The Dolomites in Northern Italy afford some of the most breathtaking hiking in the world. This summer, my family set off on a seven-day hiking trip through the Dolomites basing ourselves in three different places: Alleghe, Salva di Val Gardena, and Cortina d’Ampezzo. It was the most hiking my two teenagers have ever done and was one of our most memorable family trips to date. Here is a review of our third hike of the trip when we were based in Alleghe. The hike to Rifugio Sasso Bianco. 

Our last hike in Alleghe was the awe-inspiring hike from the western side of Lago di Alleghe to the Rifugio Sasso Bianco.  This hike was on the other side of Alleghe and afforded spellbinding views of the town, its namesake lake, and the flank of Mount Civetta.  The hike was recommended by the helpful man working at the Alleghe Tourist Office in town, who sizing us up, recommended three hikes.

The first two hikes (one that is circular and passes by two dairy farms and the other to Lake Coldai and Tissi Rifugio) are both located at the top of the gondola at the Col dei Baldi and are quite popular and well-traveled. However, the last hike he recommended was not well known. It turned out to be one of those local treasures. It was not crowded (we saw under a dozen people in five hours), led us through two tiny hamlets, and prized us with stunning views of the town, the lake, and the mighty Mount Civetta across the way.  We were rewarded with a delicious hot lunch at the family-run Rifigio Blanco Sasso, a beautiful hut reachable only by foot.

On a clear day, the views at the foot of the Rifugio are known as some of the best in the Dolomites. Unfortunately, it was rather cloudy that day. Yet we all still adored this adventurous hike, and I highly recommend it for the lack of crowds, beauty, and beautiful views of the area.

As you climb up, the views of Alleghe and its glorious lake are mystical.

The morning of the hike, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast of sugary sweets and cappuccino at a local cafe before heading out on what we were told was an easy hike. Little did we know, the hike was much steeper and more challenging than we expected, especially after a long, strenuous hike to the Rifugio Tissi the day before. We were already nursing tight quads and sore knees. Yet, our enthusiasm for another glorious hike and time spent together in nature persevered.

Finding the trailhead was a little tricky as it is not well-marked. After leaving our car in a public parking lot at the northern end of the lake, we crossed over a large pedestrian bridge and after a few minutes of searching, we noticed that the trailhead sign was plastered on the side of a house. The typical hiking sign made of brown wood with red and white markers had the words “Bramezza” painted on it and a red arrow pointing up to the left.

The first forty-five minutes of the hike are rather steep as you ascend from the base of Alleghe at roughly 1000 meters (3,281 feet) until you reach the tiny hamlet of Bramezza at 1450 meters (4764 feet).  The path going up was overgrown with high grasses, narrow, and vertical, first winding through houses and then through thick vegetation. We soon realized that you would not want to hike this on a rainy day as it was quite slippery.

We were not mentally prepared for how tiring the first 45 minutes would be as we thought it was supposed to be a relatively easy hike, especially compared to the strenuous hike we did the day before. However, we made the best of our adventure, stopping often to catch our breath and wipe off the sweat from our dripping foreheads. Thankfully the views were quite picturesque and enticing, or else I’m not sure we would have continued.

After forty-five long minutes, we finally reached the pretty village of Bramezza, a beautiful alpine hamlet located at the base of Mount Sasso Bianco which is known for its incredible views and unique architecture of the homes.  There we met a group of German travelers hiking up to the rifigio for the night. They were the only people we saw on the entire hike, a change from the more popular hike we did the day before up at Col dei Baldi.

After refilling our water bottles at the town, we headed up west hiking through a majestic forest and then continuing on a grassy open side of the mountain where we were enveloped in fog. It was hard to follow the trail but eventually, we found a trail sign buried inside the overgrown grass. After about two hours we reached the worst part of the hike: An insanely steep gravel path leading straight up (pictures don’t do it justice). By this point, we were feeling the steepness in our legs and also getting hungry as we didn’t anticipate the hike taking so long. Yet, we continued and were grateful for our hiking poles and the fence to grab onto for support.

The views of the Civetta were stunning, even in the clouds.

After three hours of hiking, the path turned a corner and we saw the lovely Rifugio Sasso Bianco perched on a picturesque open area below. If the clouds lifted, we would be in for an incredible view. (Unfortunately, it remained cloudy but we still could see what it looked like by visiting the Rifugio’s website which has spectacular photos).

We arrived just in time for a well-deserved home-cooked lunch. We were welcomed by the owner’s beautiful white retriever and four hot plates of freshly cooked pasta with tomato sauce. Our German friends had already taken off their muddy hiking boots and were swallowing down beers. They were the smart ones who were spending the night. We, however, had to do the long steep return and pray that it didn’t rain. If it was raining, the path would become almost impossible unless you slid down it on your bottom.  It was way too muddy and steep. Thankfully it didn’t rain.

After such a delightful lunch (and a large pour of local red wine for myself), it was time to head back. It was hard to believe that we had started our hike at a mere 1000 m (3,281 feet) and climbed up to 1840 m (6037 feet) in less than three hours. No wonder why our legs hurt! It was rather punishing to see how far we had to go to descend. Lago di Alleghe looked a long way down and at one point we saw our car – a tiny dot – parked far below us in the horizon.

The good news is that going down was fast. We arrived in a little under two hours,  just in time to go back to our place, shower, and relax. Had it been a clear day, the views of this place would have been out of this world. Was it worth the adventure? Yes!

Check out this Instagram reel I made on the hike. Perhaps this will convince you to go!

See more

If you go:

The hike took us roughly 5 hours roundtrip (about 3 hours up and 2 hours down). Since it is not a well known hike, I am not sure on the total distance.  It isn’t exactly a long hike, yet it is fairly vertical.

Screenshot

The trailhead is located just outside of town at the northern end of the lake. Follow the Corso Italia north, passing the end of the lake, and the camper parking lot and you will see a large open lot. Park there and cross the pedestrian bridge where you will see the start of the trailhead marked simply on the side of a house. The sign is brown wood with red and white markers, says “Bramezza” and has a red arrow pointing up to the left.

Want more? Book a night at the lovely Rifugio Sasso Bianco. Check it out here.