This is the day that went vertical.
After eleven days of exploring the Dolomites, we’d saved one of the most iconic destinations for our first full day based out of Cortina: Lake Sorapis. It’s one of the only major alpine lakes in the Dolomites that boasts that jaw-dropping milky blue color you get from glacially-fed waters. Think of it like the Dolomites’ answer to the famous lakes of the Canadian Rockies — but with Italian rifugios and espresso waiting at the top.
Choosing Your Route (And Why We Skipped the Popular One)
Here’s the thing about Lake Sorapis: it’s popular. Like, really popular. You’d swear there was a highway leading up there based on the crowds. But there are actually three different routes to reach the lake, and the one you choose matters a lot.
Trail #215 (Passo Tre Croci) is what most people take. It’s marketed as the “easy” route because it has the least elevation change. But here’s the catch — it’s also extremely exposed. We’re talking sections that are only a foot wide, with significant drop-offs and cables bolted into the rock face to hold onto. Oh, and you might have to navigate oncoming traffic in those narrow spots.
Mark is not an exposure person. When we heard about those conditions, plus the fact that you need to arrive before dawn to snag parking (that lot fills up before 9 a.m. in summer), we knew we needed a different plan.
Trail #216 (Forcella Marcoira) was out too — it’s the hardest route with even more exposure.
That left us with Trail #217 from Rifugio Cristallo. Steeper? Yes. Less exposed? Also yes. Fewer people? Absolutely.
Getting There
The parking situation for Trail #217 is refreshingly simple. You’ll find a small area along SR 48, right next to a bus stop. In Google Maps, it’s labeled as “Ciclabile Auronzo-Misurina-accesso” (which I believe translates to “entrance to the cycle path”). It’s directly across the street from Rifugio Cristallo.
No pre-dawn arrival required. No circling for parking. Just pull up, gear up, and go.
The Trail: A Tale of Two Halves
When I looked at the trail map beforehand, it seemed manageable — flat to start, gradual for a while, and then… well, it shot straight up for about two miles. Ask me how long those two miles felt.
The first section was genuinely lovely. The trail meandered past a couple of private properties on a well-marked road. Nothing complicated, nothing stressful. Just an easy walk through the Italian countryside.
And then the climbing started.
When this trail decides to go up, it commits. At some points, we were scrambling up rocks on what felt like a nearly vertical pitch. It was hot. It was definitely more physically challenging than the “easy” route would have been.
But here’s why it worked for us: it wasn’t mentally challenging. Yes, we were scrambling. Yes, we were on a mountainside. But there was no real danger of falling to our doom. No narrow ledges with drop-offs. No white-knuckling cables while trying to pass other hikers. Much more palatable for the husband.
We fell into a rhythm with a few other groups of hikers, hopscotching our way up. Climb a bunch, take a break. Climb a bunch, find a shady spot. Repeat. The views along the way made every rest stop worth it.
Emerging Into the Crowds
As you round the last 100 yards and emerge from the woods at the top… suddenly there are people everywhere. All those hikers who took Trail #215 were already there, spread out around the lake like it was a beach day.
But honestly? I get it. Lake Sorapis is stunning.
It sits at the bottom of a dramatic cirque, with towering rock walls surrounding it and a distinctive spire they call “God’s Finger” reaching toward the sky. The water is that incredible glacial blue — silty and almost unreal in its color. It reminded me so much of Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park.
You’re able to hike around the lake and explore from different angles. The kids hopped out onto some of the rocks near the water’s edge. Important note: you’re not supposed to swim in the lake (they ask you not to), but that didn’t stop some folks from wading in up to their ankles and kicking up the silt. The water was milky blue in spots because of it.
Lunch at the Rifugio
Rifugio Alfonso Vandelli sits right there at the lake, and it’s a logical spot for lunch. There were actually two options — the full rifugio menu or a smaller hut selling sandwiches.
One pleasant surprise from this whole trip: nearly all the rifugios we visited accepted credit cards. We’d been carrying cash just in case, but never really needed it. (Which meant I had euros left over at the end — worse problems to have, I suppose.)
After refueling, we debated whether to continue hiking around the area or head down. The afternoon was getting on, and we had plans in town. So down we went.
The Descent
We took the same route back down — making it an out-and-back rather than a loop. The descent was fast (steep trails will do that), but it required some care. There were a few spots where I found myself butt-scooting down, reminiscent of the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead back in New Hampshire — where the trail becomes the stream becomes the rocks.
But we made it down without incident, collected the car, and headed back toward Cortina. This part of our trip required having a car for everything (unlike Val Gardena, where we used the buses extensively).
And yes, we stopped for gelato at the bottom of the hill. Twice over two days, actually. Same place both times. No regrets.
Tips & Info
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Trail #217 is ideal if: You prefer physical challenge over mental challenge. If exposure makes you nervous but you’ve got strong legs, this is your route.
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Parking: Look for “Ciclabile Auronzo-Misurina-accesso” on Google Maps, across from Rifugio Cristallo on SR 48. Much easier parking situation than the Passo Tre Croci lot.
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AllTrails link: Lago di Sorapis via Trail 217
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Bring: Plenty of water (it’s hot and steep), snacks for the climb, and cash just in case — though most rifugios do take cards.
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Don’t swim: Seriously, please don’t. The lake is fragile and the silt disrupts the ecosystem.
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Timing: We didn’t need a pre-dawn start for our route. Mid-morning worked fine.
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Expect crowds: No matter which route you take, the lake itself will be busy in summer. But Trail #217 feels much quieter on the way up and down.
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Difficulty: I’d call this solidly moderate. Very steep in sections with some scrambling, but no technical climbing or scary exposure.
Was the vertical slog worth it? Absolutely. Lake Sorapis delivered exactly what we came for — one of the most beautiful alpine lakes we’ve ever seen, earned with honest effort, and finished off with well-deserved gelato.