The hike to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint is one of our favorite short hikes in the Dolomites. This is a gorgeous hike every step of the way, with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, a unique view of the “backside” of Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and of course, an awesome view of the Cadini di Misurina.
We did this hike in July 2022, on the same day that we hiked Tre Cime di Lavaredo. On the Cadini di Misurina hike, we only saw a handful of people, which was a much different experience than almost every hike we have done in the Dolomites.
If you are looking for a short, beautiful hike and want to escape the crowds, the Cadini di Misurina hike belongs on top of your Dolomites to-do list.
In this guide, learn how to hike to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint, with helpful tips, photos, and a map.
Table of Contents
Cadini di Misurina Hiking Stats
Distance: 3.2 km (2 miles) round trip
Total Ascent: 210 meters (690 feet)
Lowest Elevation: 2,260 meters (7,415 feet)
Highest Elevation: 2,355 meters (7,725 feet)
Difficulty: Easy
Length of Time: 1 to 2 hours
When to Go: best in the summer months, when the trail is free of snow
Parking: Rifugio Auronzo parking lot (the same lot for Tre Cime di Lavaredo)
Best Time for Photography: Midday and early afternoon (our photos were taken between 12:30 and 1:30 pm)
Toilet: At Rifugio Auronzo
Exploring further: After the viewpoint you can follow the main trail further for additional views. You don’t have to go far, only another 0.25 km (0.15 miles) or 5 minutes each way, but extra caution is needed as you follow this narrow trail around a cliff edge.
Cadini di Misurina viewpoint elevation profile. This profile is slightly different on the return hike because we took a different route back to the trailhead.
Cadini di Misurina trail map with both viewpoints (image generated from my Garmin Fenix watch). The blue color is the lowest elevation along the trail and the red color is the highest elevation along the trail.
Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.
Parking for the Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint
For this hike, park in the lot for Rifugio Auronzo. This very large parking lot is the same parking lot for the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike. Due to the popularity of this hike, the parking lot will fill early in the day, sometimes as early as 9 to 9:30 am.
To get to the parking lot, it is a 7 km drive on a road that connects the Rifugio Auronzo parking lot and SP49. This road starts just north of Lago Misurina.
There is now a daily limit to the number of vehicles that can drive up this road. Just after Lago d’Antorno is a toll booth. It is here that you will pay a €30 per vehicle to drive to and park in the Rifugio Auronzo parking lot. Next to the toll booth is a sign that shows the number of available parking spaces. It is my understanding that once this gets to zero, cars will no longer be permitted to drive up the road to the parking lot. This can happen as early as 9:30 am, so get here early!
The road to the Rifugio Auronzo parking lot typically opens in early June and closes in early fall. Get updates on road conditions and pricing here.
You can also get to Rifugio Auronzo by taking the public bus.
Once in the parking lot, the closer you can park to Rifugio Auronzo the better. The trailhead is located very close to the rifugio, so parking near it will save you some steps.
How to Hike to the Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint
Step-By-Step Trail Guide
Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint Trailhead
From Rifugio Auronzo, cross the street to the terrace viewpoint of the nearby valley. To the left is the trailhead for Tre Cime di Lavaredo. You DO NOT want to take this trail.
Instead, walk away from the Tre Cime trailhead, to the right side of the terrace. A few steps after the terrace ends, you will see a trail sign and a trail leading downhill through the grass. This is the trailhead for the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint.
Cadini di Misurina Trailhead
From Rifugio Auronzo, you will follow trail #117 and head in the direction of Rifugio Col De Varda.
Hiking to the Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint
From Rifugio Auronzo, the trail briefly heads downhill and then climbs up the opposite ridgeline. The trail is a bit steep at times, and tiring, and when we did this it was very windy. Hold onto your hat if you’re wearing one!
The trail to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint.
As the trail climbs up the hill, turn around and look back. From here, you have a great view of the “backside” of Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Rifugio Auronzo. I turned around so many times to take photos and the farther you go, the better the view.
Looking back to Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Rifugio Auronzo.
Near the top of the hill, the trail splits (at about 1 km/0.6 miles). Both trails get you to the viewpoint, but we recommend staying to the left, if you are not afraid of heights. This trail runs along the top of a cliff and from the trail, you have an amazing view looking east through the valley to the town of Auronzo.
Update for 2024: Since June 2023, we have received mixed reports on the cliff trail conditions. Two people have reported that the trail is eroded in some spots and another reader is reporting that the trail does not have any issues. I recommend reading the comments sections for updates on trail conditions. If you have hiked this trail recently and want to add any updates to help future hikers, you can do so in the comment section below. Thanks in advance!
The cliff trail and the first good view of the Cadini di Misurina.
If you want to take the same photo of the cliff trail, look for this outcropping (on the left hand side of the photo above). You also have a great view out to the valley (photo below).
From the same viewpoint, this is the view of the valley.
The trail twists and turns for a little bit, and you will pass under a few outcroppings of rock.
Looking back at the trail with Tre Cime in the background.
The Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint
Then the Cadini di Misurina comes into view. These jagged peaks look a lot different from the rest of the Dolomites, which is one of the reasons we liked this hike so much. And you can see from our photos, we saw just a few other people (and these photos were taken midday in July).
At about the 1.5 km point (about 1 mile), keep a lookout out for a long outcropping of rock with a thin trail running along the top of it. This is the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint. Here is a photo of it:
We took our photos right from the end of the viewpoint. Be careful here, because it is a narrow spot, with lots of big tree roots, and it is possible to fall. For another photo idea, someone can stand here, at the viewpoint, and the photographer can walk back up to the main trail, and capture more of the mountains in the photo (I saw photos like these after we hiked this trail).
A view of the viewpoint, which is a rocky outcropping of rock covered with roots.
This is looking back at the main trail from the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint.
IMPORTANT! Do not hike out to this viewpoint if it is wet or it has been raining. The trail will be slippery and you risk falling from the trail. Save this hike for a day when the weather is clear and dry…not only is it safer but you will have a better view of spiky pinnacles.
Once you get your photos, you can retrace your steps or explore a little farther.
Going Farther Along the Trail
We hiked another 400 meters of the trail beyond the viewpoint. It’s a fun trail, as it winds along the cliffs here. Just be very careful! The trail is narrow and slippery, as it is covered with loose gravel. Like the viewpoint, it is possible to slip and fall here. If you don’t feel comfortable, turn around and hike back to the trailhead.
Looking back at the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint (look for the three hikers).
The second viewpoint of Cadini di Misurina is the big gray rock in the center of this photo.
About 400 meters beyond the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint, we found a second smaller outcropping of rock that also makes a great viewpoint (viewpoint #2 on our map).
From that same spot, here is the view into the valley.
We turned around here, but you can keep going farther. This trail runs all the way to Rifugio Col de Varda.
On the hike back, we passed the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint and at the trail split, took the trail to the left for different views on the return hike (if we stayed right, we would have hiked the same trail we took to get to the viewpoint). By going this way, we got to see more of Tre Cime, which is an awesome sight to see.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo on a picture perfect day.
Once back to Rifugio Auronzo, you can grab a bite to eat or hike the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop, if you did not do that yet.
What to Bring on the Hike
Hiking shoes. You need to wear a pair of hiking shoes or boots for this trail. Parts of the trail run near the edge of a cliff, and with the loose gravel, the trail can be slippery.
Water. I recommend bringing a liter of water per person. It’s not a long hike, but it can be warm in the summer, and it might be nice to have some cool water to drink during the hike.
Sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses. The trail is fully exposed to the sun.
If you are new to hiking or are curious about what you should bring on a hike, check out our Hiking Gear Guide. Find out what we carry in our day packs and what we wear on the trails.
Things to Do near the Cadini di Misurina Viewpoint Hike
Hike the Tre Cime di Lavaredo Loop
This popular hike starts at the same parking lot as the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint. Since you paid a hefty fee to park here, you might as well get two hikes out of it! We did Tre Cime di Lavaredo first, since it is longer and more crowded. In the mid-afternoon, we hiked to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Spend some time at Lago di Misurina
Lago di Misurina is a beautiful lake that is located less than 10 km from Rifugio Auronzo. You can go ride paddle boats, ride the chairlift, relax in the sun, or have lunch or dinner. We ate at Pizzeria Edelweiss and it was just what we needed after hours of hiking.
Lago di Misurina
Visit Lago di Dobbiaco
This is another beautiful lake to visit. From Rifugio Auronzo it is a 30-minute drive to get here. You can have lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants next to the lake or take a stroll along the lakeshore.
Lago di Dobbiaco
More Information about the Dolomites
For links to all of our articles about the Dolomites, take a look at our Dolomites Travel Guide.
In our article Best Hikes in the Dolomites, we cover 15 epic trails in the Dolomites. Which ones do you want to do?
The Cinque Torri is a wonderfully short, easy hike that circles around giant pillars of rock and includes a visit to a WWI open air museum. This hike can easily be combined with Rifugios Averau and Nuvolau for BIG views of the Dolomites (and a great meal with a view).
Lago di Braies is a beautiful alpine lake. Hike the loop trail around the lake, paddle around on a rowboat, or hike high into the mountains from here.
Learn how to visit Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Dolomites.
With our Dolomites Itinerary Planner, put together the perfect trip to the Dolomites, whether you have 2 days, 4 days, or a full week.
If you have any questions about how to hike to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint, or if you want to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information for Your Trip to Italy
VENICE: Learn more about what to do in Venice in our Venice Bucket List. To help you plan your time, we have a detailed one day Venice itinerary and a 2 day Venice itinerary.
ITALY ITINERARIES: If you are just beginning to plan your Italy itinerary, take a look at our 10 Days in Italy Itinerary for five different ways to spend 10 days in Italy. In our Northern Italy Itinerary, visit Venice, the Dolomites, Verona, Milan, and Lake Como. For those with more time, check out our 14 day Italy itinerary, which covers the highlights of Italy.
CINQUE TERRE: One of the best experiences in the Cinque Terre is to hike between all five towns. If you are traveling on a budget, get our money saving tips for the Cinque Terre.
BEST OF ITALY: In our Guide to the Best Places to Visit in Italy, we list 25 beautiful destinations to consider for your next trip to Italy.
MORE GREAT HIKES IN EUROPE: From thrilling trails in the Alps to easy walks along the coast, read our article 20 Best Hikes in Europe for some beautiful hiking trails to put on your travel wish list.
We have TONS more information about Italy in our Italy Travel Guide, including Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre, and Puglia.
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Comments 33
Does anyone know if this hike is open middle of April.
Thank you in advance.
Author
No, there still can be snow in the mountains (through May) so it’s not advisable to hike this trail. Cheers, Julie
Was there on 27 Oct 2023 and the left trail works perfectly fine, not to mention how it was pouring the night before. Some parts may be a little muddy hence slippery (including at the viewpoint) but alls good.
We even spotted a dad carrying his baby taking the left trail! Thankful for the article, real helpful!!
Author
You’re welcome!
Went on this hike mid September, 2023 and will +1 the two comments about the early left turn. The wrong left trail is initially promising and hugs the cliff but the last 50 feet is cambered away from the mountain and is barely 6 in wide at some points and is roped off from the other side.
I checked my Garmin data afterwards, and the first turn happens around 0.5 miles in “near the top of the hill” which matches the description of this post.
I highly suggest adding a caveat that there are two “left” trails and to ensure taking the second one after climbing uphill (on my GPS it occurs closer to mile 0.70-0.75). Given how close the description matches the initial left turn, this can be a huge safety concern. For some dark humor, my partner joked afterwards that it wasn’t a path to take if “you are not scared of heights” but one to take if you’ve already lived a full life.
Hiked on September 12, 2023
We realized there are two points along the way up that could have been options to take a left or right path. We took the earlier left path, which I would not recommend!! There was no one else on the trail with us and similarly to what some others are saying, you could barely fit two feet on the trail at some points. At one point, we turned the corner and saw that there was no way we’d make it and the exit was roped off to warn folks not to go that way (I wish the entrance had been roped off as well) when returning to the Refugio. We turned around, got back to the initial split in the trail and continued on the right hand side. After walking along the right side, we then encountered the second option to take a left. This one had much more foot traffic and is probably the correct left to take according to the article.
In all seriousness, taking the first left where we did is truly dangerous and not recommended. I believe a recent comment before mine also took this wrong left turn.
Author
Thanks for writing in with this info!
As of Sep 2, 2023, my partner and I both took the left trail from the split. There was a point where we had to hug the cliff with our hands due to a narrow (enough for one foot) and un-leveled (downward sloping towards the valley) trail. Strongly would not recommend this in wet conditions.
Thank you for putting this together. We relied heavily on your postings to optimize our trip to the Dolomites. We are big fans of your site here!
Author
Hello David. Thanks for writing in with this info! Cheers, Julie
We hiked Cadini di Misurina Aug 24, 2023 and the trail was in fine shape. No washout sections or scary spots. This is an amazing short hike that should not be missed.
Thank you for all the work that you have done creating this amazing website. We used it a lot during our trip to the Dolomites.
Author
You’re welcome! And thank you for writing in with a trail update. Cheers, Julie