The Dolomites: High Hopes, Higher Peaks! (Part 1)

Contents:

1. Trails & Rifugios
2. Hiking the Dolomites Iconic Trails
   1. Tre Cime di Lavaredo
   2. Cadini di Misurina
   3. Cinque Torri – 5 Towers
3. Travel Advice & Next Time
4. Where We Stayed

For Dolomites, Part 2 – Meadows and Mountains, Click Here

The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage Site straddling Italy’s South Tyrol, Trentino, and Veneto regions. They’re more than just beautiful—they’re historic.

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Trails & Rifugios

The trail network dates back to World War I (1915–1917). Soldiers blasted tunnels, carved trenches, and led mules along cliffside paths . . . today’s trails. The trails are color-coded by difficulty:

• Solid red line – Easy
• Broken red line – Moderate
• Dotted red line – Difficult (exposure, cables)
• Cross symbol ✟ – Aided trail
• Via Ferrata – Fixed cables and ladders (gear required)
• Alta Via 1–10 – Multi-day, high-altitude routes

Rifugios —staffed mountain huts where you can eat, drink, and sleep. For climbers, there are unmanned bivouacs.

Pictures of rifugios on steep ridges attract hikers to difficult areas. During the summer of 2025, Outside Magazine reported an average of 3 deaths per day in the Italian Alps. Luckily, some rifugios are easier to access. Below: Rifugios Auronzo (Tre Cime), Resceisa (Ortisei, Resceisa) and Scoiattoli (Cinque Torri).

Hiking the Dolomites Iconic Trails

Yes, the famous hikes are crowded; they’re iconic for a reason. Go off-season. You’ll see why people can’t stay away.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The poster-child of the Dolomites: three jagged peaks with sheer vertical faces.

• Access: From Cortina, 40 min drive. Paid parking at Rifugio Auronzo (€40 online). Free parking at Lake Misurina plus bus/taxi.
• Route: 6.5-mile loop (Trail 101) with a steep finish back to the refugio. Add Trail 105 to Rifugio Locatelli for full experience.

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Cadini di Misurina

One of the most photogenic spots in the Dolomites—surreal spires.

• Route: Trail 117, starting behind Rifugio Auronzo. About 2 hours round trip.

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Cinque Torri – 5 Towers

• Access: Park at Bai de Dones, chairlift to Rifugio Scoiattoli.
• Route: Easy–moderate loop (1.5–2.5 hrs) and WWI Museum trail.

Pro tips:

• The Giro delle Torri, an interior loop not marked on maps, is worth it.
• Extension: Hike up to Rifugio Averau and Nuvolau.
• 👉 If you’ve got energy left, visit nearby Lago di Sorapis (Trail 215).

From the chairlift and Rifugio Scoiattoli, walk the circular path around the peculiar towers. Feel small!

WWI remains within the towers . . . part of outdoor museums.

The Giro delle Torri Path winds amongst giant boulder blocks.

Rifugio Nuvolau, oldest refuge in the Dolomites (1883), is perched on a peak. (You must be fully motivated to make it to Nuvolau . . . and I was not. Photo credits to Andi.)

At the top of Nuvolau

Looking back from Nuvolau the giant towers of Cinque Torri appear small.

Our day in Cinque Torri ended with sleet at the summit and heavy rain at the car park. That’s the Dolomites for you.

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Travel Advice & Next Time

• Best time: June or late September (lighter crowds).
• Weather: Bring layers. Sun, snow, rain—sometimes all in the same afternoon.
• Trail difficulty: Don’t underestimate those dotted red lines.
• Motto: “Early and dry vs. late and wet.”
• Helpful Blog: Educated Traveller: The Dolomites

On Our List:

• Cortina gondolas – Three stages up to Tofana di Mezzo (3,243m).
• Faloria & Cliffhanger Lodge – Another lift-accessed panorama.
• Lakes – Lago di Braies (pre-book parking after July 5) and Lago di Sorapis (steep and crowded but stunning).
• Great Dolomite Road – Bolzano to Sella Pass.

Where We Stayed

Cortina d’Ampezzo – A great base for Tre Cime, Cinque Torri, and the lakes, also hosting the 2026 Olympics (hence much construction during our visit). Plenty of shops, restaurants, and a cool mountain climate.

Your turn: What’s your favorite Dolomites hike? Drop a comment—we’re already planning our return.

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Our Roadtrip Austria/Italy – 3 Weeks June 6 to 27

The Dolomites were part of a 3 week road trip. Stories in progress

1. Wachau – wine country near Vienna
2. St. Wolfgang, Lakes Region
3. South to the Dolomites via Grossglockner Road – Click Here
4. Dolomites: Part 2 – Meadows and Mountains. Click Here
5. Innsbruck and Salzburg, Austria

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