This hike to Lago di Sorapsis, a stunning blue lake is an absolute must do if you’re visiting the Dolomites. A 2 hour moderate/tough hike from the nearest road it’s a hidden gem and less popular than the more accessible Tre Cime. If you like hiking then make sure you add this to your list!
Here’s all you need to know about hiking to Lago di Sorapsis.
Lago Di Sorapsis round trip at a glance
Distance: 10.8km
Time needed: 4-5 hours
Difficulty: Moderately difficult, the trail is quite steep and there are some narrow passages which can be slippery across the rocks but there is a rope attached to help you.
How to get there
The trailhead start is a 15 minute drive from Cortina d’Ampezzo. Just past the B&B Hotel Passo Tre Croci, you’ll see a stretch of road and you can park along the side here. You’ll the start of the path heading into the woods further down the road. We got here at 7:30am and there were already quite a few cars so a best to get here earlier as I can imagine that parking spots will be difficult to find later in the day.
The Lago di Sorapsis hike itself
The trail begins just slightly further down the road from the B&B, the path starts as relatively flat and winds through the trees and you’ll end up passing 2 caves (natural toilets littered with toilet paper). Continue along the path, and you’ll reach a point where the trail forks, with an upper and lower path, take the lower path as the upper path is not as well defined and you’ll do more scrambling and end up coming down a very steep bit.
The view is amazing as you’re hiking and you’ll want to take pictures with every step. You’ll find yourself crossing small waterfalls. The trails continues to climb and does get quite sttep. At some points you’ll need to walk along narrow stretches of path but there are ropes attached to the rock face for you to hold onto. There are also some stairs that you have to climb at some point. Keep going as it is well worth it!
Continue following the signs for Sorapsis and that will take you to the lake. You’ll know you are getting closer when you have to cross the timber bridges and soon your eyes will be met with bright blue water.
The colour of the lake is honestly unbelievable, it is so beautiful and will make you want to move to the Dolomites. Once at the lake, obviously take all the picture, and make sure you do walk around the lake as there are some great picture spots along the way.
Time to go back
You can take a slightly different longer route back however we took the same route back to the car park. It is definitely worth starting this hike earlier as on the way back we saw so many people climbing up the steep bit and there are some points along the path where there’s only space for one person as you have to climb over the rocks and so it would be really annoying to have to wait in a queue of people.
This is one of my favourite ever hikes and would absolutely recommend it! If you’ve been to Canada it really reminds me of Joffre Lakes although there is only one lake here.
Top Tips
- Bring layers including fleece and a waterproof jacket
- Snacks or lunch depending on how long you want to stay at the lake
- Suncream
- Water
- phone/camera
- Hiking boots & socks
- Start early!!!
For more ideas on what to do in the Dolomites have a look at my 3 day hiking itinerary here.
