One of the best day hikes in the Dolomites is by far the hike to Lake Coldai to Rifugio Tissi. The 6 hour roundtrip hike starts from the top of Col dei Baldi above the village of Alleghe to the stunning Coldai Lake, passing the northwestern flank of the mighty Civetta until we finally reached the Rifugio Tissi. If you have one tough hike in you, this is the one to do. 

“I wish we could stay here forever” said my seventeen-year-old daughter as she stood overlooking a view seemingly out of a fairytale.

It was our second day hiking in the Dolomites, and we were on one of the most awe-inspiring hikes of our lives. A hike from high above the Italian village of Alleghe passing under the extraordinary towering face of the mighty Civetta.

Just three weeks ago, I was in urgent care with my daughter who had sprained her ankle while doing tricks on her new skateboard right before a big hiking trip. I could hardly believe that we were here, in the Dolomites preparing to do a fairly challenging hike. “But younger bodies heal so much faster” her doctor said during a check up examination before the trip. And he was right.

We began our hike from the top of Col dei Baldi above the village of Alleghe to the stunning Coldai Lake, passing the northwestern flank of the mighty Civetta until we finally reached the Rifugio Tissi where we rewarded ourselves with homemade gnocchi before returning to Alleghe. On a clear day, the hike gifts some of the most spectacular scenery in the Dolomites and provides enough challenge to make it an incredibly rewarding, memorable experience.  If you have one hard hike in you, this is the one you should do.

I had grown up hiking with my own parents and it was my hope that my teenagers would also grow to love it as much as me. While we started with short hikes when the kids were younger it took some time for them to both fully embrace it and go without complaints. Last summer, we did our first real hiking trip to Alaska as a family and it was a big success.

After proving that she could definitely out hike me during our trip last summer to Alaska, my daughter was on board for a hiking trip to Italy and especially was up for the challenge on day two with a longer hike. My son had already discovered his love for hiking a few years earlier after experiencing hiking with me and my father around Mont Blanc. So it was decided that we would do a big hike on our second day in the Dolomites.

We set off early in the morning catching the first gondola up to the top of Col dei Baldi. We learned from our hike the day before, that you can either take the gondola up two stops from Alleghe or drive to Pian di Pezzè, park and take the gondola up to Col dei Baldi. It was cheaper for our family to do it the latter way.

After exiting the gondola, you follow a wide gravel path straight until you reach an old abandoned stone building and see a path (path 556) to the right that zigzags up the side of the mountain en route to the first Rifugio Sonino al Coldai.  Many choose to do a shorter hike to the stunning Coldai Lake, a high alpine glacial lake. The roundtrip hike from Col dei Baldi to Coldai Lake and back takes roughly 3 hours and 15 minutes and is rated moderate. However, I highly recommend continuing to Rifugio Tissi for the out-of-this-world views of the Civetta’s northwestern flank. The hike there and back takes roughly 6-7 hours depending on pace and without stops (we did several along the way and enjoyed lunch at the Rifugio Tissi). It ranks as one of the best hikes I’ve done in years and is a must on a clear day.

As we set out on our hike, the skies grew cloudy and I was worried we would not have the promised views I’d read so much about. The trail heading up to the rifugio follows a zigzag path rising from 1922 meters (6300 feet) to 2132 meters (6995 feet) and takes approximately one hour and fifteen minutes until you arrive. The lovely Sonino al Coldai Rifugio is perched just before the prized Coldai Lake. It is a great place to stop to grab a quick coffee or use the restroom if need be. They also have several homemade grappas in any flavor you desire to test out if you are there for the night.

After the rifugio, you continue along path number 560 heading west as it climbs up and then descends into a shallow cirque where the stunning Coldai Lake sits in all its glory.  Many people bring a picnic lunch and eat here but we decided to snap a few photos and continue hiking for lunch at the Rifugio Tissi.

The trail is part of Alta Via 1 and as you leave the lake, you come across many of the serious through hikers doing part or all of the Alta Via. The terrain becomes more challenging and steep as you traverse the trail following the western face of the Civetta.

This part of the hike takes roughly one hour and 30 minutes until you reach path 560 that ascends up to Rifugio Tissi (2250 m). It can be quite slippery at times on the scree so be sure to have a solid pair of hiking poles and good boots. It also is tiring but worth the glorious views especially if the clouds peel away.

Once you pass the Civetta, you can catch a glimpse of the rest of the tiring hike up to Rifugio Tissi. It is the last big push you will have to make before being rewarded with a delicious homemade meal.

One of my favorite things about this kind of hiking is the people you meet along the way. A certain kind of camaraderie and friendship develops making the experience all the better. We met an Italian hiker who hiked the last hour with us and shared lunch together at the rifugio.

Famished we were delighted to enjoy a plate of freshly made gnocchi with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, combined with a glass of red wine for me and beers for the guys. The ambiance inside the rifugio was jovial as lots of hikers from around the world were also there enjoying the beauty of the place and community. I felt so happy to share such a special passion of mine with my kids and even happier knowing that they enjoyed the experience as much as me.

Several friends had asked how on earth I convinced two teenagers to do such a demanding trip with so much hiking. I replied that it was quite easy. I didn’t have to do a thing. Just like me, they had grown up hiking and having a deep love and respect for the healing power of the outdoors.

The hike back felt harder than the hike there but perhaps it was because we were all exhausted. Yet overall, it was worth the sore knees and fatigue as it was one of most memorable hikes we have done together as a family. A priceless gift.

If you go:

Here is a map of the route we followed (highlighted in yellow). It took approximately 7 hours not including stops to eat lunch and rest.

I am a huge fan of AllTrails and upgraded my app to the paid subscription while we were on our trip. It really helped when we were unsure of which way to follow the trail despite the relatively good signs. There are a few variations of this hike that we found on AllTrails but overall we are glad we took it the way we did.

If you want to spend the night at one of the rifugios, book well in advance during peak season. Tissi Rifugio: https://rifugiotissi.com/ Sonino al Coldai Rifugio: https://rifugiocoldai.com/