The starting point of the Tre Cime circuit, reachable by car via a toll road.
Rifugio Auronzo sits at 2,333 metres on Forcella Longères, right at the foot of the southern face of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It is the gateway to the most famous walk in the Dolomites. Step onto the terrace and the whole amphitheatre opens up: the south walls of the Tre Cime, the sharp spires of the Cadini di Misurina, and the basin dropping towards the lake below. The hut dates back to the early twentieth century, when it went up as an Italian frontier post on the border with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Fire took it down in 1955. The CAI section of Auronzo rebuilt and extended it, and gave it the name it carries today. It is a big place now, which makes it an easy base even if you have little mountain experience.
You can drive here. The toll road climbs from Misurina to the large car park in front of the hut, and it stays open roughly from late May to October. In summer, set off at dawn. Spaces fill fast, and shuttle buses often take over from private cars. The kitchen does the honest food you expect from a Cadore hut: canederli, pasta, strudel. There are just under a hundred beds in rooms sleeping two to six, so you can stay the night too. And that is the trick worth pulling, because once the day crowds leave, the Tre Cime are yours, with the evening light burning across the walls.
The starting point is Misurina, where the municipal toll road climbs up to the large square in front of the hut. The car park is right up there, at the 2,333 metres of Forcella Longères, so you drive straight to the door. In high season the spaces run out early, and the road is often closed to cars and replaced by shuttle buses from the valley floor. Check the toll and shuttle fees and rules for the current year, as they change from season to season. The hut is open roughly from late May to October. If you can, set off at dawn or stay the night: at midday the square is packed, at dawn and in the evening far less so.
Services & info
Trails passing through Rifugio Auronzo
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Rifugio Auronzo?
You can drive up the municipal toll road that climbs from Misurina to the large car park in front of the hut. It is open roughly from late May to October. In peak periods a shuttle bus often runs instead of private cars.
Can I stay overnight at Rifugio Auronzo?
Yes. It has just under a hundred beds in rooms sleeping two to six. It is where the Tre Cime circuit begins, so book ahead in summer and at weekends. You will struggle to walk in and get a bed otherwise.
Is Rifugio Auronzo suitable for families?
Very much so. You can drive right to the door, and the loop trail around the Tre Cime stays mostly flat. That makes it one of the easiest Dolomite walks to do with kids.
Where do I park for Rifugio Auronzo?
In the large paid car park right in front of the hut, at the top of the toll road up from Misurina. It fills up early in high season, so come first thing in the morning. When it is full, the road is often closed to cars and you go up by shuttle bus.
When is the best time to visit Rifugio Auronzo?
The season runs roughly from late May to October, while the toll road is open. To dodge the crowds, pick early morning or late afternoon. In midsummer and at weekends the square and the trails are very busy around midday.