Home›Dolomites›Col Raiser to Seceda Hike

Col Raiser to Seceda Hike

This loop trail, which starts at Col Raiser, leads to the 2,519-meter-high summit of Seceda, located at the western end of the Odle group. The view from the summit is one of the most iconic in the Dolomites. The silhouette of the Odle rises like a sloping blade plunging toward the Val di Funes, while the eye is drawn into the distance toward the Sassolungo, the Sella, and the Alpe di Siusi.

Seceda is a very popular site. The summit ridge is accessible by cable car from Ortisei and is crowded with visitors during the day. Access to the most spectacular viewpoint now even requires a fee. However, these crowds remain confined to the ridge itself. The ascent from Col Raiser and the return via the alpine pastures are much more peaceful.

Remarks

Col Raiser Cable Car: The hike begins at the top of the Col Raiser cable car, which departs from Santa Cristina and is open from late May to late October. Indicative price in 2026: €34 round-trip per person. Check the operating hours on the official website, colraiser.it.

Parking: available at the base of the Col Raiser cable car for a fee (approximately €1.50 per hour for the first three hours, then a sliding scale).

Description and difficulties of the hike

From the top of the Col Raiser cable car (2,100 m), follow trail 4A toward Fermeda and Seceda. The start is easy and almost flat on a wide path that crosses alpine pastures dotted with small huts. You will quickly switch to trail 2, which begins the ascent to the summit. Then, you will switch to trail 1A, which climbs more steeply up the slopes of Seceda.

The summit ridge, where the Ortisei cable car also terminates, is crowded with visitors during the day. Access to the most spectacular viewpoint, the "postcard view" of the Odle, now requires a fee (since 2025): a €5 turnstile installed by the landowners. An alternative trail allows you to bypass this section and offers a nearly equivalent panorama just a few meters further on.

From the summit, briefly follow trail 1 before joining trail 2B, which runs along the southern faces of the Odle peaks. This section is significantly less crowded and offers a close-up view of the massif's vertical walls. It provides a return to tranquility after the crowds at the summit. The trail passes the Pieralongia Refuge and branches off onto trails 13B and 13 for the descent to the Firenze Refuge, the lowest point of the loop. The return to Col Raiser is via trail 4 through meadows and pastures.

What you'll love

The legendary view of the Odle: the knife-edge silhouette of the Odle group (Sass Rigais and Fermeda) from Seceda is one of the most photographed panoramas in the Dolomites.
The mountain huts along the route that offer a chance to enjoy a gourmet break and sample South Tyrolean cuisine.
The peaceful return journey through alpine pastures dotted with small chalets and wooden huts.