Hiking the Lago di Sorapis Trail – Dolomites, Italy

August 2024

Hiking the Lago di Sorapis Trail – Dolomites, Italy

Lake Sorapis Trail is frequented by those visiting Cortina d’Ampezzo as it is a beautiful challenging hike only a twenty minute drive from downtown. This out and back hike takes hikers to Lake Sorapis which is high in the mountain tops. The water here is glacier blue with the Dito di Dio (Finger of God) mountain peaks in the background which makes for an epic view. But getting here is one of the more difficult trails in the area so keep that in mind when adding this to your Dolomites itinerary.

How to Get There

Getting to the trail head is definitely one of the easier things to navigate for your day. The road is easy to navigate and close to downtown Cortina d’Ampezzo, only twenty minutes from downtown.

For parking, there is a small lot at Passo Tre Croci and then spots along road SR48. While there is are plenty of spots along the road, this can add walking distance to your hike if you do not arrive early. We arrived shortly before 920AM and found a decent spot, not the best. You want to start early to beat the crowd but also want to arrive at rifugios when they are open to enjoy lunch at Rifugio Vandelli.

When planning your day, remember that one of the highlights of this trail is visiting the huts or rifugio along the way. So there is a balance of starting the trail early enough to get a parking spot and beating the crowd but also wanting to arriving at the rifiguio when they are open to enjoy (which seems to be around 8AM). One benefit is you do not need to worry about packing a lunch as the rifugio have you covered – just make sure to pack cash/euros as the huts do not accept credit cards – there is no signal up this high in the mountain tops!

Trail 215

The trails here are simple – there is really only one way out and back for visiting Lake Sorapis. We used Moon and Honey’s guide to help with the planning – their content is fantastic for anyone planning a trip to the Dolomites.

The trail is 11.5 km / 7.1 miles to complete and without stopping should take about four hours to complete. Elevation gain here is no joke – there are almost 2000 ft to get to the lake. For us, we stopped at the rifugio for lunch so our hiking total time was four and a half hours. Definitely make sure to budget more than four hours as part of the beauty of this hike is enjoying the stunning views and relaxing at the rifugio. The full AllTrails description can be found here.

Part 1: Trailhead to the First Cable

The beginning of this trail is so peaceful as it starts in the trees which is a welcomed reprieve from the sun. There is a gentile incline during this portion and some epic views of the surrounding mountains as well. The trail here is nice and wide as well. 

After the forest portion, the trail begins to climb. While I did not get the impression the elevation gain was significant when researching, it certainly feels it. The inclines are quite steep and covered in rocks which we found a bit challenging. The views as we climbed continue to impress us.

And when it felt like we reached the plateau of climbing, we spotted our first cable.

Part 2: Cables and Ladders

The next section of the trail was lined with cables and ladders. And while these were certainly welcomed, it was a bit challenging to navigate with the people going around or in the opposite direction. I had a death grip on the cables so there was no way I was letting go. And the ladders were unfortunately see through to the ground below which activated my height nerves. I was certainly concerned how I was going to get down.

Part 3: Rifugio Vandelli and Lake Sorapis

After the final climb, we returned once again to the forest. The walk to the decision point was short – to the right was the lake and to the left was Rifugio Vandelli. Our total time to reach the top of the hike was two hours and fifteen minutes. 

We decided to hit Rifugio Vandelli first where we ordered a sausage sandwich, french fries, and a “special cake” – do not forget to ask for that. The food here was great and while we could have enjoyed so much more time here, a few rolls of thunder and some gray clouds had me very nervous we were about to be stuck (despite all the weather forecasts). 

We hurried to the lake which while crowded with people was also covered in clouds so that stunning blue water we expected was no where to be found. It was still a beautiful lake and I felt bad that we did not spent more time here but the rain started. And with no service to indicate how long or bad the storm we be, we decided to see how quickly we could get to the bottom.

Part 2: The Return Journey

The storm was severe with heavy downpours, thunder and lightning, and even hail. I honestly do not think the storm could have been any worse. But we committed to getting down and while I had a moment of panic on how we would get down the steep inclines with wet rocks, it was time to focus to get down. 

And focus we did as we soared down the mountain. The scary parts coming up were suddenly not scary because our minds were so focused on the next step. 

In total, it took two hours to get down. The sun was out as we made it back to the car. We were absolutely soaked but making it back safely was the number one priority. 

Important Note on Trail Etiquette

The word for Moon and Honey used in their description was abysmal and I have to agree – the folks hiking this trail were terrible when it came to trail etiquette. Many were doing this as a speed run of sorts, not even taking in the scenery. And at times where the trail narrows, where passing and squeezing by was dangerous and there was a disregard for that. If you were not moving at a fast pace, people would ride you like tailgating. While I do not think this took away from the overall experience on the trail, I think it is worth noting and keeping this in mind – do not let others set your pace, this is not a competition.

If you are looking for a physical challenge, hiking to Lake Sorapis will certainly fit into your itinerary. It was unfortunately my nightmare to be on a difficult, rocky trail and get stuck in a torrential downpour and thunderstorm but you cannot control the weather. While it was not on the bucket list to complete this hike in this way, it certainly made for quite an adventure that somehow made the entire thing completely memorable. I am sure the lake is stunning when the sun is out and I feel bad that we did not get the proper amount of time to enjoy it but I would recommend the hike for your trip to the Dolomites.

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