The Tour of Tre Cime di Lavaredo: A Different Approach

Overview

• Starting point: Lago d’Antorno (1,880m)
• Arrival: Tre Cime di Lavaredo loop via Rifugio Locatelli (highest point: 2,454m)
• Altitude gain: ~800m (including ascent to Rifugio Auronzo, 350m normal tour)
• Duration: ~5 hours total (1h20 ascent, 2h30 loop, 1h descent)
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Technical difficulty: Mostly easy, with some adventurous sections on alternative paths

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Beating the Traffic—On Foot

It was August, and we started early, but reaching the Tre Cime still took almost two hours from my parents' chalet. By the time we arrived—around 9:30 AM—it was already too late. The legendary traffic leading up to the Tre Cime had us stuck in a long line of cars starting from Lago di Misurina. After half an hour of barely moving, we decided to do what most people weren’t doing: leave the car behind and hike up.

We parked at Lago d’Antorno (1,880m) and set off on foot towards Rifugio Auronzo, where the main parking area is. It quickly became clear that we were moving much faster than the cars. The ascent turned out to be a pleasant hike through forests and alpine meadows, perfect for a warm summer morning. In about 1 hour and 20 minutes, we reached Rifugio Auronzo (2,300m), likely faster—and definitely more enjoyably—than if we had stayed in traffic.

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The Classic Giro delle Tre Cime—With a Twist

From Rifugio Auronzo, the classic Tre Cime loop begins. We chose to hike it clockwise, starting to the right of the hut. The initial section follows a wide gravel path, passing a picturesque chapel before reaching Rifugio Lavaredo. Even here, the views are already impressive, with the Tre Cime towering overhead—but the most breathtaking spots lie ahead.

Just before Rifugio Lavaredo, we opted for a shortcut, scrambling up a rocky slope to reach Forcella Lavaredo (2,454m), the highest point of the hike. The main trail continues as a wide gravel road, but our route wasn’t difficult and added a little adventure.

At Forcella Lavaredo, we stopped for a quick sandwich break before again deviating from the standard path. Instead of taking the main trail that descends slightly, we followed a smaller, more technical trail that remained nearly level all the way to Rifugio Locatelli. This alternative route was a bit trickier—hugging a rock wall with some slippery sections and minor scrambling—but manageable. Below us, the main trail wound its way 100 meters down. We navigated carefully and soon arrived at Rifugio Locatelli, where we took a well-earned break (and a beer).

The rifugio was packed—probably with the same people we had left behind in the traffic earlier that morning—so we didn’t linger too long. Instead, we focused on taking photos. Rifugio Locatelli offers one of the most iconic views of the Tre Cime, and Lucia, with perfect timing, captured a photo of me mid-jump against the peaks.

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Descending Through Alpine Lakes

From Rifugio Locatelli, the trail descends into a vast alpine landscape, taking a much wider loop compared to the ascent. We lost 200 meters in elevation, passing through pastures and reaching Rifugio Forcellina, where three beautiful, unnamed alpine lakes reflected the Tre Cime perfectly.

At this point, the trail began climbing again, gaining 100 meters back up to Col di Mezzo on the opposite side of the Tre Cime with respect of Forcella Lavaredo. From the Col, it was just a 15-minute walk back to Rifugio Auronzo. The entire Tre Cime circuit took us about 2 hours and 30 minutes, plus the initial 1 hour and 20 minutes of hiking up from the bottom.

💡 Tip : For those looking to avoid traffic, there’s an alternative: a bus runs up and down from Rifugio Auronzo using its own lane with police excorting it. But since we had committed to doing the hike entirely on foot, we saw it through to the end.

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The Final Descent—Off the Beaten Path

Instead of following the official trail back to Rifugio Auronzo, we made one last unconventional choice. At Col di Mezzo, rather than completing the loop, we took a direct descent path that cuts straight down through pastures and then alpine pines. The path crosses the road used by cars multiple times before reaching the bottom.

By around 3:00 PM, we were back at our car—having completed the most famous hike in the Dolomites mostly off the typical tourist path.

Would I recommend doing it this way? Absolutely. It turned a well-known hike into a real adventure, avoiding both traffic jams and the biggest crowds while still enjoying every highlight of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.