The Dolomites, technically a part of the Alps, are some of the most stunning mountains in the world. They’re renowned for skiing, climbing, hiking, base jumping, and a whole lot more. With dozens of peaks and passes, hundreds of thousands of acres of national parkland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site to boot, it’s an incredible trip to see, hike, and enjoy what the mountains of Italy have to offer.

While the Dolomites have something to offer everyone, we’re focusing today on some of the more challenging trails you can tackle throughout the region. If you’re looking for simple hikes, day trips, and other basic outdoor adventures, they can certainly be found, but that’s not our focus today.

What trails should you consider if you’re looking for an advanced hiking challenge in the Dolomites? Read on for our recommendations.

The Line Between Hiking and Climbing

Before we dig in, we have to discuss one important distinction that will come up when you’re doing research for your routes: hiking versus climbing.

The Dolomites are, in many places, steep and stunning climbing routes. What you might have thought was a hiking trail might stymie you when you reach a cliff that offers steel cables and hooks, but nothing for an unencumbered hiker to carry on with.

For example, you’ll often find lists of “via ferrata” ranging from basic to experienced. A via ferrata is a designated climbing route through the mountains, usually decently well-marked and maintained, with steel cables, secure hooks, and other fixtures that allow an adventurer to climb with a minimum of gear and risk.

But that’s not hiking, and we’re here for hiking. So, we’ve tried to avoid any of these routes. If you need to hook to a safety line and traverse craggy, near-vertical ground, it doesn’t suit what we’re after. That said, some of these routes have a hiking path with an optional climbing extension, often in a loop or added jaunt that ends at the same place, so you have the option either way.

The hard part is that the Dolomites are full of hybrid routes, many of which straddle the line between difficult hiking and basic climbing. If you’re willing to climb, there’s a lot more you can experience in the Dolomites, but for the hikers among us, you’ll want to steer clear of the more vertical segments without the proper equipment.

Important Information for Dolomite Hiking

Most of the trails throughout the Dolomites are very well-maintained, so much so that in some cases, it almost doesn’t feel like it’s as far out in nature as you expect it to be. That notion is, of course, quickly vanquished when you look around, and instead you start to wonder how they manage to keep it all so well-maintained.

Trails are well-marked and consistently marked along the way, but you do need to recognize what the marks are and what they mean to have the best experience.

Red and white striped markings, almost resembling the Canadian flag, indicate hiking paths. They’re often numbered and show you the segment of the trail you’re on. Intersections have signs pointing the directions to different landmarks, trailheads, huts, and viewpoints.

You’ll definitely want to stay on marked trails. While it can be tempting to wander off for a better view or to explore over the crest of a hill, it’s also very easy to lose a trail, and then you’re lost in an enormous expanse of mountains. To that end, bring a GPS device with you so you can find your way if you get turned around or lost.

Seasonally, you will probably want spring or summer. Early spring can be rough, and some trails will be closed. Summer is the easiest, but also the most dense with tourists, especially on the easiest segments of trails. Fall is nice, but early snowstorms can cause problems if you aren’t prepared. Winter, of course, is a whole different kind of experience.

Hiking Route 1: Alta Via 1

The first, and arguably one of the most famous, hiking routes in the Dolomites is Alta Via 1. It’s known as a classic route, and it’s one of a certain style of hiking route called a hut-to-hut route.

Hut-to-hut routes are long, multi-day hiking trails. But, unlike backcountry hiking in some of the US national parks we’ve talked about before, you aren’t carrying in your own shelter and looking for a clear spot to pitch a tent. In fact, you can’t do that; camping anywhere along the route is prohibited.

Instead, you follow a route that is designated along the trail, with a certain amount of ground to cover each day. You hike in and stop at a hut for the first night. Day two, you hike from your hut to the next hut on the route, and so on, until you’re done.

Now, the “huts” you’re thinking of are probably not like the huts you find in the Dolomites. Most of the trail huts are essentially like small hotels or dormitories. Some are shared sleeping rooms, while others are more private rooms. You’ll bring your own bedding, but the beds themselves are already there. They also offer food, though it might be rudimentary in some huts. Some of the more remote huts are more like rustic cabins, while some of the most commonly visited huts are basically hotels or hostels.

Alta Via 1 is an extremely popular and extremely famous hiking route in the Dolomites. It’s 140 kilometers long, with 7,200 meters of elevation change along it, and is meant to take about 10 days to complete. It’s also one of the easiest advanced hiking trails in the Dolomites, so that should give you an idea of what you’re in for when you want to hike these famous mountains.

Hiking Route 2: Civetta Hike

Civetta is one particular peak in the Dolomites, and it’s often regarded as one of the more beautiful hikes you can go on, with trails beneath sheer cliffs, along alpine meadows, and winding through valleys.

It’s a very rugged and challenging hike, with a wide variety of terrain and different kinds of challenges to face along the way. It’s also one of the routes that has climbing routes if you want to get to the actual peak of the mountain, which is otherwise inaccessible, but you don’t need to take any of those to enjoy the hiking route.

The different hiking trails in this area are all generally 1-2-day routes, something in the 15–20-kilometer range for different trails, and of course, you can take more than one while you’re at it. The more time you’re willing to spend, the more gorgeous scenery you’ll have the opportunity to see along the way.

Hiking Route 3: Alta Via 2

Alta Via 2 is also one of the more famous routes, but it’s also one of the more challenging routes, and is definitely one of the longest. On average, it takes about two weeks to complete, though some people do it in as little as 10 days. The route in totality is almost 200 kilometers long.

The start of this route is near Bressanone in the north, and takes you across a variety of different segments of trail, through and around a bunch of different peaks and valleys, and of course in and out of a bunch of different huts along the way. By the end, you end up in Croce d’Aune and can make your way back to civilization from there. It’s not a loop trail, though there are a few places along the way where you can access towns and bail out if you want to do it in parts.

While the AV2 does not require specific climbing segments, there’s enough elevation gain and change along the way that it can feel like it sometimes, and there are optional side trails with climbing if you have extra time and energy.

Hiking Route 4: Rosengarten

The Rosengarten (or rose garden) group is a collection of mountains and surrounding areas with a lot to offer. Some of the most stunning and picturesque landscapes in the Dolomites can be found in this range.

It’s also one of the trickiest to hike, because so many of the routes involve via ferrata segments that can leave you feeling more like you signed up to free climb a mountain than hike a trail.

That said, there are a lot of trails and loops that are perfect for hikers, and even some intermediate hikers can make their way through without too much difficulty. It’s definitely well worth exploring, for sure.

Hiking Route 5: Marmolada

Marmolada is a tough sell because it’s the highest peak in the Dolomites. It’s generally aimed at climbers, but advanced hikers (and those who don’t mind a little climbing) can tackle some segments of the trails. Definitely skip this one if you’re not confident in your skills, however, as it’s high up, challenging, and the altitude alone can be a difficulty modifier many people aren’t prepared for.

Viel di Pan is a panoramic hiking route around the mountain and, if you’re up for it, is a must-do hike for sure.

Things to Know about Hiking the Dolomites

Let’s round things out by covering some of the must-know facts and tidbits that you’ll need to keep in mind for a Dolomites hiking trip.

First of all, you’re probably going to want to avoid the winter months. Late September all the way through late June, the mountains are going to be pretty covered in snow, and it can be very, very challenging to hike. We don’t just mean “gear up for winter, bring the snowshoes, and have a good time” here; we mean “you can very easily go off-trail and they’ll never find your body” kinds of challenges.

Unless you’re extremely comfortable with snowy mountain travel and you’re well-geared and well-prepared for the worst possibilities, just don’t risk it.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that, if you’re doing a hut-to-hut route, you’ll need to make a reservation well in advance. These huts book up quickly, and the last thing you want is to spend a day hiking with the expectation that you have somewhere to take shelter, only to find it’s booked up. If you’re hiking solo, you may be able to walk up and get a spot, but if it’s a busy day, you might be relegated to finding a corner of the dining room to curl up and catch a few winks.

You might also want to consider joining an alpine club, possibly the Italian Alpine Club itself. The Italian Alpine Club operates over 650 facilities throughout the Dolomites, so if you sign up for the club, you can get a discount on your fare for your stays. You also get emergency medical coverage that works anywhere in the world, so it can be a pretty solid benefit.

Another thing worth mentioning is that, despite what we said up top, you can bring in a tent and do a little camping. It’s just not backcountry camping. The truth is, a lot of the huts have designated areas where campers can set up their gear; you don’t have to worry about booking a bed in the hut itself, and can camp legally, usually with a small fee to partake in the hut’s facilities and food.

Reportedly, some people do wild camping; set up after sunset, pack up and be out before sunrise, and as long as you leave no trace and don’t bother anyone, block a trail, or damage the area, you’ll be fine. This is, apparently, “tolerated but not technically legal,” so there’s always the chance you can suffer the penalties if you try it. We don’t recommend it, but you’re free to make your own decisions.

Do you need a tour guide or group to hike the Dolomites? Not at all! Many people hike solo or as a duo, and while there are tours and groups, they aren’t required.

Will a hiking trip in the Dolomites live up to the hype? Absolutely. We’ve been to a lot of different places around the world, but very little compares to the sheer rugged beauty of these incredible mountains. Even looking at pictures doesn’t prepare you for the incredible scenery, and it really is something everyone should try to experience at least once in their lives.