12 Wonderful family hikes in the Dolomites you’ll love
A selection of wonderful family friendly hikes in the Dolomites perfect for an active summer in the mountains with kids!
There are so many beautiful family hikes in the Dolomites that writing a comprehensive list of all of them is an impossible task.
I know, because I tried!
I have been vacationing on the Dolomites all my life and I have gone on uncountable hikes, both when I was a child myself and now with my kids.
There are many more hikes for me to take and even more buggy-friendly walks that are not hikes as such but allow families to see beautiful mountain scenery with little ones.
So in the end, I opted for a selection, carefully curated to present to you the family hikes I consider the very best!
These are the best family hikes in the Dolomites we did, those that really stood out for us and we never tire of doing.
Good to know! If heading to the Dolomites with family, you may also enjoy:
- Best places to visit on the Italian Dolomites
- Tips for visiting the Dolomites with kids
- Tips for first time family hikers
- Day hike packing list for kids and parents
How to use this list of family hikes in the Dolomites: need to know!
These are all hikes and require hiking footwear for kids as well as adults and willingness to walk.
I have first-hand experience of taking them with kids however, as you will see from the duration of some of them, they are not all leisurely strolls.
Many of these are full-on mountain trails so I recommend to only tackle the longer ones once you are happy your kids are ok on the trail and have the right equipment.
If you prefer shorter walks, the area also has buggy-friendly and toddler-friendly walks such as the walk around Lake Misurina, Lake Dobbiaco and some paths around Lake Braies as well as many easy walks to local restaurants that follow paved roads.
In this list of family hikes in the Dolomites, I tried to mix a little bit of everything so you can pick your favorite option based on the age of your kids and energy levels on the day.
Top tip! id you are planning a trip to the area and are looking for more first-hand tips, join my free Facebook group ‘travel Italy with kids’ – you will find me and tons of helpful parents happy to share all our best finds!
12 Fabulous family-friendly hikes in the Dolomites
Forest walk from Sesto to Val Fiscalina
The walk between the town of Sesto and Val Fiscalina is family friendly and beautiful.
The starting point is in Sesto town center and the walk is a mix of paves road, easy white road and mountain trail.
While the trail is kid-friendly, part of the path is rather narrow and therefore not suitable for strollers – I highly recommend you bring a toddler carrier if you are tackling this walk with a little one!
The trail leads you across the village first, then across a forest, finally opening up onto a wonderful lawn: it then arrives in Val Fiscalina where you find stunning views, a choice of 2 bestows and a bus stop, should you decide to make your way back on wheels.
This is a stunning family walk and one of the best hikes for kids on the Dolomites of Sesto.
Top tip! You can easily combine this family hike with the one below and reach the very end of Val Fiscalina.
Fondovalle Val Fiscalina
This is a very short, easy flat hike along the valley floor of Val Fiscalina.
You start from the parking space outside the Dolomitenhof hotel and follow a large path towards the bottom of the mountains at the end of the valley, along beautiful trees.
The path is popular and accessible but it is also the starting stretch to several hikes in the area so even if you don’t go up yourself, you will easily hear amazing stories from higher up, from those who are at the end of their hike!
- Startin Point: Val Fiscalina Car Park
- Duration: 30 mins
- Difficulty: easy
- Buggy friendly: yes
- Views of Val Fiscalina and Meridiana di Sesto (Sexten Sundial)
Nature walk around Lake Dobbiaco
Another fantastic family walk in the Dolomites even little kids can tackle is the nature walk around Lake Dobbiaco.
The walk is a loop path that circles the lake, it takes less than an hour to complete and it has several info points and stations for kids to learn and play with nature.
The views are absolutely stunning here and while grown up won’t feel any tiredness in their legs after this easy walk, the eyes will be rewarded by out of this world scenery!
The starling point is Lake Dobbiaco car park and the path is stroller friendly. I recommend you equip your kids with hiking shoes to protect them from dirt and puddles however, the path does not pose difficulties nor requires any specific equipment.
Kid-friendly cafes and restaurants are on the northern shores of the lake. Pedal boats are available for rent for extra fun.
You can find our full guide to Lake Dobbiaco with kids here.
Rif. Larici on Mt Elmo
The walk to Rif Larici is lovely and kid friendly. The best way to get here is to drive to the hotel Panorama and walk from there.
The path is large and easy, buggy friendly (bring an all terrain stroller for this area) and the hut on arrival lovely, with nice slopey lawns for the kids
Longer option! If you want an extra stretch of legs you can keep going up to the Rif Gallo Cedrone at the very top of Mount Elmo.
Top tip for families! You can also do this walk downhill! Take the cable car to the top of Monte Elmo, have a snack at Gallo Cedrone and walk down via the Larici hut. It is a long walk but easy ans the views are great!
- Starting Point: Hotel Panorama, Monte di Mezzo (Sesto Pusteria)
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: easy
- Views over Sesto and the Sundial, forest views
Olperl Mountain playground and Rif. Gallo Cedrone
One of the best places you can visit with kids on the Dolomites is the wonderful Olperl Park.
Perched on top of Mount Elmo, the park is a mountain playground and kids trail that is simply fantastic for any age.
You reach it by the handy Sesto Cable car (a 6 minute scenic ride) and it is a place where you can easily spend the day.
On arrival, you quickly see the beautiful mountain playground with swings, sandbox and small mountain farm and, from there, you have the option of walking the Olperl trail.
I highly recommend you do!
The trail is stroller friendly but also a sensory path, meant to be experienced barefoot! The trail takes about an hour to complete, poses no difficulties and has many resting stations.
if offers stunning views and it a great sensory experience for kids and adults alike!
The Mount Elmo restaurant is at the start/end of the loop.
If you feel like walking a little more, you can also walk the easy path to Rifugio Gallo Cedrone.
Rif Gallo Cedrone is at the top of Mount Elmo in Sesto Pusteria and it is a great place to hike to with kids as is just a short walk away from the Sexten Cable car arrival station!
The walk here from the cable car only takes about 20 minutes, but the views are stunning and it is a perfect choice for families who want to see beautiful mountain scenery but cannot commit to a long hike.
- Starting Point: Rif Gallo Cedrone, easily reached with the cable from Sesto.
- Duration: 3 hours
- Difficulty: easy / moderate just due to its duration
- Views on Sesto, Moso, Croda Rossa and Sexten Sundial
Top tip! If you have older kids, you can easily walk down from Gallo Cedrone back to Sesto. If you follow the road, it will take about 2 hours and you will have the option of stopping at the pretty Larici Hut. If you take the trail, it will take a little less but be careful: the path is very steep and not suitable for small kids or if walking with a baby carrier. Take the road!
Alpe di Nemes – one of the best family hikes in the Dolomites for rural charm
The walk to Alpe di Nemes takes a couple of hours each way so it is suitable for kids with hiking experience but it is easy and beautiful.
The first part is in the forest and the second part on boardwalks which is nice and keeps the path varied.
On arrival, the kids are rewarded by the many animals who live here and lovely homemade food!
This is a wonderful walk for a nature scavenger hunt as it passes through the woods and then along boardwalks on wetlands, so you see quite a varied wildlife and bugs.
- Duration: 2h linear path
- Stroller friendly: no
- Difficulty: technically easy/moderate effort due to length and some elevation gain
Good to know: If you have older kids or teens, you may want to stretch to Malga Klambach, farther up on the mountain. The hike is steep at times and they will be tired from the stretch before however, the views are worth it! Suitable for older kids and teenagers especially.
Campo di Dentro – Family walk to Rif Tre Scarperi
This is a very easy and beautiful walk that brings you to Rif Tre Scarperi in Val di Dentro.
The walk is busy and perfect even for young kids as it follows a large and well-kept path and doesn’t take long to complete.
This makes it also very popular so if you are looking for a hike with a destination where to find other kids and make friends, this is a good one!
Once you arrive you have a lovely mountain hut with stunning lawns and many friendly cows!
- Staring point: parking lot in ‘Campo di Dentro’, outside San Candido
- Difficulty: easy
- Duration: 30 mins from the upper parking spot
You can find our full review of this hike plus tips on what road to take and how to use the shuttle in our article about Rifugio Tre Scarperi
Croda Rossa chairlift or from Val Fiscalina
The Croda Rossa is one of the most popular destinations for family hikes in the area as you can reach a wonderful mountain hut either by charlift from Moso or with a beautiful yet steep hike from Val Fiscalina.
If you decide to hike, you can expect to walk up in a couple of hours among the woods, until the moment when you pass the tree line and lawns, peaks and a welcoming Rifugio opens up in front of you!
- Starting point: Croda Rossa Chairlift Moso or Val Fiscalina Parking area
- Duration: 2h linear path from Val Fiscalina
- Difficulty: moderate/hard (the path is climbs most of the way)
Rifugio Lavaredo and Forcella Lavaredo from Rifugio Auronzo
If you want to see the mighty Three Peaks of Lavaredo but don’t want or cannot commit to a long hike, then a family walk to Rifugio Lavaredo is for you.
This Rifugio is easy to reach from Rifugio Auronzo: from the Auronzo parking, it only takes 20-30 mins to reach the Lavaredo hut and the path is easy and scenic.
The trail is while but large and mostly flat and it is stroller friendly.
The Lavaredo HUt is usually a pit stop on the way to higher spots however, it has a wonderful terrace, hot foot and stunning views: with kids, a fantastic place to get a taste of high mountains without the effort!
From here, you also have the option to walk 15 further minutes up and reach Forcella Lavaredo: there is not food here but you catch stunning views over the Three Peaks – the main road up is suitable for kids but a little steep to be comfortable with a stroller.
A hiking carrier here is better.
Rif Locatelli from Rif. Auronzo – one of the most scenic family hikes in the Dolomites for kids of school age and up
Rif Locatelli is the mountain hut from where you snap the iconic photo of the Three Peaks of Lavaredo and it is surprisingly easy to reach with kids.
The easiest and most child friendly way is to drive to Rif. Auronzo from Misurina, and walk from there.
The hike takes a couple of hours.
The first part is along the Three Peaks and offers stunning views of them and the Auronzo Valley below: this first part quickly gets to the Rif Lavaredo, which is a lovely destination itself for younger kids and offers hot food.
From here, you have a steep stretch to the Lavaredo Saddle (short and not difficult but quite a climb!) and then the path continues more or less at the same altitude until the hut.
Overall the hike takes a couple of hours to get to the hut (linear route) and due to the duration, it is suitable for older kids with some hiking experience.
- Starting point: Parking of Rif. Auronzo, at the end on the scenic road from Misurina
- Buggy friendly: no, only the very first part
- Difficulty: moderate
Rif. Comici from Val Fiscalina (family hile for teenagers)
If you have older kids with hiking experience, you can walk this beautiful trail climbing up from Val Fiscalina to Rif Comici Mountain Hut.
This is a steep hike with 800mt elevation gain and takes a good 3h to get to the top and 2.5h to come back down.
The trail doesn’t pose special difficulties but it is pretty intense as almost entirely uphill so it is only advisable if you have a reasonable level of fitness and older kids who can take a challenge.
I recommend it for families with teenagers and would advise against using a carrier due to the steep nature of the trail.
- Starting Point: Val Fiscalina Car park
- Duration: 3h, linear path
- Difficulty: hard (800 mt elevation gain, the path is steep most of the way)
- Stroller friendly: no
Rif. Fonda Savio Mountain hut (moderate/strenuous)
Rif Fonda Savio is a wonderful mountain hut surrounded by the stunning Monti Cadini (Cadini peaks), which is a wonderful, wild, rocky landscape.
The hike takes a couple of hours each way and has some steep parts however, it poses no major difficulties and the view are out of this world beautiful. Suitable for older kids with some hiking experience and teenagers.
- Starting point: parking space along the road to the Auronzo Hut at the Three Peaks.
- Buggy friendly: no
- Type of terrain: mountain trail, constant slope up
- Time needed: about 1.5h each way, linear path
Bonus hike! Locatelli- Pian di Cengia- Comici Trail (this is a hard hike, but stunning, good for teenagers)
Older kids and teenagers may love the hike that goes on from Rif. Locatelli and goes down to Val Fiscalina via Rif. Pian di Cengia and Rif. Comici.
This is a very long hike only really doable with older kids who are used to exercise (I would say 10 and up at least) but it is stunning and the type of hike they will talk about for ever!
The easiest way to tackle this hike is to drive to the Rif. Auronzo and then go to Rif Locatelli (2h), Pian di Cengia (1.5hours), Comici (1h) and down (2h).
We usually tackle this hike in two groups: younger kids and some of the adults reach Locatelli Hut only then drive to the collection point while the more adventurous go on the hike.
- Starting point: Parking lot pf Rif Auronzo.
- Duration: 6h+
- Difficulty: hard
I hope you enjoyed this overview of our favorite family-friendly hikes in the Dolomites and will help you plan your trip. Safe travel planning!
