the Truden Faultline is especially noticeable. This boundary is distinctly visible not only on the basis of the different geological strata (dolomites and porphyry), but also due to the abrupt change in vegetation. You can then continue to the small village of Buchholz.
Explore nature in the Val Casies Valles – a variant of the trail “Almweg 2000”
In the Val Casies Valley you find many beautiful alps, of which some also offer comfortable refreshment facilities. As the name "Almweg 2000" suggests, the trail leads on average about 2000 meters above sea level from hut to hut. Of the various access options, we recommend here the high-altitude hike with the most beautiful panorama and particularly rewarding flora from the Tscharnietalm alpine pasture in the south to the Uwald Alm hut in the north, which together with the ascent and descent form a closed circular hike, which of course can also be hiked in the opposite direction.
Starting point: Val Casies Valley / S. Maddalena
Distance: 15 km
Descent: circular hike
Walking time: 05:00 h
Difficulty: medium
Difference in altitude: 650m
Information: *alternative routes are possible www.suedtirolmobil.info - Lin. 441
Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail II - from Bletterbach to the Sexten Dolomites
A hiking trail to discover the fossil archipelago of the Dolomites UNESCO World Hetitage
In 2009 UNESCO listed the Dolomites as a World Heritage Site for the aesthetic value of its landscape and for the scientific importance of its geology and geomorphology. From this arose the idea of designing a trekking route through the Dolomites that would present this spectacular history and beauty to hiker.
The Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail explores the entire Dolomites World Heritage Site in 47 stages. 10 of these stages run through the South Tyrolean Dolomites, traversing some of the most beautiful and geologically interesting mountain ranges in the region. There are breathtaking views to be had along a route that features plenty of opposites, while hiking is a unique experience along the well-marked, well-maintained paths.
The Geotrail is thus a combination of long-distance footpath and educational trail. The individual stages of this trail are also possible as day tours; you can almost always use public transport to get back to your starting point or to return from the day’s destination. The main challenge is nevertheless to attempt the Geotrail in ten days, taking the time to explore a unique world full of secrets and for a while escaping the hustle and bustle of our (over-)organised everyday world.
For more information, please visit: https://www.dolomitiunesco.info/attivita/dolomites-world-heritage-geotrail/?lang=de
Lenght: 176 km
Duration: 10 days
Please check the opening hours of the huts and restaurants: www.seiseralm.it/huts
The fourth stage of the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail II descends from Tierser Alpl Mountain Refuge to Seiser Alm (Europes largest Alpine pasture), past volcanic rocks, verdant meadows, and inviting mountain huts, until it reaches Ortisei/St. Ulrich in Val Gardena.
The route of the the Dolomites High Route n. 9 , unlike most other Dolomite High Altitude Trails, runs as a transversal from west to east over the ridges of the Dolomites, most of which rise from south to north.
Long-distance hiking trail with panoramic views
The Dolomites High Trail No. 9 starts in the provincial capital of South Tyrol, Bozen/Bolzano, then crosses South Tyrol and part of the province of Belluno. The stages of the long-distance hiking trail are really short and therefore also suitable for hikers with less physical condition. This long-distance hike takes you to the most beautiful places in the Dolomites. The route is taken within 12 to 14 days.
From the small village of Buchholz, you will then continue on to Gfrill. Right after Buchholz, the Truden Faultline becomes especially noticeable. This boundary is visible not only on the basis of the different geological strata (dolomites and porphyry), but also due to the change in vegetation. The trail is steadily uphill until you come to the ruins of the walls of an old cableway. You continue along the old cableway trail, steadily uphill, until arriving in Gfrill, an alpine village surrounded by plenty of natural beauty.
The newly created 360° Upper Vinschgau Valley is an adventure-packed circular hiking trail through the villages of the Upper Vinschgau Valley. For families and pleasure hikers the nine stages can be seen as individual hiking tips for day tours. Experienced hikers looking for a challenge can plan a hiking tour consisting of several stages.
At each stage interactive nature installations from local larch await young and grown-up hikers.
The GEOTour starts at the GEOMuseum Radein/Redagno which shows the Bletterbach canyon’s special geological features. Our tour leads through a forest to the so called “Zirmersteig” (trail). Then we go down the canyon and follow the river upwards to the head of the valley (“Gorz”). From here we have to walk back to the “Gorzsteig”. This trail leads to the Visitor Centre GEOPARC Bletterbach in Aldino. From here we have two possibilities to return to Redagno/Radein: to walk back or to take the bus.
On the Merano High Mountain Trail (trail n° 24), the entire Texel Group Nature Park can be circumnavigated in a hiking tour of four to six days. The best time to hike the Merano High Mountain Trail (trail n° 24) is: The northern part is a summer tour, walkable from the end of June to the beginning of October (depending on snow conditions). The southern and eastern sections can often be walked all year round and are suitable for one-day tours. The numerous typical South Tyrolean mountain inns and refuges inviting you to rest and have a snack, the varied world of peaks and the magnificent mountain lake landscape of the Spronserseen lakes make the Merano High Mountain Trail in the Texel Group Nature Park a unique hiking area!
The first stage of the Geotrail climbs up from the Bletterbach gorge to the summit of the Weisshorn. We pass through stunning scenery that reveals various layers of rock with the oldest at the bottom, the most recent at the very top. Like a book, these layers tell a story – a story that has lasted 40 million years, with the transformation of the Dolomites of the time from a landmass into a sea.
The impressively steep and rocky tooth of the Sassongher rises directly before us, while far to the south we see the imposing and majestic northwest wall of the Civetta. Merely crossing the plateau on which the Puez Hut is located represents a unique experience for mountaineers without vast geological knowledge, with bizarre rock formations that only a whim of nature could create. The Pralongiá plateau offers a breathtaking view of the largest glacier in the Dolomites, the north face of the Marmolada.
Discover more: https://www.dolomitiunesco.info/attivita/dolomites-world-heritage-geotrail/?lang=en
Along alpine meadows to the waterfall below the alpine hut Sesvenna leads the first part of the ninth stage of the circular hiking trail 360° Upper Vinschgau Valley. It continues on the high mountain trail to the mountain restaurant Plantapatsch and along the “Almenweg” path to Prämajur.
Idyllic mountain villages with a unique charm is what the second stage of the circular hiking trail 360° Upper Vinschgau Valley has to offer.
The first stage of the circular hiking trail 360° Upper Vinschgau Valley leads to the marvelous scenery of the Upper Vinschgau Valley with refreshments at Brugger Alm alpine pasture.
Trail of Legends: San Genesio Atesino/Jenesien Remarkably, it was 132 students from the municipality of San Genesio Atesino who are responsible for the creation of this fabulous Trail of Legends, which they based on 14 myths from their community. Trail of Legends: San Genesio Atesino/Jenesien Starting point: Salto Parking Area (sports fields in San Genesio Atesino) Highest point: 1.500
Passing the impressive Churburg Castle is where the fifth stage of the circular hiking trail 360° Upper Vinschgau Valley starts. Probably the most beautiful view to the Ortler mountain group with the highest glacier in South Tyrol is what the stretch along the Monte Sole mountain in Vinschgau, which is rich in vegetation, has to offer.
The Val Casies Valley especially has many beautiful alps, some of which also offer comfortable refreshment facilities. As the name "Almweg 2000" suggests, the route leads on average about 2,000 meters above sea level from the Hörneckele in S. Martino to the Tscharnietalm hut in S. Maddalena.
Total length: 26 km
Total hiking time: 10 hrs.
It is recommended to divide your hike along the trail in several stages and not walk the whole trail in one day. There are several access and descent options for the Almweg 2000.
We follow the forestry trail no. 2 through a shady forest. After a while, the path gets straighter and winds over big meadows with larches on it until it passes idyllic chalets. We will often get past cured moors. Then we follow the forestry trail E5, which is the European Long Distance Path, and we get back to the "Trudner Horn" on 1.710m where we can enjoy a marvellous view over the Alps of Val die Fiemme. After a rest on the alpine cabin "Trudner Horn Alm" we walk down to the "Ziss-Sattel" and follow the forestry road no. 3 past the lime kiln through spruce and fir forests back to Anterivo.
The third stage of the circular hiking trail 360° Upper Vinschgau Valley trumps with unique views from the giant swing.
Path [9] leads from Obereggen straight south to the Reiterjoch | Passo di Pampeago. From there it heads west, bending slightly to the north, around the Zanggen mountain. After about 1 hour you reach the Lavazéjoch | Passo di Pampeago with overnight accommodation and refreshment stops. From there, the trail continues via the Neuhütt Alm | Malga Capanna nuova to Deutschnofen | Nova Ponente.
The first part of the sixth stage of the circular hiking trail 360° Upper Vinschgau Valley runs along the animal forest path “Gumperle”. From there it goes past the Lichtenberg Castle to the medieval town of Glurns/ Gorenza.
Stage 3 of the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail II leads from the Karer Pass/Passo Costalunga through the heart of the Rosengarten mountain range, past the reef of the Schlern and on to the Tierser Alpl Mountain Refuge. The hiker will cross different environments of the Triassic atoll: the deep sea (Karerpass/Passo di Costalunga), the underwater escarpment (Rosengarten Massif) and the inner lagoon (Torri del Vajolet).
The Hufeisentour is a seven-day-lasting mountain trail in the Alpes of Sarntal. The route proceeds through the heart of South Tyrol along alpine areas, meadows, traditional alpine huts, peaks and yokes. You walk on unbeaten tracks and natural paths. As well as wounderful and unforgettable views on the UNESCO world natural heritage, the Dolomites, the Zillertaler Alps, the Stubaier Alps, the Ötztaler Alps and the Mountain Ortler in the Brenta Group are waiting for you.
The classical Hufeisentour starts in the eastern Alps of Sarntal at Sarnthein and contains 7 to 8 stages, running in counterclockwise rotation. Of course you can walk into the other direction as well or start at other starting points, for example at Mölten. Here you walk onto the stone cairns "Stoanerne Mandln" and can decide if to walk to the starting point Sarnthein or to the area Meran 2000 (opposite direction).
This trail has been certified by 'Europäisches Wandergütesiegel' (European Certification for hiking trails).
Once you have left the village centre, you will understand why La Val is called the village of Alpine meadows: green, well-kept meadows will constantly surround you during this hike. The man-made landscape between 1300 and 2000 metres above sea level developed through the hard work of our farming ancestors, which today is facilitated by the use of agricultural machinery.
As the altitude increases, so does the consistency of the meadows: from meagre meadows to the larch meadows of Armentara. Along the route you will find wonderful viewpoints, a sulphurous water spring at Al Bagn and several refreshment points where you can refresh yourself with some of the delicious Ladin specialities that can satisfy every palate: try the typical bales (dumplings) or snack on a well-earned slice of strudel.
Every year, the non-competitive half-marathon 'Tru di pra' takes place on this route.
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