This secret day hike has (some of) the best views of the Dolomites
Sunset on the Peitlerkofel from the Fornella Alm.
The Dolomites have become quite popular, especially in the summer season. Many of the famous highlights are heavily crowded, cable cars have big queues and parking lots are filled up. If you’re looking for a wild mountain experience, this can be a real let down. Luckily, there’s still plenty of magical places away from the masses the allow you to experience the wonders of the Dolomites in relative quietude. In this blog post I’ve described what is perhaps my favourite day hike ever, offering spectacular views and a huge variety of landscapes. As a bonus I’ve added an extra detour to a beautiful mountain hut so you can turn this into an overnight experience.
Firstly, a word of caution. Increasingly, hikers get themselves into trouble by being completely underprepared for the mountain environment. Last year was the deadliest season yet in the Italian Alps, with well over 100 recorded deaths. Don’t become part of this statistic! Always wear rugged mountain shoes or boots, bring a rainjacket and plenty of food and water. Trekking poles also come highly recommended. Make sure you have topographic hiking maps available on paper or as an offline download on your phone and obtain the latest weather forecast before you set out. I heartily recommend the Bergfex weather forecasts or the forecast of the German Alpine Club (in German). These detailed forecasts take into account the conditions higher up on the mountains, not just in the valley.
Around the Peitlerkofel
The imposing twin peaks of the Peitlerkofel as seen from the Würzjoch.
Introduction
This is perhaps one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done, with great variation in landscape and crazy views all around. From lovely meadows, enchanting forest and steep rocky trails, this hike has it all. The good thing is, it’s not even that hard! The whole hike takes some five hours of hiking and features around 600 meters of ascent and descent. You can definitely do this as a day hike, but my recommendation is to make a detour to the Schlüterhütte/Rifugio Genova and turn this into an overnight trip. I’ve described this trail running clockwise, but there’s a few steep sections at the end of the hike when descending down from the Peitlerscharte. If you’re afraid of heights or have difficulty balancing yourself on rugged mountain trails, it’s best to do this hike counter-clockwise. This way, you’ll do the steep sections in the beginning of the hike. If you find it’s not to your liking, you can always retrace your steps and do an easy day hike to Passo Göma/Gömajoch.
While this trail does not offer complete solitude, it’s still relatively unknown to the masses. On weekends and during the summer, you’ll still find plenty of people around, especially on the Peitlerscharte. It is however never as crowded as popular hikes around the Drei Zinnen or in the Seceda area. Most people you’ll meet will either speak Italian or German, with relatively few international hikers.
Description
Start the hike at the top of the Würzjoch (you can drive up or during the summer season take a bus up from Val di Funes or San Martin de Tor). Towering over the pass are the epic twin peaks of the Peitlerkofel, the mountain you’ll be walking around. Follow a broad dirt road (trail 8A) for 10 minutes uphill to Munt de Fornella (drinks and food in the summer season). From here, turn left on trail 8B to Ütia de Göma. This stretch of trail meanders through a beautiful forest with large boulders and Larch trees before emerging on the meadows of Utia de Göma (drinks and food in the summer). Continue on trail 8B as it once again enters the forest and contours around the mountainside. After 1.5 hours of hiking you’ll emerge on the epic Gömajoch/Passo Göma, with great views of the Geislergruppe and Fanes Dolomites. On a clear day, you can even spot Monte Pelmo in the distance!
Beautiful forest trail right after Munt de Fornella.
Follow trail 35 as it contours through a beautiful meadow and eventually drops down to a dirt road. Soon after you’ll pass Ütia Vaciara (drinks and food in the summer season) while the jeep track contours through a series of amazing meadows. Somehow, the views on the Geislergruppe keep improving as you progress. 1.5 hours after the Gömajoch, the dirt road ends and you’ll come upon a junction with trail 4B to the Peitlerscharte.
Rifugio Genova lies in a truly epic location. For sunrise and sunset it’s worth the extra effort to hike up to the Zendleser Kofel.
From the junction you’ll have two options. You can continue the Peitlerrunde and finish the hike or you can add an overnight stay to you hike by visiting Rifugio Genova/Schlüterhütte. If you have the time, I highly recommend the latter option as the views from the hut are amazing. You can book your overnight stay from their website. For the Schlüterhütte, follow trail 35 steeply uphill to the Kreuzkofeljoch. From there it’s just a few minutes down the other side of the saddle to find the Schlüterhütte waiting for you. The next day, retrace your steps to the Kreuzkofeljoch and follow trail number 4 to the rejoin the main route at the Peitlerscharte. The views on this stretch of trail are absolutely stunning and well worth the detour.
Epic views on the way from the Schlüterhütte to the Peitlerscharte.
If you don’t want to stop at Rifugio Genova/Schlüterhütte, follow trail 4B steeply uphill to the Peitlerscharte, some 3.5 hours into the hike. If you have the time, energy and Via Ferrata Gear, you can climb the Peitlerkofel from here. From the Peitlerkofel, follow trail number 4 as it drops steeply down on the other side of the pass. The path here is eroded and sometimes rocky in places. After some forty minutes of descending the path levels out as it contours around the steep sides of the Peitlerkofel. You soon reach a junction where trail 4 splits off to descend down the valley. Instead turn right and follow trail 8A back to Munt de Fornella. The trail here is narrow in places with some significant drop offs to the side. No problem for an experienced hiker, but if you have a bad head for heights this will be the crux of the hike. The views are incredible though, with the glaciated peaks of Austria in the distance.
After some 30 minutes of hiking, you’ll suddenly emerge on the grassy meadows of the Fornella Alm, where you’ll conclude the loop. Follow the trail all the way back the the Fornella Alm and descend back down the broad dirt road (trail 8A) to the Würzjoch to finish the hike. If it’s dinner time, consider eating the the lovely hotel Ütia de Boerz on the other side of the road. They have excellent Kaiserschmarrn!
🌄 Join Me on a Photo Tour in the Alps
Beautiful hay huts just after the Gömajoch, with the Geislergruppe in the background.
If you like this thike, why not take the next step and join me on my photo tour to the Dolomites? As well as visiting other amazing places, we’ll take two days explore the beautiful area around the Peitlerkofel to photograph the hay huts and the beautiful vistas.
On my all-inclusive photo tours, I’ll take you to my favourite hidden gems and classic viewpoints, all while teaching you everything I know about landscape photography. Thanks to my local knowledge and years of experience, you'll be in the right place at the right time—with the right composition.
🏞️ What to Expect:
✅ Stay in epic hotels and remote mountain huts, just steps away from stunning photo opportunities
✅ Discover underrated and off-the-map locations for truly unique compositions
✅ Learn how to master composition, lens selection, and light in real-world conditions
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned shooter, these tours are designed to take your photography to the next level while enjoying unforgettable views and alpine adventures.