Lake Dobbiaco is the lake you meet without looking for it. It sits at 1,251 metres along the main road that drops from Dobbiaco towards Landro, Misurina and Cortina, and it appears on your right after a few minutes of bends, framed by woods with the walls of the Croda dei Baranci and the Picco di Vallandro closing the far end. It is not large: six hundred metres by four hundred, just over fourteen hectares, and no more than three and a half metres deep at its lowest point. That shallowness is why the surface warms up quickly in summer and why, come September, it gives back reflections that deeper lakes never manage.
It was born from a landslide. The slope came down in ancient times and dammed the Rienza, which today flows both in and out and remains the lake's only vein of water. A flat path runs right around it, about four and a half kilometres with no gradient worth the name, fine with a pushchair and largely accessible by wheelchair too: an hour and a quarter at an easy pace, from the reed beds on the eastern shore to the wooden boardwalks over the water. If you want the detailed version, with the spots worth stopping at, there is our guide to the Lake Dobbiaco loop.
In summer the rental hut on the shore hires out rowing boats and pedalos, which is the best way to see the basin from the outside. Private craft are not allowed, so the canoe you brought from home stays on the roof rack. You can swim, but know what you are in for: the water up here stays cold even in mid-August and there is no lido, so most people go no further than their ankles. The car park charges a fee and fills by mid-morning on July and August weekends; the scheduled bus between Dobbiaco and Cortina stops right there, which solves the problem.
Winter is the season that changes everything in Dobbiaco. The basin around the lake and the nearby Val di Landro become one of the cross-country hubs of the Dolomites, with dozens of kilometres of groomed track and international races passing through. In that season the shore path is walked on packed snow, with low light coming in sideways through the larches. And if you are working through the sights of the Alta Pusteria, a few kilometres south lies the Val Fiscalina, which is another thing entirely: a broad meadow floor, vertical walls and the Meridiana di Sesto overhead.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is Lake Dobbiaco?
On the SS51 Alemagna road, about three kilometres south of the village of Dobbiaco, heading towards Landro, Misurina and Cortina d'Ampezzo. It is in the Alta Val Pusteria, province of Bolzano, at 1,251 metres. Signs in German call it Toblacher See.
How long is the walk around the lake?
The loop is about four and a half kilometres and essentially flat: an hour and a quarter at an easy pace, less if you keep going. It works with a pushchair, and much of it is accessible by wheelchair too, between compact gravel and wooden boardwalks.
Can you swim in Lake Dobbiaco?
Yes, swimming is allowed, but do not expect a beach lake: the water stays cold even at the height of summer and there are no lido facilities. The lake is at most three and a half metres deep, so the surface warms a little more than other alpine lakes, but it is still a swim for the brave.
Can you rent boats?
Yes. There is a rental on the shore that hires out rowing boats and pedalos in summer. Private craft are not permitted on the lake, so canoes and paddleboards brought from home have to stay in the car.
Is there parking, and can you get there without a car?
The car park in front of the lake charges a fee and fills by mid-morning on peak-season weekends. The bus line between Dobbiaco and Cortina d'Ampezzo stops at the lake, and Dobbiaco railway station is minutes away: it is one of the easiest lakes in the Dolomites to reach without a car.
When is the best time to go?
June to September for the walk and the boats, with the last week of September and the first of October giving the best colour on the larches. In winter the area becomes one of the cross-country skiing hubs of the Dolomites and the shore path is walked on packed snow.