Sassolungo Dolomites Hiking Guide: Routes & Tips

We planned our trip to Sassolungo for September, expecting crisp air, clear trails, and classic Dolomites hiking conditions. Instead, we woke up on the morning of our hike to a lovely but very unexpected surprise — fresh snow. Luckily, we came prepared. Proper hiking shoes, warm layers, and crampons made all the difference and helped us keep steady footing from the very start.

We set off with fairly low expectations, mostly curious how the conditions would affect the trail. But honestly, this hike completely surprised us. It turned into our personal favorite hike in the Dolomites. The route loops all the way around Sassolungo massif, which means the views constantly change — rocky walls, wide alpine valleys, and dramatic peaks appearing from new angles the entire time.

What we loved most was how balanced the hike felt. Challenging enough to stay exciting, but never overwhelming, and dotted with mountain huts along the way. Being able to stop for warm food or a hot drink — especially with snow under our boots — made the experience even more memorable.

In this guide, we’re sharing everything you need to know about hiking Sassolungo, including the best trail options, what to expect on the route, and practical tips to help you plan it confidently — even if the weather has a few surprises planned.

At a glance

Sassolungo offers a scenic circular hike with ever-changing views, dramatic rock walls, and open alpine valleys that never feel repetitive. The loop is well marked and dotted with mountain huts, making it easy to stop for food, drinks, or a warm break.

Even if you don’t want to hike the full circuit, you can still enjoy the area — ride the famous “coffin” cable car up to Forcella del Sassolungo or follow shorter trails leading to nearby huts.

It’s a hike that works just as well for a full-day adventure as for a more relaxed alpine experience.

Where is Sassolungo

Sassolungo is a dramatic mountain group in the Dolomites, located in northern Italy’s South Tyrol.

It rises between Val Gardena and Passo Sella, making it easy to access from popular bases like Selva di Val Gardenaand Canazei.

Most hikers start the loop from Passo Sella, where parking, trailheads, and cable cars are all within a short walk.

📍Save the location to your Google Maps.

How to get there

By car (most practical)

We had our own car on this trip, which made exploring easy. The road up to Passo Sella is scenic but winding and narrow. When visiting outside the summer, be ready for snow on the roads.

If you don’t have a car and need to rent one, we recommend DiscoverCars. We always use it to compare rental options from multiple companies. It shows prices with fees included so you won’t be surprised at pickup, and you can cancel for free if your plans change.

We’ve only had good experience when booking through them. We always add full coverage insurance, since their prices are often much lower than what the rental companies offer at the counter.

From Selva di Val Gardena it’s about 25 minutes and from Canazei it’s about 20 minutes by car.

By public bus

Buses run in summer and early autumn from both Canazei and Selva di Val Gardena to Passo Sella. The main public connection is bus 471, which links the key stops on both sides of the pass.

For current timetables and routes, we recommend checking Südtirol Mobil — it’s the most reliable source and gets updated each season.

In winter, there may be ski buses operating around Passo Sella, but routes and access work differently depending on snow conditions and ski areas. If you’re visiting outside summer, it’s best to double-check locally or plan on driving.

Parking and parking fees

At Passo Sella, there’s a large roadside car park with ramps that’s easy to spot when driving over the pass. Parking is charged per hour, and for a full day you should expect to pay around €25+, depending on how long you stay.

We also found a smaller car park a bit further along the road with a fixed daily rate of €20, which is a better deal for a full-day hike. We’ll add the exact Google Maps location to make it easy to find.

In summer and early autumn, parking areas fill up very quickly, so arriving early in the morning makes a big difference — especially on clear weather days.

What to expect at Sassolungo

Sassolungo is rising to 3,181 m, and what makes it special is that you can circle the entire massif on a well-known loop. In winter, this whole area turns into part of a ski resort network; in summer, it transforms into one of the most scenic hiking areas in the Dolomites.

You’ll find plenty of hiking trails, from shorter walks to the full loop, all clearly marked. One of the big highlights is the number of mountain huts (rifugios) scattered along the routes, where you can stop for proper food, drinks, or just a break with a view.

The area is also home to the famous “coffin” cable car — a small, standing-only lift that’s gone viral on Instagram and takes you up toward Forcella del Sassolungo. Even if you’re not hiking the full loop, riding the cable car or walking to a nearby rifugio still gives you a great taste of the landscape.

Riding the coffin cable car

One of the most talked-about experiences is riding the famous “coffin” cable car — officially known as the Sassolungo Cable Car. If you’ve seen it on Instagram, you already know why it stands out.

This is a standing-only cable car that takes just a handful of people at a time, lifting you steeply up toward Forcella del Sassolungo. The cabin is narrow, enclosed, and feels surprisingly vertical — which is exactly why it earned its nickname. It’s a short ride, but definitely memorable, especially if you’re not a fan of tight spaces.

From the top, you’re rewarded with dramatic views and access to high-alpine trails and rifugios.

If you’re not planning to hike the full round, this is an easy way to experience the landscape from above and skip a huge part of the circuit. The cable car takes you up to Forcella del Sassolungo, where you can hike down to the main loop trail and continue from that point, effectively completing only the second half of the circuit.

That said, the descent from the forcella is steep and exposed in places, with typical high-alpine terrain. It’s not recommended for inexperienced hikers or without proper hiking shoes, especially in wet or snowy conditions.

Short hike to Emilio Comici hut

If you want great views without committing to the full loop, we recommend hiking from Passo Sella to Rifugio Emilio Comici only.

This is one of the prettiest sections of the area, with views on both sides of the pass and a stretch through a fairy-tale forest that honestly reminded us of The Hobbit. The elevation gain is minimal, so it feels physically easy and very enjoyable.

After the forest, the trail opens into alpine meadows before ending at the rifugio.

At Rifugio Emilio Comici, you can stop for food or drinks — or treat yourself to the famous Italian bomboloni, which alone make the walk worth it. You can return the same way or follow the bike trail back for a slightly different route.

The Sassolungo round hike

Hiking Map

Trail Description

Passo Sella – Rifugio Federico Augusto

⏱️ Duration: 40 minutes | 🥾Distance: 1.7 km

We started the hike directly from the parking area at Passo Sella, joining trail 557, also known as the Friedrich August Weg. The path climbs gently uphill toward Rifugio Valentini, making this first stretch a great warm-up rather than a tough start.

From Rifugio Valentini, the trail bends slightly to the right, with the massive rock walls of Sassolungo rising on your right-hand side. We loved that even early on, the views open up quickly, with wide panoramas back over Passo Sella.

The terrain here is easy and very enjoyable. It passes Rifugio Salei and eventually reaches Rifugio Friedrich August at around 2,300 m. One unexpected highlight here is the presence of yaks grazing.

Rifugio Federico Augusto – Rifugio Sasso Piatto

⏱️ Duration: 1.5 hour | 🥾Distance: 4.4 km

From Rifugio Friedrich August, the trail continues slightly downhill, crossing a small creek early on. During our visit there was snow on the ground, which made this section noticeably slippery — we saw a few unprepared hikers turn around here.

In summer, especially after rain, this part can also get muddy and slick, so proper footwear really matters.

We kept going along the side of the Sassolungo, following a beautifully picturesque traverse. Forests and alpine meadows drop down below, while mountains surround you on all sides. The terrain is mostly flat with only short uphill sections.

Along the way, we passed Rifugio Sandro Pertini, a small, traditional mountain hut that was already closed for the season during our hike.

Not long after, we reached Rifugio Sasso Piatto just in time for lunch — and honestly, this stop completely blew us away. The menu was huge, the portions generous, and the food incredibly good. We can’t recommend stopping here enough.

Rifugio Sasso Piatto – Rifugio Emilio Comici

⏱️ Duration: 2.5 hours | 🥾Distance: 7.4 km

rom Rifugio Sasso Piatto, the hike somehow gets even more scenic. The trail gently rises and falls without any major elevation gain, and the views keep opening up in every direction. Signposting at crossroads is clear, so route-finding stays easy.

We crossed wide alpine pastures, passing a few gates and turnstiles along the way, and soon Alpe di Siusi appeared in the distance. After that, the path descends slightly into a forest section before climbing again into rockier terrain.

At one junction, you’ll see the path used by hikers coming down from the coffin cable car. From here, it’s also possible to hike up to Forcella del Sassolungo (about 2 hours.

There’s an optional detour to Rifugio Vicenza — this adds roughly 20 minutes of uphill hiking. We decided to skip it and continue the loop.

The final stretch wraps around the last side of the massif, dipping into forest again before emerging into a rocky landscape of boulders and stones leading toward Rifugio Emilio Comici. There are several paths heading toward the hut, and we somehow ended up on a higher, unmarked line, where we even stumbled upon a small snow cave.

One last short ascent brought us to Rifugio Emilio Comici. By then it was already late, the hut was closed, and the area felt almost completely empty.

Rifugio Emilio Comici – Passo Sella

⏱️ Duration: 45 minutes | 🥾Distance: 2.6 km

By this point, we were both tired and a bit cold, already thinking about getting back to the car and enjoying the hotel’s wellness area.

From Rifugio Emilio Comici, the trail heads back toward Passo Sella, with beautiful views opening up over the pass almost immediately.

This section runs through part of the ski area, and you’ll notice a ski lift ending at the hut. Shortly after, the trail splits into two options — one for hikers and one for bikes and strollers. The hiking path is slightly shorter, so that’s the one we followed.

We were genuinely surprised by how beautiful this final stretch turned out to be. The path leads through the so-called City of Stones, a magical pine forest filled with huge scattered boulders, creating a scene that felt straight out of The Hobbit.

Not long after, we arrived back at Passo Sella, completing the full loop — tired, happy, and already calling it one of our favorite hikes in the Dolomites.

Facilities on the trail

One of the best things about hiking Sassolungo is the number of mountain huts (rifugios) along the route. Many are open seasonally (typically late June to late September), and they make the hike far more comfortable — whether you’re stopping just for a drink or planning a longer break.

Some huts are very simple, while others feel almost like small mountain hotels, offering hot meals, desserts, terraces with views, and even accommodation. Thanks to this, you rarely need to carry much food or water if you time your stops well.

Mountain huts:

• Rifugio Friedrich August – A classic stop on the loop with a lively atmosphere, generous food, and great terrace views
• Rifugio Sandro Pertini – Smaller and more traditional, a good place for a quieter break
• Rifugio Sasso Piatto – Well known for hearty meals and wide open views, popular with loop hikers, offers accomodation
• Rifugio Langkofel (optional detour) – Reached via a steeper side trail, this hut sits right under the rock walls and feels more raw and alpine.
• Rifugio Emilio Comici – Easy to reach from Passo Sella and perfect for food, drinks, or a bomboloni break

Trail difficulty

We would describe hiking around Sassolungo as moderate. The full loop is a long day hike with mixed terrain — forest paths, alpine meadows, rocky sections, and some steeper, high-alpine parts.

While it doesn’t require technical climbing, it’s not a casual walk either. What made the trail the most difficult for us was the distance. We felt rather tired on the last sections before reachign the parking lot.

Good hiking shoes are essential, and experience on uneven terrain makes a big difference, especially after rain or early snow.

When to hike

The best time to hike is from late June to late September, when most trails are snow-free, rifugios are open, and access roads like Passo Sella are fully accessible.

• July–August: Peak season with stable weather and open huts, but also the busiest months. Start early to avoid crowds and parking issues.
• September (our favorite): Fewer people, crisp air, and beautiful light. Just keep in mind that early snow is possible, especially overnight, so check conditions and pack accordingly.
• June & early October: Possible, but conditions vary year to year. Some sections may still have snow, and not all rifugios are guaranteed to be open.

Weather in the Dolomites can change fast, so even in summer we recommend starting early, checking the forecast the day before, and bringing layers. If you’re visiting outside peak summer, flexible plans make a big difference.

Other spots to visit nearby

• Passo Gardena – A scenic mountain pass with dramatic views and easy short walks straight from the road.
• Seceda – Famous for its sharp ridgeline and sweeping views; easily reached by cable car from Ortisei.
• Alpe di Siusi – Wide open meadows, gentle trails, and one of the most relaxed hiking areas in the Dolomites.
• Val Lunga – A quieter, more peaceful valley ideal for easy walks and longer hikes, especially nice if you want a break from busy passes and viewpoints.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Sassolungo ended up being one of those hikes we didn’t expect to love as much as we did. The changing scenery, the feeling of circling an entire mountain massif, and the sheer variety — forests, alpine meadows, rocky high-alpine sections — make it feel rewarding from start to finish.

What really sets it apart is the flexibility. You can commit to the full loop, or simply walk to a rifugio and still feel like you’ve experienced something special. Add in the number of well-placed mountain huts, and it’s a hike that feels both adventurous and approachable.

If you’re looking for one Dolomites hike that delivers big views, variety, and a genuinely memorable experience, Sassolungo is an easy recommendation — and one we’d happily do again.