How to Hike the Monte Bobina Circuit in the Dolomites

The Monte Popina Circuit is the best way to explore the almost impenetrable Cristallo Group of the Dolomites. Here’s everything you need to know about this off-the-beaten-path trail in the Dolomites.

The Cristallo Group is a huge, almost impenetrable mass of rock. It is mostly a site for mountaineers, as a few hiking trails can traverse its steep sides.

but, Monty Bobinaon its eastern side, can be reached by two paths cut through the high passes of Cristallo. Combining them into one circuit is an excellent way to explore the rocky landscape that the Dolomites are famous for.

The journey takes just three hours, crosses two high passes, and visits a magnificent remote valley.

The views are excellent with Sorapis and Marmarole dominating the skyline to the south and Tre Cime rising to the north.

We completed our walk in August and hardly saw anyone. We hiked in the late afternoon and were rewarded with a stunning sunset on the descent, with a glow illuminating the peaks of Tre Cime. It was beautiful.

This post covers everything you need to know, including how to access the main trail and a map and detailed hiking instructions.

Monte Popina Trek Overview

• Start/Finish: Lake Misurina
• distance: 8 km / 5 miles
• period: 3 hours
• Height gain: 550 metres
• difficulty: Medium to difficult

For a relatively short walk, this excellent circular walk offers plenty of value. He collects Stunning views together Stampede is tough And a lovely walk down a Distant valley.

starts on Lago di Misurina It rises steadily at first, then sharply Forcella popina. The path falls on the other side of the corridor to the remote control Bobina Valleybefore climbing back up to the second pass at Forcella Pale di Misurina.

Finally, the trail returns to Lago di Misurina.

Height is 5 miles With only Over 500 meters of ups and downs It takes approx 3 hours.

Normally, we would classify this type of hike as moderate in difficulty, but the final ascent to Forcella Popina is via a heavily eroded gully.

The first half of the groove has a lot of Loose rock and it is steep. There is also a section with Wooden corridors and stairs, some of which have no handrails.

The difficult section will be over in about 15 minutes; We will evaluate the height as Medium difficulty Because of that.

Monte Bobina hiking map

Below is a map of the Monte Bobina trek (in red).

The car parks, bus station and two restaurants (at the beginning of the journey) are marked in blue.

If you prefer an actual map, we recommend the following: Compass 617 — Cortina d’Ampezzo.

For digital, download Belluno Region on Maps.me. It has all the tracks, and you can track yourself online. Alternatively, simply use our map below.

Use our maps. Click on the upper right corner to open it in the Google Maps app. Click the star to save to your Google account.

Getting on the right path

The hike to Monte Popina starts at The southwestern edge of Lago di Misurina.

By car

Lago di Misurina is a 30-minute drive from Cortina d’Ampezzo, Auronzo di Cadore or Dobbiaco (Toblach in German).

there Free parking on Col de Varda Parking is on the southern edge of Lago di Misurina, but it can fill up quickly. there More paid parking Around the edge of the lake.

Misurina can be very busy with day trippers, but parking spaces change very quickly. If you are in peak season, try to arrive early or late in the afternoon.

We started our trip at around 4:30pm in mid-August, when many day hikers had headed home.

By bus

the 051 bus It extends between Cortina d’Ampezzo, Passo Tre Croce and Misurina, but is very rare. There are only three buses in the morning and three in the afternoon, so the timing of your journey is important.

The bus takes 35 minutes from Cortina and 20 minutes from Passo Tre Croci.

Get off at Misorina Col di Varda bus stationwhich is very close to the beginning of the march.

the 445 bus It runs from Dobbiaco (Toblach) to Misurina Genzianella bus station, just north of Misurina Lake. The bus journey takes 30 minutes, but is rare and runs only 3 times a day. From the bus station, it takes 15 minutes to walk to the start of the trail.

Hiking instructions

Lago Misurina to Forcella Popina (1 hour 20 minutes)

takes Track 224 The Pale di Misurina runs west from the southwest corner of Lago di Misurina (1,754 metres), between the Hotel Lavaredo and the post office.

The trail climbs steadily through a conifer forest, and after about 30 minutes reaches a junction of tracks.

Turn left and take route 224b Signed by Forcella di Bobina.

The path now rises above the trees and skirts along the southwest side of Mont Popina.

In front of you are the majestic rocks of Sorabis and Marmarol. Beyond is Lago Misurina, backed by the towering peaks of Tre Cime and Cadini di Misurina.

We hiked in the late afternoon and early evening, and the gentle light on the mountains was gorgeous.

After another 30 minutes, the trail turns right and winds steeply over a cliff. At the top of the winding lines it meets Route 222. Turn right on Route 222 and immediately follow left Even a severely eroded groove.

This is the most challenging part of the trek, and the only reason we rated it moderate to difficult.

The first half of the groove is A mess of loose rocks. Keep your eyes away from the red and white marks painted on the rocks and climb carefully.

It is essential to have a good grip on your shoes, and your hands will be needed in some places.

The second half of the groove is severely eroded Wooden corridors and stairs Formulated to help you climb. Some have railings and feel quite safe, but a couple had no railings and felt somewhat exposed.

A reasonable head is required for heights and careful foot placement.

It took us approx 15 minutes to negotiate the grooveAnd then we breathed a sigh of relief and enjoyed the wonderful views from Forcella popina (2213 AD).

Forcella Popina to Forcella Pale di Misurina (50 minutes)

The ruined Rifugio sits at the top of Forcella Popena, creating an interesting focal point with the Cristallo massif towering all around.

Continue on route 222 As it heads north and descends to Bobina Valley. The valley is remote and rarely visited by hikers.

It is a beautiful, gradual descent through a rocky meadow, where horses often graze. The trail returns to the tree line, and before crossing a rocky stream, you reach a junction of trails.

Turn right and take Route 224 In the eastern direction.

The trail climbs through the trees, descends gradually, and soon after a tight (hairpin-like) turn to the right, reaches Forcella Pale di Misurina (2130 AD).

Forcella Pale di Misurina to Lago Misurina (50 minutes)

At the pass, turn left Continue on route 224 signed on Malga Misurina. It descends two winding lanes to reach the intersection of Routes 224 and 224B, which I had been at about two hours earlier.

Keep Left and Retrace your steps on Route 224 Return to Lago di Misurina (1754 AD).

We hiked in the late afternoon so we could get off near sunset, and we lucked out. With the last light of day, the peaks of Tre Cime turned red with the famous early evening alpine glow.

We finished the trip with German beer and excellent pizza at Pizzeria Edelweiss.

Refugios on the road

Unfortunately, there are no Rifugios at this hike, but there are a few good places to eat at the beginning and end.

Malga Misurina Traditionally, Malaga was a temporary farm serving meals made using ingredients such as cheese, yoghurt and milk produced on the property. Many “malagas” are now just restaurants, but this one maintains the tradition. All dairy products are produced on the farm, along with a range of grappa.

Edelweiss pizza This popular restaurant offers pizza, pasta, and other main dishes at very reasonable prices. There is often a waiting list, but tables turn quickly. Lunch starts from 11am to 3pm, and dinner starts from 7pm to midnight. They also have an excellent selection of beers, of which we tried quite a few!

Best time for hiking

The best time to hike the Monte Bobina circuit is from Early July to late September. The snow was supposed to have melted from the higher ground, and the weather was at its warmest.

We hiked in mid-August, and despite it being peak season, we only encountered two other people on the hike. Bobina Valley was completely deserted.

Being just over 3 hours long, it’s a great hike to do in the late afternoon/early evening. We timed the trip to come down just before sunset, and it was magical.

What to take on a hike

Hiking shoes – Climbing Forcella Popena requires wearing shoes with very good grip. We use nothing Similar to this.

Hiking poles -We’ve recently switched to hiking poles, and they’re really useful in general. We use reliable Leckie sticks.

Water resistant material – Weather conditions while walking can change dramatically, and rain is common in the afternoon. Make sure you take Waterproof like this one.

Sunscreen/hat – Since most of the walking is not in the shade, bring sunscreen and a hat on hot days.

Lunch/snacks – There are no shelters on the trail, so you may want to bring lunch and snacks with you. There are plenty of places to eat at the end of the trip.

water – Make sure you get plenty of water. We use one of these Hydration packsWhich makes it much easier to stay hydrated on the road.

maps – The main road is well marked, but it is also a good idea to have an online map with you.

Drones – Drones are allowed on this trip, and you can take some amazing shots, but we didn’t have our drones with us when we took the trip.

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