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The Bike region Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi presents a range of routes for all abilities. The special feature of this bike region is its altitude - the 30 routes are located between 700 and 2450 metres.
Surrounded by the Dolomite peaks of Sassolungo and Sassopiatto lies one of the largest and most beautiful high alpine pastures in Europe - here the routes mostly run along forest and meadow paths.
To get an insight into the variety and peculiarities of the trails in the bike paradise Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi, the website www.mtb-dolomites.com online. Here you can find characteristics, tour data, roadbooks, altitude profiles, GPS data and other interesting and useful information about the individual routes in the Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi bike paradise. The portal has been designed to be extremely user-friendly and contains important information about the area, mountain bike schools, hire points, offers and holiday packages.
Val Gardena, the holiday valley in the heart of the Dolomites - UNESCO World Heritage Site
The villages of Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva Gardena (only 8 km apart from each other) offer a wealth of sporting, traditional, artistic and cultural activities as well as a wonderful natural setting.
As an internationally renowned skiing and hiking area, Val Gardena is the holiday region for the trend-conscious, active and sporty holidaymaker. The Ladin culture is firmly anchored in the population through the spoken language, the art of wood carving and the living customs. Hospitality and fine cuisine have a centuries-old tradition in Val Gardena, and it's well worth getting to know them! The "Kingdom of the Pale Mountains" is also becoming increasingly popular with cycling enthusiasts. In addition to the magnificent scenery, the region around Val Gardena offers a variety of mountain bike tours, not just for professionals. There are routes for all abilities: connoisseurs, active sports enthusiasts and summiteers all get their money's worth. The passes of the Dolomites have always been a great challenge for bikers.
Selected MTB tours around Val Gardena/Gröden
Medium-difficulty tours
SELLAJOCH & STONE CITY
The Sella Pass with its stunning panorama of the Dolomites and the ruins of the stone city at the foot of the Sassolungo are magical attractions for skiers, hikers and mountain bikers. This destination can be experienced particularly intensely by those who have made their way up from Val Gardena using their own muscle power. The ascent in the upper section just before the stony town is a real treat, even if it is briefly steep. The route through the stone town to the Rifugio Comici offers great riding fun on the trails directly below the mighty Sassolungo. The Rifugio Comici offers the perfect refreshment stop, where even gourmets get their money's worth. The long and varied descent back to Selva Gardena rounds off this short but very worthwhile tour.
From the tourist office in Selva di Val Gardena, you can warm up perfectly on the gently ascending former railway line. You then follow the pass road, which is busier in the season, for just under 2.5 kilometres to Plan de Gralba. There is no sensible alternative for mountain bikers here. However, the less than 200 metres in altitude are quickly covered, and from Plan de Gralba the ascent becomes noticeably steeper towards the Sella Pass. At first, the path runs along a gravel road, but then turns into a wonderful narrow trail with some tight hairpin bends in the upper section. Here you can already see the lower foothills of the stone town. For good riders with sufficient fitness, this is all rideable. If you want to or have to descend, you can already enjoy the impressive view of the steep Sassolungo.
From the car park of the gondola to the Sassolungo Forcella, the only slightly ascending path begins through the middle of the stone town. During the season and on nice weekends, you are sure to share this section with many other hikers and bikers. But it doesn't matter, you should ride slowly here anyway and marvel at the stone witnesses of a rockfall from the Sassolungo several centuries ago in their many forms.
The following descent begins with a super trail in the shadow of the Sassolungo. It could go on like this, but one and a half kilometres further on is the Rifugio Comici, a refreshment stop on the side of the road that bikers can hardly ride past. It's hard to believe, but this beautifully situated mountain hut serves excellent food. Where the landlord gets the fresh fish, for which he is famous, remains his secret. In any case, gourmets can indulge in every trick in the book here.
It's a good thing that the rest of the way to Wolkenstein is now almost all downhill, as the full belly pushes downhill with force. Be careful: the varied descent branches off into an inconspicuous path that you are guaranteed to speed past if you don't look carefully at the road book or GPS device (waypoint 36).
Somewhat surprisingly, there is another 50 metres of ascent before La Selva, but then you roll relaxed and happy back to the starting point of the tour in Selva.
Variants
1st ascent with the gondola: You won't see the Sella Pass and the stone town with this variant, but you can of course also take the gondola to Ciampinoi in Selva and follow the signs to Comici from the mountain station. You join the tour described here at waypoint 30, very close to the refreshment stop.
2nd extension via Monte Pana: At waypoint 36, which is easy to miss, do not take a sharp right, but continue straight ahead on the gravel road. After exactly two kilometres, take a sharp right towards Monte Pana. Continue downhill and along the beautiful trail to Cislat and La Selva. There you join the tour described here at waypoint 46.
3rd ascent completely on the pass road: The ascent from Plan de Gralba to the car park of the cable car to the Sassolungo Forcella on the pass road to the Sella Pass is conceivable, but only recommended if there is little traffic. In Plan de Gralba, at waypoint 10, keep straight ahead on the main road and follow it uphill. Shortly before the Sella Pass, the cable car car park is on the right, where you can continue the tour described here at waypoint 23.
More information under: http://www.mtb-dolomites.com/deu/sellajoch_steinerne_stadt.htm
SELLARONDA CLOCKWISE
What has thrilled skiers from all over the world for decades is now also possible in summer on a mountain bike:
Circumnavigating the impressive Sella massif in a single day. This is made possible by a total of five mountain lifts, which reduce the almost 4,000 metres in altitude that you would otherwise have to climb to a moderate 800 metres. This turns an impossible undertaking for normal bikers into an unusual dream tour, with unforgettable panoramic views of the Dolomites World Heritage Site and plenty of downhill fun with relatively little uphill effort.
After a short warm-up ride from Selva to the entrance of the Vallunga, the cable car takes bikers to the Dantercepies mountain station. You have a short time to prepare for the following descent on the gravel road towards the Gardena Pass. The first technical highlight of this tour begins right at the Gardena Pass: the single trail towards Colfosco offers 300 metres of the finest downhill fun. Be careful in the upper section: there are a few wooden footbridges that can be very slippery when wet. Otherwise, you know after this first section that you have chosen exactly the right tour for today! The rest of the descent to Corvara takes you past the striking incision of the Mittag Valley, which leads up to the highest peak in the Sella Group, the Piz Boé.
The second mountain railway is already waiting in Corvara: the gondola to Col Alto. From the mountain station, you have a magnificent view of the south face of the Sassongher opposite. After a short descent, a chairlift takes you up the first part of the ascent to the Bioch hut. The following section of the tour via the Bioch hut to Pralongia offers plenty of variety on trails and meadow paths, as well as uphill steps. And with fantastic mountain views, e.g. of the Piz Boé or as far as the Marmolada. If you really want to enjoy this, stop off at the top. The Pralongia hut or - after a short, steep descent on the gravel road - the La Marmotta hut are ideal options.
This is followed by the second riding technique feast, the flowing mountain trail over to the Campo Longo pass, where only a few steep steps interrupt the otherwise perfect "flow". Then briefly on the road to the top of the pass, where the next dream descent begins. Steep, but brilliant to ride, the route leads off the pass road on a narrow path towards Arabba.
From Arabba, a cable car catapults bikers 900 metres up to Porta Vescovo. Directly opposite is the Marmolada, the view of the glaciated summit area is majestic. Deep below, you can just make out the Fedaia reservoir. The following descent towards Passo Pordoi initially impresses with its brilliant view of the Sella group. Further down, it then branches off onto a singletrack trail on which the more technical riders can really let off steam. The fun only ends shortly before the top of the pass, with the last 100 metres of altitude difference belonging to the pass road.
The next dream descent of the Sellaronda begins directly below the Sas de Pordoi, which is accessible to hikers via a bold gondola from the Passo Pordoi: 850 metres of varied altitude demand full concentration from the now somewhat tired bikers. There is also a tricky trail section directly below Lupo Bianco. You then roll relaxed to Canazei in the Fassa Valley and along a meadow path to Campitello.
The last 1,000 metres in altitude with the cable car await: A huge cabin takes mountain bikers, often accompanied by paragliders and hang-gliders, to Col Rodella above the Sella Pass. Once at the top, the Sassolungo magically draws the eye. The following section of the tour through the stone town is shared with many other hikers and bikers during the season and on nice weekends. But it doesn't matter, you should ride slowly here anyway and marvel at the stone witnesses of a rockfall from the Sassolungo several centuries ago in their many forms.
The following descent begins with a super trail in the shadow of the Sassolungo. It could go on like this, but one and a half kilometres further on is the Rifugio Comici, a refreshment stop on the side of the road that bikers can hardly ride past. It's hard to believe, but this beautifully situated mountain hut serves excellent food. Where the landlord gets the fresh fish, for which he is famous, remains his secret. In any case, gourmets can indulge in every trick in the book here.
It's a good thing that the rest of the way to Wolkenstein is now almost all downhill, as the full belly pushes downhill with power. But be careful: the varied descent branches off into an inconspicuous path that you are guaranteed to speed past if you don't look carefully at the road book or GPS device (waypoint 127).
Somewhat surprisingly, there is another 50 metres of ascent before La Selva, but then you roll relaxed and happy back to the starting point of the tour in Selva.
Variants
1st extension via Val Duron: The tour is significantly more challenging, but even more impressive in terms of scenery, if you combine it with the tour into Val Duron in the final section. At the valley station in Campitello (waypoint 107), do not take the cable car to Col Rodella, but follow the tour into Val Duron from here (waypoints 47-91). At waypoint 136 you rejoin the tour described here (+22 km, +950 metres in altitude).
2. from Passo Sella directly to Selva Gardena: If it's getting late or the weather is no longer suitable, you can take the very attractive descent from the stone town via Plan de Gralba to Selva Gardena. To do this, go straight on at the car park of the gondola to the Sassolungo Forcella at waypoint 114 and then follow the "Passo Sella and Stone Town" tour in the opposite direction to Plan de Gralba (waypoints 23-11). At the junction turn left to Plan, after 100 metres turn half right onto the ski slope to Selva Gardena. After 1.3 kilometres you reach the main road and take a sharp right. After 60 metres, at the Casa Alpina at waypoint 7, you rejoin the "Passo Sella and Stone Town" tour, which you follow sharply to the left in the opposite direction to its starting point in Selva di Val Gardena.
More information about the Sellaronda MTB Tour in a clockwise direction: http://www.mtb-dolomites.com/deu/sellaronda_uhrzeigersinn.htm
Difficult tour
AMONG THE INTELLECTUALS
The tour through the Puez-Geisler Nature Park is one of the most impressive mountain bike adventures in Val Gardena. The panoramic trail from the Raschötzhütte hut to the Heilig-Kreuz chapel alone would be worth the almost 1,000 metre ascent from St. Ulrich. But it gets even better: in the second part of the tour, you ride along brilliant trails directly to the foot of the steeply towering Geisler group. There, the striking Pieralongia rock formation provides the backdrop for the perfect souvenir photo. A long descent leads back to Val Gardena, where the magnificent high trail from Insom via the church of St. Jakob to the Anna Valley completes the unforgettable mountain bike experience.
There is not much time to warm up, because shortly after the start of the tour at the tourist office in Ortisei, you have to downshift: It's all uphill now. First to the valley station of the Seceda cable car, then first on asphalt and later on the forest road in serpentines that repeatedly cross the route of the new Rasciesa cable car. At the last hairpin bend, head straight on and 150 metres further up you will reach the mountain trail that leads from the mountain station of the Rasciesa cable car to the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
The ascent is now complete and you can enjoy the fantastic panorama from this high-level trail: The green meadows of the Seiser Alm spread out directly opposite. Behind them, the sharp peaks of the Sassolungo rise steeply into the sky. Further to the left rises the famous Sella group. And on a clear day, you can see the white glaciers on the summit of the Marmolada right in between.
The high trail climbs only slightly up to the beautifully situated Chapel of the Holy Cross, the transition to the neighbouring Villnöss Valley. Turn back here, enjoy the view to the full on the way back to the Raschötzhütte hut and then take the familiar path from the ascent back to the forest road, which you now follow the last few metres uphill to the mountain station of the Raschötzerbahn cable car. A little later you reach the Saltnerhütte, from where you have a similarly beautiful view as from the previously seen high trail.
The steep descent on the ski piste towards the Seceda middle station begins directly behind the hut. The gondola takes bikers and bikes to the highest point of the tour at 2,450 metres in a short time. Now the Geisler group is within reach, and together with the Mont de Stevia, the Sella group, the Langkofel and Plattkofel, it forms a veritable rocky amphitheatre.
This is followed by the most beautiful part of the tour for technical riders: a trail as wide as a towel aims straight for the Geisler peaks, not too narrow, not too steep downhill, but simply marvellous to ride. It ends just below the Geisler peaks at the Pieralongia hut. The rock formation of the same name looks as if a giant has rammed an oversized letter V into the ground. The perfect place for an extended rest.
The route continues downhill for another 800 metres, past the Odles, Regensburger and Sangon huts, almost reaching the Col Raiser valley station. Via the secluded hamlet of Insom, you head towards Sankt Jakob, always slightly above and away from the hustle and bustle of the valley. The path becomes narrower and narrower and is a real pleasure even before you reach the oldest church in Val Gardena/Gröden.
The small church of Sankt Jakob with its striking tower, tranquil cemetery and frescoes worth seeing is situated in a box seat above the valley. Bikers can enjoy this on the large sunbathing lawn next to the church and let their gaze wander as far as the Sassopiatto, Sassolungo and Sella group.
This is followed by three kilometres of pure riding fun on the narrow forest path towards the Anna Valley. Always in the forest, narrow trails alternate with wider forest paths, hairpin bends and small wooden bridges, making you wish it could go on like this forever.
Unfortunately, the trails come to an end at the Pauli hut. It is only a few metres to the well-kept Annatal hut, the last refreshment stop on this tour. Tables in the shade or deckchairs in the sun invite you to take a long break. Or you can cool your heated feet in the stream behind the sunbathing lawn. After the refreshment stop, you cycle almost exclusively downhill, past the valley station of the Seceda cable car, back to the centre of Ortisei.
Variants
1st ascent with the Rasciesa railway: The tour is significantly shorter and easier if you take the Rasciesa cable car, which was newly built in 2010. At waypoint 4 at the Seceda valley station, turn left instead of straight ahead. Now follow the signs for Raschötz and board the railway. Below the mountain station, at waypoint 24, you rejoin the tour described here and continue directly to the Saltnerhütte, skipping the high-level trail to the Heiligkreuzkapelle chapel. This saves around 1,000 metres in altitude and just under 10 kilometres.
2. skip Raschötzhütte and Heiligkreuzkapelle: The tour is slightly shorter if you take a sharp right at waypoint 17 towards the Raschötz mountain station (-185 metres in altitude, -3.3 km).
3rd extension via La Poza and Langental: If you want to extend the tour a little, don't take a sharp right into the subway at the junction just before the Col Raiser valley station (SS 57), but continue half left downhill. Via La Poza towards Selva di Val Gardena and on into the Vallunga, which can be travelled up as far as you like along the cross-country ski trail (up to the start of the Pra da Ri high pasture). Back on the cross-country ski trail, then half left at the car park and via the Dantercepies valley station to Selva Gardena. From there, follow the left side of the Val Gardena stream back to Ortisei (corresponds exactly to the first part of the Val Gardena circuit).
4. skip the Annatal hut: If you don't want to stop for refreshments at the end of the tour, don't take a sharp right at the junction (SS 83) into the Anna valley, but head straight on towards the Seceda valley station (-33 metres in altitude, -0.7 km).
Bike events 2017 in Val Gardena
25 May - Stage finish of the "100 Giro d'Italia" in Ortisei
15-18 June - Hero BIKE Festival
17 June - HERO South Tyrol Dolomites
24 June - Bike Testival "Family & Friends Bike Day"
25 June - 11th Sella Ronda Bike Day
18-19 July - BIKE Transalp: Stage finish
8-10 September - MTB Trail Hunt Dumpling Hunt: trail fun
