The words ‘South Tyrol’ conjure up images of stunning, rough and ready mountains and their sparse, rocky summits. Accompanied by a mass of cool trails and delicious food, these are the views that we enjoyed on our Spot Check in Val Gardena in the Dolomites.

Das Grödnertal bietet neben feinsten Trails auch atemberaubendes Panorama.
Not just amazing trails to ride, Val Gardena doesn’t score too badly when it comes to panoramas either.

Travel

There’s no denying that South Tyrol is a beautiful location, but certain regions do boast a little extra something that renders them even more attractive. Val Gardena is one of these gems. The quickest route from Germany by car follows the Brenner motorway until the Klausen exit. It’s then a good 35 minutes’ drive up the valley until you reach St. Ulrich, St. Christina or Wolkenstein.

Einfach atemberaubend! Der Sellastock rechts im Bild wird im Rahmen des Sella Ronda Hero Radmarathons einmal komplett umrundet.
So stunning! Next weekend’s Sellaronda Hero Bike Marathon will complete a full loop of the Sella massif, seen on the right of the photo.

The region’s best trails

A staple on any marathon rider’s bucket list is surely to ride the Sellaronda Hero Bike Marathon at least once in their lifetime, which takes in an entire circle of the Sella group. This isn’t an everyday sort of challenge though; instead it’s a sheer test of endurance and strength. But there’s always the option to ride the route with a guide at your own pace and to make use of the cable cars in the area.

Der speziell für Biker gebaute Ciampinoi Trail begeistert mit jeder Menge Flow.
Created especially for riders, the Ciampinoi Trail takes in such a lot of flow sections.
Zuschauer am Streckenrand: Murmeltiere bekamen wir jede Menge zu sehen!
You’ve got an audience! Marmots galore.

A serious trail highlight has to be the route down from the Gardena Pass towards Corvara. Dropping 550 metres in altitude and framed by high peaks on either side, it offers so many flow sections to enjoy. Given its mild terrain and flattish trails, it’s also a great trail for beginners to get to grips with the Dolomites. Then there’s the Ciampinoi Freeride Trail that has been created specifically for cyclists. Serving up yet more flow, it delivers everything that any rider could want, with burms, jumps and drops in abundance.

Egal ob Profi oder Anfänger – auf dem Flowtrail vom Grödnerjoch in Richtung Corvara hat jeder Spaß!
Pros and newbies alike can make the most of the flow trail from the Gardena Pass in the direction of Corvara.
Steffi eingerahmt von der grandiosen Kulisse.
The seriously beautiful scenery frames Steffi as she rides.
Der gut ausgebaute Weg macht Profis wie Anfängern gleichermaßen Spaß.
Steffi and Pirmin enjoying the well-maintained flow trail.

The region has so many more incredible trails to discover too, which can largely be reached with the help of the lifts – our thanks go out here to the great infrastructure that surrounds winter sports. Alongside the neighbouring region of Alpe di Siusi, Val Gardena has developed a substantial network of trails, which is constantly being widened. The best rides can be found on: mtb-dolomites.com. You can expect all the routes to be signposted properly this summer.

Lockerer Waldboden und Sonnenschein - Bikerherz was willst du mehr?
Charming forests and sunshine– What more could a rider’s heart wish for?
Wer nicht die Gondel nutzt wird während des Uphills meist mit einer grandiosen Aussicht entschädigt.
If you decide not to rely on the gondolas, then let the views be your reward.
Oberhalb von St. Christina liegt der älteste Bauernhof des Grödnertals. Von hier hat man eine herrliche Aussicht auf den Langkofel und die Sellagruppe.
The oldest farm in Val Gardena lies above St. Christina in St. Jakob. From here there’s a spectacular view over the Langkofel and the Sella group.
Manche Trailhighlights sind nicht ganz einfach zu finden, ein Guide mach hier definitiv Sinn.
Some of the best trails are a bit tricky to find so the help of a guide is certainly appreciated! The trails will all be signposted this summer.
Auch hochalpine Trails gibt es hier wie Sand am Meer.
Like sand on the beach, there are more than enough high altitude trails.
Fototapete 2.0
Wallpaper 2.0.

Accommodation

Thanks to its summer and winter tourism popularity, Val Gardena has a huge variety of hotels, holiday lets and campsites to cover any budget. On the website Bikehotels.it there’s a list of all the certified bike hotels.

Nach einem Early Bird Ride genießen Walter, Pirmin und Steffi das Frühstück auf der Terrasse der Kedul Lodge
After an early bird ride, Walter, Pirmin and Steffi tuck into breakfast.

When to go

For the higher altitudes of Val Gardena, the ideal time to visit is from mid-June until mid-October. During our visit in early June, many of the tracks were still being prepared, ready to be opened the following week. Any earlier or later visits in the year could be plagued by snow as you go higher up the valley sides.

Spotcheck Südtirol Gröden (19 von 98)
Fotomotive gibt es au mass.
So many reasons to take photos.

Val Gardena’s 3 Must-Dos:

  • Ride around the Sella group
  • Tuck into the delicious grub at one of the mountain huts
  • Ride the trail from the Sella pass through the Citta dei Sassi down to Wolkenstein
Auch wenn es zu Hause nie so gut schmeckt wie im Urlaub lohnt ein Einkauf in einen der Supermärkte um lokale Köstlichkeiten wie Speck und Käse zu erwerben.
Even if it never tastes as good at home as it does on holiday, it’s still worth stocking up on local delicacies at the supermarket.
Ganz oben angekommen genießen Pirmin, Philipp und Walter den Blick hinüber ins Eisacktal.
Once at the summit of the Rasciesa/ Raschötz, Pirmin, Philipp and Walter soak up the view over the Valle Isarco/Eisacktal.
Wir sind uns einig: Gröden rockt!
United by one thought: Val Gardena rocks!

More information

For more information on the region and its hotels:

Don’t miss our other spotchecks from South Tyrol:
Spotcheck: Alpe di Siusi – All Levels, All Ages in the Dolomites
Spotcheck: Eisacktal/Valle Isarco – The Valley of Trails

Words & Photos: Christoph Bayer


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