When I search for new hikes in the Dolomites, one of the most important criteria is the views-to-effort ratio. Generally speaking, the more effort you put into the hike, the better the views you will get. However, the Col De La Puina hike will reward you with fantastic vistas without straining your legs too much! Quick and painless is what I like to call these types of hikes.
12 Things to Know About the Col De La Puina Day Hike
1. Col De La Puina hike: the stats
- Distance roundtrip – 7.6 km / 4.7 mi
- Time required – 2.5 – 3 h
- Total Ascent – 550 m / 1800 ft
- When to go: June – October
- Type of hike – out and back
- Parking – Parcheggio Rifugio Citta Di Fiume
- Trail number: 467
- Topo Map: Tabacco map no. 015
2. Where is Col De La Puina?
Col De La Puina is a ridgeline located just north of Mount Pelmo, one of the highest peaks in the Dolomites. To the east, it looks into the Fiorentina Valley and to the North into the Zoldo Valley. The nearest towns to the trailhead are Pescul and Mareson-Pecol, both ski resort towns.
TIP: Col De La Puina features on my 7-10 day autumn road trip across the Dolomites. Make sure to check it out.
Where to stay nearby
Val Fiorentina
Enjoy the quiet forest location of Hotel Ca’del Bosco in Selva Di Cadore or the mountain views and spa in Hotel Orso Grigio in Pescul.
Alleghe (My Pick)
Take a breath of fresh air from the balcony of Villa Edelweiss overlooking the turquoise lake Alleghe.
3. The map of the Col De La Puina hike
Below is the path I followed from the car park to the summit. If you want to carry a tangible topo map, I recommend picking one up in tourist stores, sports shops, or information centres all over the Dolomites. Look for the Tabacco Map no. 15
4. How challenging is the hike to Col De La Puina?
The hike is deceptively easy until the Citta di Fiume refuge, but it gets steeper and more strenuous once you step off the official trail.
Because of the second part of the trail, I would classify it as a moderately challenging hike. Luckily, the total elevation gain is only 550 meters. This isn’t much for the Dolomiti standards, making it one of the more accessible little summits to reach.
5. The best month to hike Col De La Puina
The route to Col De La Puina is passable between the summer and autumn, between June and October.
Being surrounded by valleys filled with larch trees—the only coniferous tree that changes colours and then loses its needles during the autumn season—this day hike comes to life in the second part of October.
Thanks to those trees, the path to Col De La Puina is one of my favourite autumn hikes in the Dolomites.
6. How to get to the trailhead
Getting to the trailhead by car
From Val Fiorentina
The trailhead to Col De La Puina is only a 10-minute drive by car from Selva Di Cadore or a 6-minute drive from Pescul on road number 251. Both villages are located in Fiorentina Valley.
From Val Di Zoldo
If you are coming from Mareson—Pecol in Val di Zoldo, the drive takes 13 minutes and passes over the Staulanza mountain pass.
Getting to the trailhead by bus
Bus no. 10, operated by the Dolomiti Bus company, runs between Pescul and the villages in Val di Zoldo. It starts running in approximately mid-June and continues to operate during summer.
Your exit stop will be Passo Staulanza, from where you can reach Rifugio Citta Di Fiume by hiking along path no. 472. You will get to the hut in around 45 minutes. It’s a slightly longer approach to the refuge than from the parking lot but with less elevation gain.
You can check the bus schedule here.
7. The highlights of the Col De La Puina hike
The best part of the Col De La Puina hike is the views of Mount Pelmo, which start very early. The higher you climb, the better the views get. Once you reach the summit, you will be in awe of the towering mountain right in front of you.
As mentioned before, my absolute highlight was the valleys below filled with orange and yellow Larch trees. I think my timing for this hike couldn’t have been more perfect!
Last but not least, if you happen to be there at sunset and the visibility is good, you will see the summit of Mount Antelao, the second-highest peak in the Dolomites, bathing in the last rays of sunshine.
8. Facilities along the trail
Rifugio Citta Di Fiume is the only hut along the hike to Col De La Puina, and it offers overnight stays. The hut is usually open between the third week of June and the third week of September.
You could also take advantage of their restaurant and try a few local dishes or have a cold beer after the hike. The massive walls of Monte Pelmo dwarf the refuge, and the hut was built at its foot.
I once spent a night here traversing Alta Via 1, and I remember the hut’s great atmosphere and kind staff members.
The hut belongs to the Italian Alpine Club and offers discounts to its members. For more information about the ins and outs of staying in mountain huts in the Dolomites, head to my other article.
9. Col De La Puina: short trail description
Stage 1: From the parking lot to rifugio Citta Di Fiume – 30-45 mins
From the parking lot trail no. 467 follows a gravel road to the Citta Di Fiume hut. You will mainly be hiking within the tree line, with a few glimpses into the Fiorentina valley.
A couple hundred meters before reaching the hut, the trail opens onto a grassy slope and the incredible Monte Pelmo. If you hike with a dog like me, keep it on the leash, particularly along this section, as cows and deer roam the nearby fields.
This is the easy part of the trail, with a very gentle incline. It will take 30-45 minutes to reach the hut.
Stage 2: From rifugio Citta Di Fiume to the Col De La Puina ridgeline – 45-60 mins
Once you reach the refuge, continue up path no. 467 for 10-15 minutes until you see a path veering off from the gravel road onto an unmarked trail. I will admit it cannot be easy to choose the correct trail as there are many cow-made trails beforehand.
The important information is that as soon as you veer off the path, you should follow a wide ridgeline. As you climb higher, the ridgeline gets narrower. It will help if you study my map beforehand and zoom into the satellite image of the trail.
The last hundred meters before the summit get pretty steep. Since this is an unofficial trail, there are no red-painted marks to guide you, which are always present on the official hiking paths in the Dolomites.
Stage 3: Col De La Puina to the parking lot – 60-90 mins
Since this is an out-and-back trail, you will follow the same path to return to your car.
10. What to bring and wear on a hike
Salewa Wildfire Edge Approach Shoes
My go-to pair of hiking shoes for easier trails or via ferrata, where I don’t need extra ankle support. They provide excellent grip on the rock and are very durable.
Shop on Amazon (Worldwide) / Backcountry (US)
Black Diamond Trekking Poles
I never leave on a trail without a pair of my trusted Black Diamond Carbon Z Poles. At 300 grams a pair, they are hard to compete with.
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HydraPak Hydration Bladder
There is no better way to stay hydrated on the trails than to have constant and direct access to your water without taking your backpack off. Thanks to its slim design, the hose coming out of the side of the bladder, and a magnet clip that makes the hose attachment easy, I find the HydraPak the best water bladder on the market.
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Osprey 30+ Liter Backpack
30-40 litre backpack will be more than enough to pack everything you need for a day trip in the Dolomites, with plenty of room for water and snacks and you can also use it on multiday hut-to-hut treks. I am a big fan of Osprey backpacks and currently own the Eja 38-litre. Osprey has plenty of options in this storage volume range.
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Merino Wool Socks
Merino wool fibres and their unique properties make them resistant to odours. Unlike cotton socks, merino wool socks also prevent blisters.
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11. Other hikes and places to experience nearby
- Lake Coldai day hike
- Lake Alleghe
- Via Ferrata Degli Alleghesi
- Alta Via 1
More travel and hiking resources in the Dolomites
- Photography spots in the Italian Dolomites
- Regions in the Italian Dolomites
- Itineraries for the Italian Dolomites
- Via ferratas in the Italian Dolomites
- Day hikes in the Italian Dolomites
- Hut-to-hut treks in the Italian Dolomites
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If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below!
Hi Marta, beautiful photos! Curious if you did this one for sunset or sunrise? The light on the larches looks stunning.
Hi Josh. Thank you for your lovely comment. I did it for sunset and walked back down in the dark.
Hello,
Your website is beautiful and informative.
I am going to be in the Dolmites AUg 21-23, and am looking for a moderate hike that we can come at 10 AM and still park and not have to deal with huge amounts of crowds.
Was thinking of possibly Lake Coldai _ have you hiked to the top of mount coldai as well?
Or maybe COl de la Puina.
Which would you recommend as more relaxed atmosphere in mid- AUg?
We are a family with mostly older teens who have experience hiking.
thank you
Hi Sara. Thanks for your great feedback. I would recommend staying in Val Di Fassa. There is a huge parking lot at the bottom of the Col Rodella chairlift which you can take up. from the top station you can do Sassolungo Circuit or hike to Rifugio Alpe Di Tires then down to Campitello Di Fassa via Rifugio Micheluzzi. Visit the article i linked to about val di fassa to see the hikes. If you don’t have fear of heights you could also try Piz Boe summit. Easier hikes like Monte Castellaz or Col De La Puina can be reached from Val Di Fassa by 30-60 minute drive. I hope that helps.