Dolomites · Italy
Croda Da Lago Circular
The Croda da Lago circular is a beautiful route through forests, alpine meadows and some of the most impressive scenery around Cortina d’Ampezzo. The trail climbs towards Lago Federa, with spectacular views of the surrounding peaks and the distinctive Croda da Lago massif making this a great little day hike from the town.
ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
📏 Distance
13.0km/8.0mi
⏱️ Duration
5.5 hours
📈 Elevation
850m/2788ft
🗓 Best Season
Late June – September
ESTIMATED COSTS
🚌 Transfers
~4 EUR
The Route
⚠️ The maps provided on this website are intended as a general guide only. Conditions, routes, and features may change at any time. Always rely on your own judgement and seek local or professional advice if possible.
🧭 Navigation Tips
Download offline maps before you go - cell signal is unreliable.
Be familiar with key safety locations and emergency shelters in case you need to bail part way.
Check weather and trail conditions before starting.
Getting to the Trail Head
🚎 Public Buses
The urban buses operated by DolomitiBus is the easiest way to get around. To get to the trail head, you can catch Line #2 to Campo Di Sotto. The bus comes about once an hour and tickets can be purchased directly on the bus or via their mobile app.
2 EUR · 15 minutes
🏃♀️ Walk
The walk to the trailhead is pretty chilled. This option is a must if you are already staying at the nearby campsites as it is on the way.
Free · 50 min
🚕 Taxis
Taxis are always an option for privacy and convenience but does come at a cost.
20-40 EUR · 10 min
🚎 Transfer Tips
The DolomitiBus app is a must if you plan to be in Cortina for more than a few days. It offers multi-day passes, discount tickets making it much cheaper than buying tickets on board.
Tickets must be validated just before you get on board the bus.
There are two type of fares that DolomitiBus offers which are important in the Cortina area:
Urban services - buses operating within Cortina and its immediate built-up area. These are useful for getting around town and to nearby stops. This is what you need to get to the Corda da Lago trail head.
Extra-urban services — buses travelling between Cortina and surrounding towns, villages and mountain areas. These are commonly used to get to the trailhead for Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Cinque Torri and Lago di Sorapis.
The timetable for both the urban and extra urban likes are be found on their older official dolomitibus.it website.
Food Options
🛖 Rifugio Croda da Lago
This stunning rifugio sits at 2,046 metres beside Lago Federa and offers plenty of food including pastas, polenta, stews, homemade cakes and hot drinks. The serving time at most rifugios is between 11:30am and 2:30pm but it’ll be worth while double checking if you plan to arrive outside these ours.
15-25 EUR
Getting Home
🚎 Public Buses
Catching Line #2 from Campo Di Sotto will be the best bet. The bus comes about once an hour and tickets can be purchased directly on the bus or via their mobile app.
2 EUR · 15 minutes
🏃♀️ Walk
The walk back to Cortina will be a bit more difficult as there are quite a few uphill section. This option is a must if you are already staying at the nearby campsites as it is on the way.
Free · 50 min
🚕 Taxis
Taxis are always an option for privacy and convenience but does come at a cost.
20-40 EUR · 10 min
🚎 Transfer Tips
Keep an eye on the time as the last bus departs around 19:00pm in summer. It is also worthwhile to double check the timetables to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information.
The buses around Cortina have different schedules for different seasons. It is best to double check the timetables on the official dolomiti.it website the to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information.
Terms of Use
A quick but important note for all visitors: we do our best to share high-quality, accurate information, but it’s always possible that we’ve missed something or that conditions have changed. All GPS tracks (GPX files and maps) and route suggestions are meant to be used as general guidelines—not exact instructions.
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