Vedrette di Ries MTB round tour

We start this wonderful MTB tour in Campo Tures. On a sunny day we drive to Campo Tures at 864 m a.s.l. where also other mountain bikers are preparing themselves and their bikes for this tour. Initially, we follow the 12-km long asphalt road to Riva di Tures which also includes some sections with a gradient of 17 %. Three kilometres before the village, the road flattens and delights us with marvellous panoramic views. After two hairpin bends we arrive at the village where we cycle past the church and take the asphalt road. Soon, the road turns into a forest path taking us up to 1,670 m a.s.l. We pass the hiking car park and enter the stunning Valle dei Dossi.

After two challenging ascents we reach malga dei Dossi at 1,911 m a.s.l. where we stop for a delicious lunch, just like many other visitors. We then continue riding along the forest path towards Passo di Gola. We leave the lago di Gola behind us and eventually arrive at the eponymous mountain pass at 2,288 m a.s.l. This saddle lies at the border between the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina and the High Tauern National Park. From here starts the first and long descent towards the Defereggental in East Tyrol. We cycle past stunning malghe and unequalled natural landscapes until we reach malga Jagdhausalm, also known as small Tibet at the entrance of the valley Arvental. The Jagdhausalm, one of the most ancient malghe in Austria, is composed of 15 stone huts.

After our lunch break we need to tackle a stretch that forces us to push our bikes before continuing along a forest path towards St. Jakob in Defreggen. The hilly road eventually meets up with the 7-km long main road ascending to passo Stalle, which covers about 550 metres of elevation gain. Right before the border lies lake Obersee. The road connecting the passo Stalle at 2,059 m a.s.l. and the valle di Anterselva is equipped with a traffic light for traffic regulation. We proceed along the Valle di Anterselva cycle path which passes Lake Anterselva at 1,642 m a.s.l. In Brunico we enter the valle di Tures to return to our starting point.

Please note: this spectacular, technically easy MTB tour requires good physical fitness. The roads and paths are well-maintained and can be completed also counter-clockwise.

Date of the hike: 17 August 2011
Last updated in: 2026

Author: BS