The tunnel system within Monte Lagazuoi created during World War I, known as the Lagazuoi tunnels, is one of the most extensive in the Dolomites. Thanks to a European Union grant it’s one of the safest, most well-preserved, and most educational hikes you can do around here.
Everything to know about the Lagazuoi Tunnels Hike
1. What are the Lagazuoi Tunnels?
The area around Monte Lagazuoi was a fierce battleground between Italian and Austria-Hungarian troops before and during World War I.
The story behind the tunnels’ engineering is incredibly shocking and intriguing. A group of soldiers just guesstimated which direction to go, mined the tunnels until they saw sunlight, judged their location, and repeated the process.
Tunnel collapses were common, and dust inhalation due to lack of ventilation was a huge problem. Still, the strategic advantage of Passo Falzarego was so significant that the sacrifice of a few lives didn’t matter. Today, the tunnels serve as a museum site that reminds visitors of the atrocities of the war.
2. Lagazuoi Tunnels Hike: The stats
- Distance one way: ca. 3km / 2 mi
- Walking time one way: 1.5-2 hours
- Type of hike: Challenging
- Elevation gain: 673 m / 2200 ft
- When to go: June – October
- Map: Tabacco 03 (Dolomiti Ampezzane)
3. How to get to the Lagazuoi tunnels trailhead?
The trail starts directly on the Falzarego mountain pass, which lies 15 kilometres (ca. 9 mi) west of Cortina D’Ampezzo or 15 kilometres southeast of the town of San Cassiano in Alta Badia.
By car
It takes around 20 minutes to get to the pass from either of the towns. The drive involves many hairpin turns on sometimes narrow roads. A large parking area is right beneath the Cable Car going up to Monte Lagazuoi, where you can park for the hike.
TIP: If you need to hire a car, try Discover Cars, the best rental car search engine on the Internet.
By bus
- From San Cassiano take bus no. 465. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes. Check the bus schedule on the Sued Tirol Mobil site.
- From Cortina D’Ampezzo take bus no. 030 to Passo Falzarego. Check the Moovit app to view the timetable.
4. What equipment should be brought on the Lagazuoi tunnels hike?
The tunnels are dark, cold, and sometimes very narrow. It would help if you took a decent head torch with extra batteries, a helmet, and a good pair of climbing gloves.
The route within the tunnels can be steep at times, and the use of a handrail makes for an easier ascent. However, you will need gloves to protect your hands from abrasions. As it is cold and wet inside the tunnels, make sure to also have some extra layers with you.
5. Lagazuoi Tunnels Trail Description
The route starts on path no. 402. A wide gravel path begins at the far end of
the parking lot. The first 20 minutes of ascent are on scree switchbacks. The initial views are lovely, and I’d advise you to breathe them in because soon you’ll be underground.
When the path reaches a fork, the route to the tunnels goes to the left. Don’t worry; it’s well-signposted. Once you reach the tunnel entry, put on your helmet and your head torch.
The tunnels are very well signposted to prevent hikers from getting lost. Several different routes and vantage points can be taken, and informative placards adorn the most striking features, such as former sleeping quarters, lookouts, and the mistakes soldiers made when mining their way through.
The tunnels inside the mountain are sometimes at a 45-degree angle, and the old wooden relics can still be admired alongside new safety grids and supports. The tunnels are now well-ventilated and regularly checked for safety.
You can tackle the route in roughly 90 minutes, but if you’re a keen history buff and want to read every single sign, then it could easily take over 2 hours. Once you emerge from the tunnels, the rest of the route up to Rifugio Lagazoui is up a few switchbacks along former WW1 trenches.
The Lagazuoi hut is only 5 minutes away from the top gondola station. This is a fantastic spot for a luxury dining experience. Its views are remarkable, and I couldn’t stress an overnight stay more.
Another 15 minutes up from the refuge will lead you to the summit of Piccolo Lagazuoi, the highest point of the loop. Here, you can enjoy views of classic Dolomiti sheer rock faces and peaks in all directions.
6. Possible descend routes
I do not recommend going back down the same way you came. Going down the tunnels is significantly more complicated than going up. To descend to Passo Falzarego, you can take one of these two routes. Both will take around 90 minutes.
Via ferrata Kaiserjäger
One of the descent routes from the summit of Monte Lagazuoi is Sentiero Dei Kaiserjäger. Some stretches along this route can make those with vertigo quite uncomfortable.
Sections of cable are readily available for those with Via Ferrata equipment
or for those who want to hold onto something professionally secured.
After the scenic suspension bridge along the Sentiero dei Kaiserjäger, the hardest part of the route is a downclimb of a few meters followed by a ladder. After this, it’s plain sailing, continually switchbacking until you reach the car park at the bottom of the cable car station.
Again, if you aren’t the most surefooted or new to hiking, I suggest you pack Via Ferrata equipment. It’s better to have it and not need it than vice versa.
Through Travenanzas saddle
The easier route back to Passo Falzarego is down path 401 to Forcella Travenanzes and then down path 402 along a ski slope to the pass.
7. Staying overnight in Rifugio Lagazuoi
As mentioned previously, Rifugio Lagazuoi is one of the most photogenic huts in the Dolomites. The hut lies along the Alta Via 1 traverse, but you can also visit it as a day guest or book an overnight stay. This way, you will experience not only the tunnels, but also sunset and sunrise at Rifugio Lagazuoi and the nearby summit of Piccolo Lagazuoi.
TIP: If you do plan on staying overnight, then send your bag up
with the cable car for a few euros, hike up through the tunnels, and then pick up the bag at the top of the cable car station. This way, you can hike with only the essentials, which will make up for a more enjoyable trip.
8. Where to stay in Cortina D’Ampezzo
Other hikes and via ferratas near Cortina
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!
Really love all of your guides, helps us a lot! We are currently in the Dolomites and just did two of your hikes.
Unfortunately, an old IT band injury is playing up so going down is difficult for me right now. Could we ascent through the tunnels and go down with a cable card you think?
Thanks!
Hi Lian. I am probably late with my reply because I am currently roaming the Dolomites too 🙂 I imagine you already did the hike and came back down with a cable car. Yes it is definitely possible to do. I hope your back is better.
I noticed that you did not recommend going down the tunnels. Why is that? The Cicerone Alta Via 1 book includes the variant to go down the tunnels. Thank you!
Hi Vanessa. I recommend going up the tunnels because it is easier than going down. They are narrow and you often have to bend down. If you already went once through the tunnels I don’t see a reason repeating the journey again. You can instead choose to see beautiful mountain views around Passo Falzarego and pick a different route to return to the car/bus. I hope that helps!
Thank you very much for your reply, Marta! Ciao!
Hi Marta,
We will be visiting Lagazuoi by the end of January. Do you know if it is possible to enter the tunnels during the winter period?
Hi Max, to be honest I don’t know. If i were to guess I would have said they are not open, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it. The first part of the hike is a ski slope so you would be hiking where people are skiing. The gondola will be open though if the view from Lagazuoi are what you are after.
Hi Marta —
I’d love to try the tunnels but I’m wondering how narrow they are. In general I do not like enclosed spaces so this would take every ounce of guts I have to attempt this. Earlier this year I experienced the glow worm caves in New Zealand but that was with a guide and I made it through without a heart attack. Are the tunnels narrow enough to stand upright? Are there any points where one would have to get on his/her hands and knees or on one’s belly to get through? And can you please comment on the safety of these tunnels? Thanks so much for your fabulously informative website!!
Hi Lori, the tunnels are quite big. You never have to crawl through them. They were created to accommodate the soldiers for extended periods of time. While you can’t always stand upright in them, most of them time you actually do. The tunnels are quite busy too, so you will never be alone in them. As for the safety. It is a big tourist attraction so they are checked on a regular bases, but 100% safety is never guaranteed anywhere. I hope that helps!
Hello
Is the route up to the car park suitable for a motorhome please? If so, is overnighting in the car park allowed?
Thanks very much
Jon
Hi Jon. Yes you can reach the Falzarego Pass with a Motorhome. It is a windy road, but it is two lane. I drove my campervan all over the Dolomites. Overnighting at that carpark in a campervan is generally not allowed, but some people do stay there overnight. You can also book a night at the Lagazuoi hut which you can reach with the cable car.
Are guides recommended for this hike?
Hi Luke. If you have zero hiking experience then you can hire a guide in Cortina, however this is a very well walked and busy trail with plenty other people along the way. If you have lots of hiking experience then hiring a guide might be a waste. It is something you have to decide as you know your abilities best.
If I want to hike Lagazuoi…. I see you gave 2 options to go down. Will these 2 options bring me to the same parking lot i left my car to start Lagazuoi hike?
Hi Nathalie. Yes they both will take you back down to Passo Falzarego.