One of the most fascinating hikes in the Dolomites starts from the passo Tre Croci between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Misurina
Image gallery: Hike to Lake Sorapiss
Today's hike leads us over the border of the province of Bolzano. Lago del Sorapiss, a truly impressive turquoise lake embedded among the majestic Dolomite peaks, is absolutely worth this side trip. On a wonderful October day we undertake this trip to admire the colourful autumn landscape in quietness, avoiding the crowds of hikers who visit this area on summer weekends.
We park our car at passo Tre Croci and take path no. 215 which enters the forests of the Orti di Marcoira and proceeds between the mountain pines on a rather easy slope. About halfway of our trip, the itinerary enters the Rio Sorapiss scree towards south and it becomes definitely more difficult. The next section is secured with metal steps and some exposed spots are equipped with a metal handrail. Although not very difficult, these sections need to be tackled with particular caution, especially if the path is overcrowded.
After these sections, the path ascends towards the amphitheatre of the Sorapiss without significant elevation gain. Here, the lago di Sorapiss sparkles in its impressive turquoise colours. The short itinerary around the lake delights us with a fascinating view of the lake. The rifugio Vandelli hut, a mountain inn, is usually open from the end of June to 20 September. As it is closed at the moment of our hike, we stop for a picnic in one of the most marvellous areas of the Dolomites, before retracing our steps to return to passo Tre Croci, our starting point.
Date of the hike: 14 October 2018
Last updated in: 2026
Author: Giacomo Roccabruna
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- Starting point:
- Passo Tre Croci (Belluno Province) between Cortina d'Ampezzo and Misurina
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- Overall time:
- 05:00 h
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- Total route length:
- 12,9 km
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- Altitude:
- from 1.726 m to 1.942 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +556 m | -556 m
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- Signposts:
- no. 215 (Alta Via delle Dolomiti n. 3)
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- Destination:
- Lake Sorapiss
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- Resting points:
- Vandelli alpine hut
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Hike to Lake Sorapiss
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend you to check the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before setting out.
