Baita Segantini Sunset Hike, a Dolomites’ classic, Italy

The hike to Baita Segantini is one of the Dolomiti’s classic sunset hikes. Situated right below the Gruppo delle Pale – or more commonly Pale di San Martino, here you can watch those impressive and jagged peaks slowly catch the warm light of the setting sun.

And, once the sun has set, catch some of the Alpenglow the Dolomites are famous for.

Pale di San Martino catching the glow after sunset.

Also, right next to the Baita, there is a small lake, and when there’s no wind you can catch a mirror-like reflection of the whole scene in the lake.

All in all, this is an extremely scenic location, easy to reach, with fantastic views of the Pale di San Martino group.

Cimon della Pala (3,200m) and some huts, view from the trail.

Table of Contents

Overview of the Baita Segantini Hike & Map

This is a short and easy hike, suitable for all skill levels.

There are two main trailheads for the trail to Baita Segantini. One is located on Passo Rolle, and the other one is located on Road SS50, just below the pass on the San Martino di Castrozza side. The distance is essentially the same.

You can get to Baita Segantini throughout the year as Passo Rolle is also a Wintersports location. However, the Baita is only open in Summer and Winter. Plus, you won’t see the lake reflection in winter. The lake is frozen over.

Here is the map. You can download the GPX track of the hike from Passo Rolle for free, should you wish to do so:

How to get to Baita Segantini and Parking

Passo Rolle is easy to reach, although a bit of a drive from other major locations in the Dolomites. Especially if you are in the Cortina/Ortisei area, the drive is relatively long and mostly through mountain roads/passes. Either way, the time it takes to get to Bainta Segantini is well-spent.

• Driving Directions: located on State Road 50 (SS50), it takes about 1:30 hours to get to the trailhead from either Trento or Bolzano. Driving time is about 2 hours through mountain roads from either Ortisei or Cortina.
• Parking: there is a very large parking area on Passo Rolle, and another one just below it, on the San Martino di Castrozza side.
• Public Transport: there is a bus stop on Passo Rolle. You can check the Trentino Trasporti website for the timetable.

The Parking Area at Passo Rolle.

The Hiking Trail to Baita Segantini

As mentioned this is an easy hike. the trail is never steep, and part of the trails are actually on a dirt road – the dirt road that Services the Baita. The other parts of the trail, on packed dirt, are easy to walk on too – so much so this short hike feels more like a short walk.

Anyway, the trail is very scenic. You constantly have the view of the impressive Pale di San Martino in front of you, as you hike your way up. With a few huts here and there, you can enjoy a very typical dolomitic landscape.

Leaving passo Rolle and heading up the mountain.

The last part of the trail is on a dirt road

Once you arrive at the Baita, I’d recommend walking around and beyond it, especially toward the Pale di San Martino to get a full view of those beautiful dolomitic mountains.

At the lake, you can admire the Pale di san Martino, with its stunning, jagged peaks. Especially the Cimon della Pala (3,200m), sometimes referred to as the “Matterhorn of the Dolomites” – or “Cervino delle Dolomiti” in Italian. That’s a very beautiful mountain and I found myself continuously going back to it from different angles.

Cimon della Pala

Sunset at Baita Segantini.

This is an out-and-back trail, so you go back the same way – or stay around for a while, waiting for sunset. If the weather allows it, watching the Pale di San Martino catching the last light of the day, it’s the icing on the cake.

Baita Segantini Sunset Hike Photos, Lake Reflections, and Photography Tips

I’d recommend starting the hike a bit earlier than if you were planning to get there for sunset. Two reasons for this.

First, the lake will likely be crowded at sunset. So it pays off to be there earlier if you want to secure a spot, as the lake is small.

Second, to catch the Pale di San Martino in the golden hour. It’s worth staying there from late afternoon till after sunset, and watching the whole range of light/colors as the sun sets. At least, it was time well spent for me. What’s better than spending time in such an amazing location, lazily watching the sun set, snapping some photos from time to time?

Late Afternoon.

Sunset.

After Sunset – Alpenglow

Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, wait until after sunset. That will allow you to see the Pale catching the glow once the sun has set. Provided the weather cooperates, the sky will take those beautiful pink/magenta tones, as the day slowly turns into twilight and then night.

In terms of lenses, you need to go wide at the lake. I found between 14mm to 17mm (full frame) to be the ideal focal length to fit the whole scene. Also, a longer lens if you want to shoot some of the details or individual peaks of the Pale di San Martino.

Last but not least, the landscape around the trail is still stunning, and there are plenty of beautiful views of Le Pale on the trail to the Baita.

Bonus Pro tip: bring some food for the ducks :) Why? there may be ducks in the small lake by the baita, and they tend to swim around in it. That means goodbye to the reflection of the mountains. If you can bring some suitable floor for the ducks, you can keep them out of the pond :)

That’s what happened when I was there. There were a few people around and we fed the ducks to keep them away from the lake. I suspect it’s actually the ducks that learned how to train people to get them some food :)

Where to stay

You can stay at Baita Segantini when it’s open. Alternatively, Passo Rolle and the area around it offer more accommodations. the closest town is San Martino di Castrozza.

There are no camping areas on or around Passo Rolle – that includes tents, vans, and campers.

Additional Resources

• The official Bainta Segantini website – among other things good to check if/when the Baita is open.
• Here’s the main page on Hiking in Italy, for more hikes and scenic spots in Italy