Mountain huts & hiking highlights in Valle di Casies

Messner Hut & Kradorfer (1660 m)

Starting from the hotel, walk into the valley to Rotmooshof. After about 1 hour you reach the Messnerhütte hut and 5 minutes later the Kradorferalm.

Total walking time: about 2.5 hours.

Elevation gain. Approx. 350 m

Difficulty: easy hike

Signposts: no. 49

Ascht Alm (1950 m)

From the hotel continue in the direction of Ampfertaler Höfe. After about 1 hour you reach the Ascht Alm, with views of Hochstein, Gailspitze, Riepenspitze and Hochkreuz.

Total walking time: about 2.15 hours.

Elevation gain. Approx. 350 m

Difficulty: easy hike

Signposts: no. 10

Uwald Hut (2042 m)

Starting from the hotel, cross the stream on the right and then follow trail No. 12 into the Pfoital valley.  In the small Pfoi valley you come to a junction. At the Uwald Hut you take trail 12A, which continues up the mountainside to the tree line. There, at about 2,000 meters above sea level, the view opens up over the entire valley, the Villgratner mountains and as far as the Pragser and Sextner Dolomites.

Total walking time: 2.5 hours

Altitude meters. Approx. 700 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike

Signposts: no. 12

Stumpfalm and Kaser hut (2001 m and 2076 m).

Starting from the hotel, cross the creek on the right and follow trail No. 47. The hike initially follows a narrow paved road, which soon turns into an unpaved forest path. The trail is moderately steep, with wide switchbacks through the forest, until, after about 1.5 hours, the beautiful Stumpfalm becomes visible

Total walking time: about 3.5 hours.

Elevation gain. Approx. 700 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike

Signposts: no. 47

Oberberg Alm (1975 m)

From the hotel you descend directly into the valley to the Rotmooshof. Here follow the path through the forest to Pidigalmen and Kradorfer Alm and, after about 30 minutes, to Oberbergalm.

Total walking time: about 2 hours

Elevation gain. Approx. 515 m

Difficulty: easy hike

Signposts: no. 49

Randl Hut (1862 m)

From the center of the village of St. Martin follow a wide, fairly steep forest path eastward past the Kahn & Kircherwirt inn, leading through winding forest to the picturesque Ausserhütten huts. From these lower huts on the Versell Alm you reach the Randlhütte hut on a flatter path through the forest down to the valley.

Total hiking time: about 1.5 hours.

Elevation meters. Approx. 586 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike

Signage: no. 44

Starting point: village center

Rifugio Tolder (1940 m)

Dal centro del paese di San Martino si segue un sentiero forestale largo e abbastanza ripido verso est, passando per il Kahn & Kircherwirt, che conduce attraverso il bosco a tornanti fino alle pittoresche Ausserhütten. Da queste baite più basse della Versell Alm si raggiunge il rifugio Tolderhütte su un sentiero più pianeggiante che attraversa il bosco fino a valle, passando per il rifugio Randlhütte.

Tempo totale di percorrenza: circa 2 ore

Dislivello. Circa 664 m

Difficoltà: escursione moderatamente difficile

Segnaletica: n. 44

Punto di partenza: centro del paese

Houfa Hitte (1883 m)

From the barrier at the hamlet of Schintlholz in Pichl, Houfa Hitte can be reached in about 1-1.5 hours along an easy forest trail marked No. 51. The hike is suitable for families, small children and strollers.

Total hiking time: about 1.5 hours

Elevation gain. Approx. 394 m

Difficulty: easy hike

Signage: no. 51

Starting point: Schintlholz/ Pichl

Taisten hut (2012 m)

The starting point of the hike is above Taisten, at the parking lot after the Mudlerhof farm.  A wide forest path marked No. 38 A leads through dense forest on the right side. With little ascent and excellent signposting, you always have a splendid view of the Dolomites. After about an hour of pleasant hiking, you can already see the Taistern Vorderalm.

Total hiking time: about 1 hour

Altitude meters. Approx. 428 m

Difficulty: easy hike

Signage: no. 38 A

Starting point: Mudlerhof/ Taisten

Bonnerhut (2340 m)

From the parking lot you first walk on a paved road past a farm to the forest, where the paved road becomes a wide gravel path. Walk quietly through the woods to the stream, which you must cross. Than keep to the right and immediately afterwards on the left starts mountain path No. 25, which climbs in narrow hairpin bends. Initially it goes through the forest again. The last section of the trail, however, can be walked on a sunny meadow until you reach the Bonnerhütte hut.

Total walking time: about 2 hours

Elevation gain. Approx. 780 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike

Signalization: no. 38 A

Starting point: Kandellen/Dobbiaco

Trail 2000

From the hotel, follow the road to the Tscharniet alpine hut (sign 48). It is reached in about 1 1/2 hours. From here follow the red markings of the high route. First in a northerly direction to the shoulder of the ridge and from there to the Kipfel alpine hut. Continue along the alpine trail to the Stumpf hut (refreshment point) and then to the Kaser hut (refreshment point). A marked trail leads into the beautiful Pfoital and then climbs slightly out of the valley to the Uwald Alp (refreshment point). From the Uwald Alp, a beautiful but steep trail marked No. 12 leads through the forest to the starting point.

Total walking time: about 5 hours

Elevation gain. Approx. 1000 m

Difficulty: easy but long hike

Trail length: 20 km

High Mountain

From the hotel, walk along Talblickweg to the Huberhöfe farms and then to the Ampfertal farms. After a few switchbacks, at the highest farm, trail marker 10 branches off to the left. Immediately after crossing the stream, trail marker 10B branches off to the right; however, if you continue straight on trail marker 10, you will soon come across the Aschtalm (refreshment stop). Continue now on trail No. 10, following the old alpine path along the creek on the right-always with marker no. 10 - to the Pfinnscharte (2395 m). From here follow the moderately steep, unmarked southern ridge to the summit cross of the Hoher Mann.

Total walking time: about 5 hours

Elevation gain. Approx. 1060 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike

Trail length: 15.9 km

Hochkreuz

From the hotel, follow trail no. 12 in the direction of Uwaldalm. Behind the Uwaldalm, trail No. 12A climbs through gentle pasture slopes toward Hochkreuz. It then turns into Trail No. 12, which winds up the grassy, now more stony slopes, past the cozy Pfoiseen lakes and the Pfoischarte behind, to the summit cross of the Hochkreuzspitze, from which there is a splendid view. At 2,739 meters above sea level, there are breathtaking views of the Villgratner mountains, the Rieserferner group and the pale Dolomites with the famous Three Peaks.

Total walking time: about 7 hours

Altitude meters. Approx. 1275 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult and steep hike

Trail length: 16.1 km

Riepenspitze

Starting from the hotel, follow trail No. 48 in the direction of the Stumpfalm (refreshment point).  Behind the Stumpfalm, trail 47 climbs up grassy slopes and heaths initially planted with trees, crossing the famous Almweg 2000 at the very beginning. The final ascent is up the rocky flank of the Riepenspitze peak, across which the border between South Tyrol and Austria passes. Once you open up the splendid view during the ascent, you will feel as if you are standing on a real viewing platform next to the beautifully shaped summit cross at 2,774 meters above sea level: the view ranges from the Rieserferner group, to the Villgratner mountains with the nearby Hochkreuzspitze, to the pale Dolomites with the famous Three Peaks.

Total walking time: about 7 hours

Elevation meters. Approx. 1275 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult and steep hike

Trail length: 13.6 km

Black Lake

Starting from the hotel, cross the Talbach stream on the right and then follow trail No. 12 through the Pfoi valley to the Pfoi alpine hut (2134 m) and through the Almtal valley to a junction A clearly visible boulder indicates trail markings. Trail No. 13 leads to Hinterschartl and then slightly downhill to the Schwarzsee (2455 m). Here you can admire one of the most idyllic mountain lakes in the Puster Valley. On the way back, you can turn right after the Pfoialm to the Uwaldalm.

Total walking time: about 7 hours

Altitude meters. Approx. 1387 m

Difficulty: difficult and challenging hike

Trail length: 17 km

Gailspitze

Starting from the hotel, cross the Talbach stream on the right and then turn right again to the Tscharnietalm. Here you follow the hiking trail to the right towards the Kalksteinjöchl. From the Kalksteinjöchl you have the Gailspitze in front of you. From here you can continue straight on the hiking trail with a moderate incline and reach the summit after about an hour. From the Gaispitze you have a perfect view of the Three Peaks and the Braies mountains, and you can also see the Antholz mountains.  This peak is also a popular mountain for ski mountaineers in winter.

Total walking time: about 4 hours

Elevation meters. Approximately 971 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike

Trail length: 11.2 km

Hochstein

Starting from the hotel, follow sign No. 48 over the bridge over the Pidig stream. Then turn left and right past the Schlosserhof. Follow the hiking trail to the fork, where you turn right and follow trail marker No. 48 through the forest to the Tscharnietalm and to a fork in the trail. Keep right at this fork to reach the Kerlspitze (2500 m). Turn right on the ridge to reach another depression (2438 m) and shortly thereafter the Hochstein (2469 m). From the Hochstein you have a perfect view of the entire Gsiesertal valley and the Gsieser mountains; sometimes you can even spot some eagles.

Total hiking time: about 6-7 hours.

Altitude meters. Approximately 1009 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult but steep hike

Trail length: 16 km

Hörneckele

The hike to the Hörneggele begins at the Karbacherhof in St. Martin. First follow the paved road to the Schäferalm, where the initially wide hiking trail No. 52 branches off in the direction of the Hörneggele. The trail crosses the forest with a pleasant ascent and finally turns into a forest and meadow path that branches off to the left. Finally, it climbs through scenic mountain meadows to the 2,130-meter-high Hörneggele. Beside its imposing summit cross, you can enjoy unimaginable views of the long Casies Valley, the surrounding Casies Mountains, and famous Dolomites such as the Haunold or Dürrenstein.

Total walking time: about 5 hours

Altitude meters. Approx. 775 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike

Trail length: 13.3 km

Gerichtshals (2239 m)

The hike begins in the village center of St. Martin, passing the Kahnwirt and Kircherwirt inns and following trail 44 to the Randlhütte hut in the Verselltal valley. At first, the trail climbs through a steep, rocky forest to the Ausserhütten (1640 m) and then continues less steeply through the forest into the valley to the actual alpine pastures, where you reach the Randlhütte (refreshment point) on the left side of the trail. The hiking trail to the Gerichtshal starts right next to the hut and you reach the summit after about 1:30 hours.  There are sweeping views of the Casies Valley and its mountains all the way to the Dolomites. The return is via the same path as the ascent.

Total walking time: about 6 hours

Altitude meters. Approx. 1000 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike, sure-footedness required

Length of the trail: 12.4 km

Defregger Pfannhorn

Starting from the hotel, take the wide paved trail No. 49 in the direction of Kradorfer Alm and Messnerhütte. Continue along the trail to the Oberbergalm, where the hiking trail ends and an uneven path begins, leading to the nearby Gsieser Törl. On the eastern Tyrolean side of the border saddle, a signpost points the way to the Deferegger Pfannhorn: a path with many markers initially climbs the slope just to the right of the border markers. The trail then bends more and more to the right and, after a fairly flat section with a slight scramble, climbs a rocky ledge. From here, the trail climbs with a wide curve to the left to the next ledge, where another trail joins from the right. In essence, this is a somewhat strenuous but easy walk to the summit. There is a somewhat slippery section near the summit, but the climb ends shortly after and the well-deserved scenic break at the summit begins.

Total walking time: about 6.5 hours.

Elevation gain. Approx. 1000 m

Difficulty: difficult hike, sure-footedness required

Trail length: 16 km

Fellhorn

The Fellhorn is a gentle panoramic mountain in the Gsiesertal valley. It starts at the Aschtalm parking lot, where you ascend through the Pfinntal valley on a steep trail, which then becomes a bit flatter on the forest road and Almweg 2000 to the Ragötz Alp. From the alpine hut, the trail leads over gentle mountain meadows on the ridge to the broad summit, then down through the northern slope to the Pfinnscharte. The route is steeper and rockier. From the Pfinnscharte you cross a beautiful high moor and return to the Ascht Alm, where you stop for refreshment and then descend.

Total hiking time: about 5 hours

Elevation gain. Approx. 900 m

Difficulty: moderately difficult hike