Lago Di Sorapis Dolomites Hike Guide
Lago di Sorapis is a popular hike located outside of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites of Northern Italy. The almost fake looking turquoise lake is accessed by a 4 mile walk from Passo Tre Croci. This hike can be tackled year round but is commonly hiked June – October when snow has melted and accessibility is much easier. Lago di Sorapis is family friendly and a great hike for all skill levels.
Lago Di Sorapis Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Lago Di Sorapis
Lago Di Sorapis Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Distance: 8 Miles / 12.8KM RT
Elevation Start: 5,585ft / 1700m
High Point: 6,484ft / 1,976m
Total Elevation Gain: 1,612ft / 491m
Estimated Time to Complete: 4-5 Hours RT – Could be much faster without big crowds
Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 2 – What does this mean?
Season: June – October – Expect snow outside of these months
Directions to Lago Di Sorapis
Trailhead: Paso Tre Croci
Getting Here: From Cortina d’Ampezz, take SR48 for about 9km to the top of Passo Tre Croci.
Parking: There is a small parking area at the trailhead, but most cars will just park along the road. If there are no spots here, you could try parking at Parcheggio per Sorapis just a little walk from the TH.
Fee: None
Summary
Dogs: This is a dog friendly hike but extremely popular so be sure to keep your dog on a leash and pick up after them.
Lodging: We stayed at the B&B Hotel Passo Tre Croci which was fantastic, especially for this hike. Alternatively, you could stay in the many hotels down in Cortina.
Trail X Factors: Crowds
This hike is extremely popular and will often see hundreds of hikers on any given day, especially during summer months. While the crowds can take away from seclusion, they can really slow down a hike as well. We probably could have been done in about 3 hours if it were not for the large bottlenecks on the trail. There are parts of the Lago Di Sorapis hike that are so narrow it’s very hard to pass. If you are looking to move quickly or trail run – be sure to hit this one in off hours.
Hike Tip(s): After you arrive at the lake, take some time to explore all of the beautiful spots around it. If you have the energy, I would highly recommend a hike up the pass behind the lake to get some unique views and much more seclusion. Take your time to explore all of the areas around this beautiful lake, its well worth it.
Best Views: The entire thing. A+ views from start to finish, really. At the lake itself, my favorite spot was hiking up the pass a bit so that I could see the mountains in the background with the full lake (see photos below).
Lago Di Sorapis Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- Backpack (Summer)
- Food & Water
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles – 125CM
- Optional: Headlamp
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, GoPro 360
- Optional: Drone
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Our Trip to Lago Di Sorapis: August 2022
Jackie and I had spent the last several days in Italy with long days and via ferrata. We were having a blast but also felt a bit run down. Since our hotel was literally right next to the Lago Di Sorapis trailhead, we decided to sleep in, eat a proper breakfast and start hiking later in the morning.
We walked to the TH and started the hike up to the lake. It was pretty clear that we were going to be dealing with crowds all day but credit to myself, I really didn’t even complain! I was just so happy to be outside in such a beautiful part of the world exploring a new area. Jackie tends to gravitate towards lake hikes and I always don’t like the sound of them on paper but end up loving them once we arrive at the final destination.
The hike up to Lago Di Sorapis started fairly mellow on a wide dirt road but quickly turned to singletrack trail and an increase in elevation gain. As we started to climb more, the crowds started to build and in many sections it was hard to move without stopping from the other people in front of you. The trail worked up some minor steel steps, through some narrower ledges and eventually we reached the lake. It was out of a movie. Looked almost fake, the water was just SO blue! This was easily the most beautiful lake I had ever seen in my life.
We spent a lot of time around Lago Di Sorapis soaking in the views, taking pictures and filming. It was truly hard to leave. While Jackie took a quick nap, I hiked a bit up the pass to get a new perspective of the lake and it was well worth it. The hike back to the hotel went much more quickly and we even mixed in some trail running! Overall, this was an A++ spot even with the crowds and I would easily revisit.
