The most beautiful hike of the Dolomites: Sass Dlacia – Lago di Lagazuoi

We weren’t quite done with hiking around Sass Dlacia yet after our first hike in this region. A friend of mine was here with her campervan and dog a year earlier when she posted photos of a hike with the most incredible views. On top of that, there were some very beautiful and fluffy alpaca llamas. Well, I definitely didn’t want to miss out on that, so I asked her where exactly she had done the hike. It turned out to be very close to our current wild camping spot! The next day we set off immediately for this hike, which was also according to my friend: The most beautiful hike of the Dolomites.

The most beautiful hike of the Dolomites

The walk starts at Ristorante Capanna Alpina, at 1720m altitude, just after the parking lot where you also park for the climbing area of Sass Dlacia. First, you walk into a large nature park where you arrive at a big square: a valley with high mountains circling all around you. Then, there is a fork in the trail: you can walk to the left towards Col de Locia, or to the right to the Rifugio Scotoni and on to Lago di Lagazuoi. We had to go to the right for the llamas!

After about 45 minutes of walking straight up, we arrived at another valley. This was at 300 meters higher altitude and as a result, even more surrounded by the mountains. This was also the residence of the super cute and sweet llamas. They are now a lot less fluffy than on Antje’s photos from a year earlier, but they have certainly not become any less cute!! They live in the garden of the mountain refuge Rifugio Scotoni. After a short photo session it was time to walk on to Lago di Lagazuoi!

Another 45 minutes later, and again 300 meters higher altitude, you arrive at the mountain lake Lago di Lagazuoi. The lake itself was not very special, but the environment you are in… WOW, incredible. You feel so insignificant between all those huge ridges. They seem close but at the same time so far away. They appear close because they take up such a large area in your field of view. But in reality, they are still far away, you can tell by the misty colours. Can you imagine how big it all really is… You can also see much further in the distance, because of our high position. I was so impressed by this view, moved even. It really took my breath away.

The trail continued actually, and a much steeper uphill hike at that. But since we had already taken a long walk two days earlier, and had some muscle aches, we decided to return here.

Wikiloc data of our trail

Once we returned to the Rifugio, we drank a delicious white beer together with our new friends: Chip ‘n Dale. Completely satisfied! This was, in any case, the most beautiful hike in the Dolomites. Perhaps even the most beautiful hike of our entire trip. So far for sure at least! Wow, what incredible beauty up here.

More photos of this hike