MTB tour Mt Cima Lasta - Rodengo Alp

We start this challenging MTB tour in Vandoies at 755 m a.s.l. in the Val Pusteria and cycle along the Val Pusteria cycle path to Mantana. If you want to shorten the section to Moantana you can take the forest path on the right before Chienes and cross Casteldarne. In Mantana we turn right and follow the signposts "Elle". The path now steeply ascends and arrives at the forest by passing some farms. We continue along the asphalt road and ascend the numerous hairpin bends. The view of the Val Pusteria below us is simply amazing. We arrive at the church of Elle where we stop for a short break and then arrive at a car park where the asphalt road ends. From here on the route proceeds on unpaved itineraries. The car park is an ideal starting point for hikes to the Cima Lasta.

We remain on the forest road and ignore the paths leading to the Alpe di Rodengo. If you want to shorten this tour you can do so by following the signposts "Rastnerhütte". We continue along the forest path ascending to the forest limit where we enjoy a fantastic view of the Sass de Putia, the Odle group and the mountains of the Val Pusteria. Soon we see the summit cross but be ware that your destination is the cross in the background and not the Ellener Kreuz in the foreground. The well-maintained path ends at some mountain huts.

To reach the summit we need to push and carry our bike across a steeply ascending meadow. After 10 minutes of effort we arrive at the Cima Lasta (Burgstall) at 2,194 m a.s.l. Despite of the rather low altitude, the panoramic view of the surroundings is truly stunning. Now we take path no. 67 towards the valley. Initially, the path is quite irregular and difficult to tackle and we need to push or carry our bikes. Soon we arrive at a well-maintained forest road leading to the Alpe di Rodengo, a well-known hiking destination, where we stop for lunch. After lunch we cross the Alpe di Rodengo and reach a car park where the asphalt road towards Rodengo starts. In Rodengo (885 m) we tackle a downhill section followed by a short climb and eventually arrive in Rio di Pusteria where we take the cycle path back to our starting point.

Please note: this tour is recommended only for well-trained bikers. We started this tour from Vandoies, but feel free to start from any point along the cycle path between Rio di Pusteria and Casteldarne or Brunico. Cima Lasta guarantees stunning panoramic views and is a well-known destination for MTB tours as you can choose between different routes for the climb and the descent. We recommend caution while crossing the Alpe di Rodengo as this place is frequented by many hikers with children especially at the weekends.

Date of the MTB tour: 23 July 2009
Last updated in: 2026

Author: BS