--- title: "Lagazuoi - Loop from Armentarola & Great War Tunnel" type: "1day-itinerary" lang: "en" distance_km: 13 elevation_plus_m: 861 elevation_minus_m: 860 difficulty: "Hard" duration_days: 1 url: "https://dolomites-guide.com/hiking-dolomites/lagazuoi/" description: "Hike the Lagazuoi from Armentarola: an 8.1-mile loop with 2,825 ft of climbing, almost 6 hours. Or ride the cable car and walk down the WWI tunnel." --- # Lagazuoi - Loop from Armentarola & Great War Tunnel The walking loop from Armentarola via the Forcella Lagazuoi, the lake and Rifugio Scotoni, or the Passo Falzarego cable car and the descent through the Great War tunnel. ## Overview There are two ways to reach the Lagazuoi. On foot from Armentarola, in Alta Badia, a 13 km (8.1 mi) loop with 861 m (2,825 ft) of elevation gain climbs to the Forcella Lagazuoi by the meditation trail, then comes back down by the Lagazuoi lake and Rifugio Scotoni: allow almost 6 hours of walking, for fit hikers. From Passo Falzarego, the cable car drops you at the top and you walk down through the Great War tunnel, headlamp and helmet on. ## Stats - Distance: 13 km - Elevation gain: 861 m - Elevation loss: 860 m - Difficulty: Hard - Duration: 1 day ## Need to know ## Map of the Lagazuoi The Lagazuoi rises between Alta Badia and Passo Falzarego: the walking loop starts from Armentarola, on the Alta Badia side, and the cable car climbs from the pass to 2,732 m (8,963 ft), just below the summit (2,778 m (9,114 ft)). The map follows this page's track, from Armentarola, between 1,656 m (5,433 ft) at the start and 2,494 m (8,182 ft) at its high point. ## Which Hiking Experience Should You Choose? **On foot from Armentarola** if you want a real day of walking, with no lift, and the lake and Rifugio Scotoni on the way back. **By the Falzarego cable car** if you are coming mainly for the Great War tunnels: the hike then comes down to a descent underground followed by half an hour of trail to the pass. ### Option #1: The Loop from Armentarola via the Forcella Lagazuoi ![The trail below the Forcella Lagazuoi, on the Alta Badia side, with the Lagazuoi lake below](/images/lagazuoi-forcella-montee.webp "The Alta Badia side of the Forcella Lagazuoi, the lake below") - **The Goal:** To walk up to the foot of the Lagazuoi, cross the Forcella and come back down by the lake and Rifugio Scotoni, without any lift. - **The Route Data:** - **Start/End:** Sciaré bus stop, in Armentarola (loop) - **How to get to the start:** By bus (see below). - **Sequence:** Meditation trail (Tru de meditaziun) via the Sass Dlacià chapel -> start of the Alta Via 1 -> steep climb to the Forcella Lagazuoi -> trail no. 20 toward the Lagazuoi lake and Rifugio Scotoni -> back to Armentarola. - **Distance:** 13 km (8.1 mi), measured on the GPX track above - **Elevation:** +861 m (2,825 ft) ascent / -860 m (2,822 ft) descent. - **Duration:** allow almost 6 hours of walking. - **The Reality:** This is a hard hike because of its elevation gain, concentrated in the climb to the Forcella. The loop follows the [Alta Via 1](/hiking-dolomites/alta-via-1/), the great traverse of the Dolomites, for about 3 km. The loop tops out at 2,494 m (8,182 ft) and does not climb up to the hut. ![The walls of the Cima Scotoni above the scree slopes, on the Alta Badia side](/images/lagazuoi-cima-scotoni.webp "The Cima Scotoni, above the Alta Badia side of the loop") Rifugio Scotoni comes at the end of the loop: it is the stop for a late lunch or a drink before the last descent. The details are on our [Rifugio Scotoni](/mountain-huts/rifugio-scotoni/) page. **Extension to Rifugio Lagazuoi:** above the loop, the last switchbacks climb from the Forcella to the cable car top station, at 2,732 m (8,963 ft); [Rifugio Lagazuoi](/mountain-huts/rifugio-lagazuoi/), the goal of this climb, is at 2,752 m (9,029 ft). The loop does not include them: add the round trip to your walking time, or ride the cable car down to Falzarego if someone is waiting for you on that side. ### Option #2: Passo Falzarego and the Lagazuoi Tunnel ![Carved steps and cable in the Lagazuoi tunnel, hikers with headlamps in the background](/images/lagazuoi-galerie-anticima.webp "The Anticima tunnel, dug during the Great War under the Piccolo Lagazuoi") - **The Goal:** To ride the cable car up, then walk back down through the Great War tunnel dug into the Piccolo Lagazuoi. - **The Route Data:** - **Start/End:** Cable car parking, Passo Falzarego (loop) - **How to get to the start:** By car to the pass, then the cable car up to 2,732 m (8,963 ft). - **Sequence:** Top station -> Anticima tunnel going down (over 1 km (0.6 mi), fully equipped with a cable) -> trail to the pass. - **Elevation:** about -630 m (2,067 ft), the height the cable car gained for you. - **Duration:** under an hour in the tunnel, then about half an hour to the pass. - **The Reality:** The tunnel has no technical difficulty, but it is damp and dark: you move slowly, one hand on the cable. This is the direction most visitors choose, and the only one that spares your legs: with children, it is the gentlest option on this page. ![Entrance to a Great War tunnel on the Lagazuoi, wooden door and sandbags](/images/lagazuoi-entree-galerie.webp "A Great War tunnel entrance on the Lagazuoi") **All on foot from the pass:** if you want the tunnel without the cable car, a loop by trails 402 and 401 and the tunnel takes 2 h 30 to 3 h for 639 m (2,096 ft) of elevation gain. It is graded EE, for experienced hikers. ![Snow-covered peaks at dusk, seen from the Lagazuoi in winter](/images/lagazuoi-crepuscule.webp "Dusk seen from the Lagazuoi, in winter") **Staying at the top:** [Rifugio Lagazuoi](/mountain-huts/rifugio-lagazuoi/) also takes overnight stays, booked online: you then walk down the tunnel at the time that suits you, without depending on the cable car. ## How Do You Get to the Start? ![Red Lagazuoi cable car cabin above Passo Falzarego, in front of the walls of the Piccolo Lagazuoi](/images/lagazuoi-telepherique-falzarego.webp "The Lagazuoi cable car, leaving from Passo Falzarego") ### Armentarola and Alta Badia The loop starts from the Sciaré stop, in Armentarola, served by bus. Lines and timetables change with the season: check them on [Südtirol Mobil](https://www.suedtirolmobil.info/) the day before. To choose your base in the valley, see our [Alta Badia hiking guide](/blog/alta-badia-corvara-hiking-guide/). The Alta Badia tourist board suggests another start, at the Saré parking lot, south of San Cassiano: its route climbs via the Capanna Alpina and Rifugio Scotoni to Rifugio Lagazuoi, then goes back down by cable car to Falzarego. It is a one-way hike of 8.3 km (5.2 mi) and 1,065 m (3,494 ft) of ascent, about 3 h 40, with the return by cable car: the [tourist board's route description](https://www.alta-badia.org/it/sport-e-tempo-libero/montagne-ed-escursioni/escursione-alpina-sul-lagazuoi/) details it step by step. ### Passo Falzarego and the Cable Car ![The Lagazuoi and Passo Falzarego seen from the trail between the Averau and the Croda Negra](/images/lagazuoi-falzarego-averau.webp "The Lagazuoi and Passo Falzarego, seen from the Averau trail") The cable car leaves from Passo Falzarego (2,109 m (6,919 ft)) and climbs to 2,732 m (8,963 ft) in under 3 minutes. The lift parking is free for the whole 2026 summer season. [Cinque Torri](/hiking-dolomites/cinque-torri/) is in the same area: the two combine easily on one trip. ## When Should You Go and How Do You Check Conditions? ### The Cable Car Season In 2026, the cable car runs from **6 June to 18 October**, with a cabin every 15 minutes: first ride up at 9:00, last ride up at 16:40, **last ride down at 17:00**. The 2027 dates are not published yet: check them on the [Lagazuoi cable car website](https://lagazuoi.it/IT/Info-Prezzi-e-info-utili-page20-Funivia-del-Lagazuoi) before you go. The loop from Armentarola does not depend on the cable car, but the last ride down matters if you add the hut and plan to go back down to Falzarego. For the tunnel, go up early: you will have time to walk through it without watching the clock. ### How to Check the Weather The loop climbs to almost 2,500 m (8,202 ft). Check the forecast for the day and give up the climb if storms are forecast. ## What Should You Bring? ![The small Lagazuoi lake at the foot of the limestone walls, on the descent toward Rifugio Scotoni](/images/lagazuoi-lac.webp "The Lagazuoi lake, on the descent of the loop") ### For the Tunnel **Helmet, headlamp and gloves:** bring them, along with good hiking boots. A headlamp is better than a handheld torch, since your other hand holds the cable. ### For the Loop from Armentarola - **Footwear:** hiking boots with ankle support, for the steep climb to the Forcella and the descent that follows. - **Water:** set off with all your water, Rifugio Scotoni only comes at the end of the loop. - **Clothing:** a windproof jacket and a warm layer for the Forcella, even in fine weather down below. - **Sun:** sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. - **Cash:** enough to pay at the hut, without counting on a card. ## Practical info - Best season: Summer, cable car open from June to October in 2026 - Accommodation: Stay at Rifugio Lagazuoi, booked online - Navigation: Marked trails, trail no. 20 on the way back; steep climb to the Forcella - Gear: Hiking boots, water; headlamp and helmet for the tunnel - Start Point: Sciaré stop, Armentarola (or Passo Falzarego) - End Point: Loop