Alta Badia

Hike to the Puez - Odle UNESCO Nature Park

Vanskeligt

The Puez-Odle Nature Park, which has been part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, boasts a fascinating geology. All the rock strata typical of the Dolomites can be found there. The hike, which starts in Colfosco at the southern edge of the Puez-Odle Nature Park, takes you via the Stella Alpina valley and the Puez Plateau right into the heart of the Nature Park. It offers both views of, and insight into, the landscape and history of the Dolomites.

*By car

• Coming from Innsbruck: take the A 13 and the A 22 toll motorway and exit at Bressanone/Brixen, following the signs to Brunico/Bruneck along the Val Pusteria/Pustertal road as far as San Lorenzo/St.Lorenzen. Follow the signs to Val Badia/Gadertal 
• Coming from Verona-Bolzano: take the A 22, exit at Bressanone/Brixen and continue as above

*By train

The nearest train stations are:

• Brunico - 37 Km
• Bolzano (via Passo Gardena) - 72 Km (via Brunico) – 100 Km
• Connection train station – Alta Badia by the local bus SAD: www.sad.it

*By air

• Innsbruck - 130 km
• Munich – 330 km
• Venice Treviso / Venice Marco Polo – 180 / 200 km
• Verona – 213 km
• Milan Bergamo / Milan Malpensa - 310 /400 km
• Information airport transfer: www.suedtirolbus.it - www.cortinaexpress.it

From the parish church in Colfosco, walk westwards on trail no. 4 through the Stella Alpina valley. The trail takes you past an old wayside shrine and westwards up to the highest corrie with the Ciampëi lake (2,173 m), which is often dried up. Passing to the left of the lake, you climb uphill, with a very steep final section, up to the Forcela Ciampëi passage. Here you keep to the right, following trail no. 2 (part of the Dolomites Alpine Ridgeway no. 2, which goes from Bressanone in South Tyrol to Feltre in Veneto) and climbing up a rocky gully to the Puez Plateau. Continuing on trail no. 2, you cross the plateau, going north-west and gradually uphill, to the Puez hut (2,475 m).
The descent to Colfosco follows the same route, which takes about 1 hour 50 minutes.