Back to overview

Dolomites UNESCO Nature Park Tour

MTB route in San Vigilio Dolomites - Kronplatz, Italy

Bookmark

Green meadow with rocks in front of steep mountains under blue sky

Moritz Hübner

Naturtrail

Two mountain bikers riding on a gravel trail with mountains in the background

Alex Moling

Two mountain bikers riding on a rocky trail beside a lake in the mountains

Alex Moling

Two cyclists on mountain trail near signpost in the Dolomites

Norman Bielig

Show all photos

Two cyclists sitting by a mountain lake enjoying the view

Alex Moling

Two cyclists on mountain path with cows and mountains in the background

Norman Bielig

Dolomites UNESCO Nature Park Tour

Off you go on the unique Dolomites UNESCO Nature Park circuit! The legendary single trail in the San Vigilio Dolomites - Plan de Corones region is never really difficult, but it is certainly strenuous due to its length. The impressive MTB route through the truly fabulous natural landscape is a unique opportunity to explore easily accessible high Alpine terrain.

Signature Trails Challenge

Dolomites UNESCO Nature Park Tour

If you want to experience a truly fabulous MTB tour in one of the most impressive landscapes in the Alps, you've come to the right place. Because on the MTB Singletrail Dolomites UNESCO Nature Park Tour, classic Dolomite landscapes are explored on paths as wide as a towel. High alpine impressions, long valleys and two loooong climbs await us. And with a bit of luck, the odd marmot sighting in the wild ...

With the mountain bike to the marmots

We are in the middle of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site and are travelling along narrow paths. That alone is a privilege. Only rarely do we have the opportunity to explore such easily accessible high alpine trails by mountain bike. And to discover one of the most beautiful high alpine landscapes in the Alps.

The Dolomites UNESCO Nature Park tour starts in San Vigilio
from here we follow the valley to the Pederü mountain inn - the entrance to the high plateau in the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park
from the mountain inn it's another 500 metres to the Rifugio Fanes

In the heart of the Dolomites

The first strenuous ascent is rewarded with a spectacular view: the Fanes Group surrounds us here with its impressive cliffs and plenty of history. After all, the path to the Rifugio, which is only 2,500 metres long and has 21 hairpin bends, was once blasted out of the rock by the Austrian Kaiserjäger. A reminder of inglorious times. But this history is just as much a part of the region and these mountains as the legends. the "Kingdom of the Fanes" is probably the most famous: the dispute between the aggressive male members of the Fanes royal family - the eagle people - and the peaceful female members - the marmot people - is regarded as a parable of an ancient conflict between the different patriarchal and matriarchal cultures of hunters, gatherers and the first farmers.

Mountain meadow with mountain range and yellow flowers in foreground

Skirama Kronplatz

Recharge batteries at 2,100 m

But we prefer to look ahead and enjoy the here and now: panting, we reach the Rifugio Fanes at 2,100 metres. Here we can recharge our empty batteries - and those of our bikes too. After all, given the rather impressive key data for this tour, we have opted for eBikes - and are pretty happy with this decision! Even with a little electric tailwind, the Dolomites UNESCO Nature Park tour is still challenging enough - both in terms of fitness and riding technique. After a little refreshment, we continue. "A s'udëi" echoes behind us in Ladin. An ancient language of the Alpine valleys, which is still spoken here in the heart of the Dolomites. And sounds like music to our ears.

Traverse, down & up

Our eyes and concentration are now focussed entirely on the road, as we gradually lose altitude. We descend to 1,400 metres to the pass road that connects Cortina d'Ampezzo with Dobbiaco. We stop briefly to watch the hustle and bustle: Tourists, locals, vintage cars, motorbikes and racing bikes either fight their way up the mountain or take it easy. A surreal sight after our time as hermits at the top. So we have nothing against another ascent - this time to over 2,000 metres.

A coffee on the historic Hochalm

From here, we can see the other side of the mountain and thus our previous route. We have to pause again because we are so impressed by the alpine landscape and the peaks all around us. Also of our further route:

down to the Rifugio Fodara Vedla
Time for a short coffee break on the beautiful historic high alpine pasture
then down a historic path to Pederü and back to San Vigilio

On the leisurely ride out of the valley, we can reflect on this long day of biking - a day of breathtaking panoramas, local delicacies and ancient legends. We encountered marmots, chamois and golden eagles. And after the region's pure spring water, we finish off with a well-earned GA Beer from Europe's highest microbrewery.

Good to know about the MTB singletrack

Here you’ll find additional tips and practical information about the trail. Discover great photo spots, useful insider tips and further details to help you plan your trail day in the region.

Worth knowing

The Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park shows the typical Dolomite landscape at its best: rugged peaks and walls, diverse flora and fauna and beautiful, deep blue lakes.

Insider tip

If you want to enjoy the colourful season in the Dolomites in autumn, you shouldn't miss out on enjoying the sunrise on the Maurerberg. An unforgettable panorama with breathtaking colours awaits you.

Photo point

The Fanes waterfalls are definitely worth a picture.

Otherwise, it is the high alpine views in particular that can be found here in abundance.

View the singletrack on the map & navigate

Open the MTB trail on Komoot to view the full trail line on the map, find the trailhead more easily and stay oriented along the way. You can also save the trail for later and use it as a GPX file on your GPS device or navigation app.

Mountain bike hotels for your trail holiday

Want to include this singletrack in your mountain biking holiday? Here you’ll find suitable Mountain Bike Holidays hotels in the region that make a great home base for your days on the bike. Discover specialist MTB hotels and plan your rides, trails and other mountain biking experiences from there.