How To Hike Sassolungo In The Dolomites

Hiking around the Sassolungo (Langkofel) massif is not easy. But the superb, constantly changing views and excellent rifugios made it one of our favourite walks. Here’s all you need to know.

The Dolomites are dominated by near-vertical rocky peaks towering over green meadows.

Nowhere is this contrast more evident than on the circular hike around the Sassolungo (Langkofel in German) massif – one of our favourite hikes in the Dolomites.

Here, towering spires of rock rise out of the gentle grasses of the highest large Alpine meadow in Europe.

Beyond grazing cows, spectacular views open up across the endless mountain ranges, creating an idyllic Alpine vista.

This is a challenging, 17.6-kilometre circular hike, but with constantly changing views and a few perfectly placed rifugios, it’s an excellent day out in the Dolomites.

Here is everything you need to know.

SASSOLUNGO HIKE DESCRIPTION

This hike completes a circuit around the base of the Sassolungo-Sasso Piatto massif. The trail generally cuts along the top of grassy meadows below the rocky peaks.

A detour climbs 300m up to Rifugio Vicenza, which can be skipped if the legs are already tired.

It takes about 6 hours of walking time to complete the circuit. But allow for 8 hours, taking plenty of breaks and a leisurely lunch.

There are several places to start the walk, which we will cover later in the post. But the description begins at the Passo Sella parking lot.

START – PASSO SELLA

Leave the Passo Sella car park on path 557 – often called the Friedrich August Weg.

As it slowly climbs, the massif comes into full view. It is made up of 3 peaks, which are Sasso Piatto (Platkofel in German) on the left, Punta Grohman (Grohmansptize) in the middle, and Sassolungo (Langkofel) on the right.

The path then drops to Col Rodella, then rises again to reach Friedrich August Hutte – one of the most idyllic mountain rifugios in the Dolomites.

Stop for a morning coffee and one of their pastries before slowly following the path around the base of the Sasso Piatto peak.

The grassy trail becomes a little rockier before reaching the highest point on the Sassolungo circuit: rifugio Sasso Piatto.

SASSO PIATTO

This rifugio has been updated recently, and its modern rooms are a great place to stay if you want to start the day high up in the mountains.

Several paths leave Rifugio Sasso Piatto, so take care to pick the right one. Head downhill to take path 527, which passes through a gate and descends before turning right. (Do not take the path that rises up over the mountain.)

You are now on the other side of the massif with excellent views stretching over Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm).

The path is a little rockier on this side, and progress is a bit slower. It contours the massif, hugging the peaks on your right-hand side as the valley drops away on your left.

About 45 minutes from the rifugio, the path drops quite steeply to a gap between Sasso Piatto and Sassolungo mountains.

You can continue straight ahead around the massif on path 526, but we suggest you detour and take the 300-metre climb up to Rifugio Vicenza, which sits in the rocky heart of the mountains.

RIFUGIO VICENZA DETOUR

The steep detour to Rifugio Vicenza climbs 300 metres on a very rocky trail. The rifugio is surrounded by cliffs on 3 sides (see photo below) and has an incredible view over layers of vertical rock.

Stop here, treat yourself to lunch and perhaps a beer. The hard work is done, and it’s a great place to celebrate the hike.

After taking a break, descend the rocky path you climbed up and then turn right on path 526 and continue the circuit.

RIFUGIO COMICI

The trail continues around the massif.

Wonderful views open up towards the jagged peaks of the Puez-Odle massif, and as you reach Rifugio Comici, the giant rocky block of the Sella massif comes into view.

Because the Rifugio is only a 15-minute walk from the Campioni cable car station, it can be busy and feel less remote. It serves food and is a good place to pick up a coffee, but we prefer to have lunch at one of the other huts – especially Rifugio Vicenza.

From Rifugio Comici, it’s a 1-hour walk downhill back to the Passo Sella Car Park and some well-earned rest.

DISTANCES ON THE SASSOLUNGO HIKE

HUTS	Distance	Duration
Passo Sella to Friedrich August Hutte	11.8 kilometres (11 miles)	30 minutes
Friedrich August Hutte to Sasso Piatto	4.3 kilometres (2.6 miles)	1 hour 20 minutes
Sasso Piatto to Vincenza	4.6 kilometres (2.8 miles)	1 hour 40 minutes
Vincenza to Comici	4.2 kilometres (2.6 miles)	1 hour 30 minutes
Comici to Passo Sella	2.7 kilometres (1.6 miles)	1 hour

SASSOLUNGO HIKE MAP

Although the paths are well marked and clear, it’s a long walk, and the cloud can come in quickly, so take a map (or hit the star on our map to download to your phone) and a compass.

We suggest you purchase Shorter Walks in the Dolomites. It has good maps and details of this and other great walks in the area.

GETTING TO THE TRAILHEAD

The route described above begins at the Passo Sella car park (€6).

Since the trail is a circuit, you could walk either way around. However, we recommend hiking clockwise as the views are better and the hiking is a little easier.

You could also take the cable car from Santa Cristina or Selva to Campioni (1km from Rifugio Comici) and complete the circuit from there. But keep in mind that this would add an additional 2 kilometres (30 minutes) to the hike.

If you think you might be starting from Santa Cristina or Selva, read our guide to Val Gardena where both these towns are located.

TRAIL CONDITIONS

The path around the massif is easy to follow at all times. However, a number of different trails traverse the area. Pay attention to the signs to ensure you stay on the correct path (see below), particularly when leaving the rifugio at Sasso Piatto

Since the massif should always be on your right-hand side, it will quickly become clear if you go wrong.

Although the ascent/descent is 1000 metres, there are no particularly tricky sections, and no special equipment is needed.

At 17.6 kilometres, the Sassolungo hike is a bit of a slog. But with many rifugios available to rest and a nice mix of uphill and downhill sections, anyone with a reasonable level of fitness should have no problem.

The most challenging section is the steep climb up to Rifugio Vicenza, which can be skipped.

HOW TO GET TO THE SASSOLUNGO HIKE

The closest town to the walk is Selva di Val Gardena, from where you can join the hike using the cable car, bus or car. We have a full guide on visiting Val Gardena to help you plan your trip.

BY CABLE CAR

Take the cable car from the centre of Selva di Val Gardena to Campioni and begin the walk from there. Please keep in mind, however, that this option will add another 2km to the walk.

BY BUS 

A public bus (471) runs from Selva di Val Gardena or Ortisei to Passo Sella – a 2,183m high pass on the SS242 road between Selva and Canazei – where the trailhead starts. Buses run around every 20 to 30 minutes.

BY CAR

From Selva di Val Gardena or Ortisei, drive to the parking lot at Passo Sella which is around 20 minutes from Selva and 40 minutes from Ortisei. The car park costs €6 for the day.

WHERE TO STAY

The best places to stay for the Sassolungo hike are Selva di Val Gardena or Ortisei. Both are set in the attractive Val Gardena with plenty of hotels, facilities and good transport links. Here are some recommendations from us.

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WHAT TO TAKE ON THE HIKE

01 – Proper hiking boots (we use something like these) are a good idea. However, there is nothing to stop you from doing the walk with any shoes – as long as they have good grip.  Hiking poles can also help to bypass some of the strain from your legs to your arms.

02 – Weather conditions on the walk can change dramatically. Make sure you take a waterproof and some warm clothes. Additionally, the walk is not in shade, so bring sunblock and a hat on hot days.

03 – There are plenty of refreshments on route as all five of the rifugios serve food and drinks. However, always carry plenty of energy-replenishing snacks and a water filter bottle.

04 – The well-marked, but make sure you have a good idea where you are going, and ideally take a physical map or download the maps from our more detailed posts onto your smartphone. 

05 – If you want to up your photography game, we highly recommend investing in good-quality ND Filters, they’ll really make your images pop. To use the filters, you’ll need a decent tripod, the Ultralight SIrui is the best we’ve come across.

BEST TIME TO HIKE SASSOLUNGO

The hiking season in the Dolomites roughly runs from June to October, depending on the weather conditions and the height of the walks you want to undertake.

The best weather is in the summer, but it is also the busiest time, and the Sassolungo walk is popular.

Another consideration is that cable cars and rifugios in the region only open in mid-June and run till the end of September / early October.

We recommend hiking the Sassolungo circuit in late June / early July or September. The snow should have gone, the crowds will be a bit lower and the cable cars and rifugios in the region will be up and running.

The views are great at all times of the day, but make sure you leave early enough so you don’t have to rush.

MORE READING FOR YOUR DOLOMITES TRIP

• See the best of the Italian Dolomites on our one-week Road Trip Itinerary
• Demystify the area with our guide to where to stay in the Dolomites.
• Hike Tre Cime di Lavaredo with our comprehensive guide.
• One of our favourite hikes with fewer visitors is Lago di Sorapis.
• Discover other incredible places in the Italian Alps.
• Pick from our favourite hikes in the Dolomites.
• Val di Funes (Villnöss) is an Instagram favourite, but there’s plenty of other great things to do.