Seceda from Col Raiser | Must Hike in the Dolomites

By Roberto (Updated Sep 25)
⏱ 8 minutes

Table of Contents

Why is Seceda so unique?

Seceda was in our checklist for our trip to the Dolomites from the very first moment. The jagged ridgeline is so unique that we wanted to see it with our own eyes. Located in Val Gardena, and 2,519 meters above sea level, it offers spectacular views of the surrounding peaks like the Odle, Sassolungo and the vast plateau of Alpe di Siusi.

But what made Seceda unique for us, was the hike from Col Raiser. We both agree that we liked this hike more than other typical hikes like Tre Cime or Cinque Torri. The best thing about hiking in Seceda is walking through alpine meadows, traditional huts, and cliffs all within reach. Seceda is less about the classic photo of the inclined peaks, and more about the experience and the feelings. For me, Seceda was the perfect example of the quote “It’s not about the destination but the journey”.

This is why we strongly suggest not visiting only Seceda for the photo, something that takes more money than effort. Rather, do the hike from Col Raiser because it’s absolutely worth it, at least on a good weather day. And yes, go to the photo viewpoint too 😉

How to Get to Seceda

There are two main access points to reach Seceda: Ortisei and Col Raiser.

From Ortisei: You can take two cable cars. First, the Ortisei–Furnes gondola, followed by the Furnes–Seceda cable car, which takes you directly up to the ridgeline. This is the fastest way to the top and involves very little hiking if you just want the views. You can get the online tickets from this site. Just put “Seceda” in the search bar.
From Col Raiser: The Col Raiser cable car departs from Santa Cristina in Val Gardena and takes you to about 2,100 meters. From here, you hike toward Seceda. It’s not as direct as Ortisei, but it offers a much richer hiking experience. Meadows, huts, and alpine ponds line the trail, making the journey part of the adventure. Check online tickets here.

Ortisei vs Col Raiser

So, which route is better for you — Col Raiser or Ortisei? Here are the comparisons including money considerations:

Feature	Ortisei route	Col Raiser route
Cable / Lift Costs	Round-trip Ortisei → Furnes → Seceda lifts cost about €52 for adults. One-way is ≈ €40	The Col Raiser cable car: €32 for adults for up & down, €21 for a single ride. Children (6-13 years) pay about €18 (round trip) / €14 single.
Parking Costs	Parking at the Seceda cable car station in Ortisei typically costs around €13 for a day.	At Col Raiser, the car park. You pay per hour, typically around €10.
Trade-off	Good if you want minimal hiking and more “view time.”	More hiking, more scenery, and cheaper prices. You need more time though.
Suitable for dogs and babies	Yes	Yes

Both options are excellent, but the choice depends on whether you want to simply enjoy the view from the top or immerse yourself in the full Dolomites hiking atmosphere.

Basic Info about Seceda from Col Raiser Hike

Key Highlights about Seceda Hike

Distance: There are several paths that go all the way up to Seceda ridge. They are really similar and they all have rifugios (huts). There are a few. So you won’t go wrong with any of them. Total distance can be around 10 km in a loop-type hike.
Difficulty: Medium... The hike isn’t technical at all but there is a constant hill with an elevation gain of 400-500 meters and it can’t be called easy because of the distance. It’s not strenuous either. Think about it as a proper hike. Not short, not demanding.
Duration: total time is hard to tell because it depends on the stops in the lovely rifugios, but consider around 5 hours.
Accessibility: Can’t be done with stroller or wheel chair. For these options consider best getting there from Ortisei cable car.
What to bring: hiking or good trail running shoes. A few layers of clothes. Weather in the Dolomites is unpredictable.
Best time to go: Late June to early October for snow-free trails and operating cable cars; September for fewer crowds.

Our Hiking Experience Detailed

We chose to hike Seceda from Col Raiser, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip to the Dolomites. Both Ellen and I agree with this. This is our own Wikiloc track:

From Col Raiser to Baita Troier Hut

The journey began driving to the Col Raiser cable car. Ellen was having a low energy morning and the weather was a bit doubtful. As we were being lifted from the valley into the alpine pasture, I was thinking about how we were going to manage Larita, AKA, The Sherpa through a 5 hour hike…

Visiting the Dolomites with Kids | Full Guide

As soon as we stepped off the lift, we felt the fresh air and admired the surrounding peaks and views. The weather also became sunnier and it was so nice to see rifugios everywhere, because that meant possible breaks whenever. I couldn’t see the Seceda peak yet, even though I knew it was at the top of the hike.

The first part of the trail was gentle, mainly flat, with multiple options and ways to keep going up. The path gradually climbed, weaving through wildflower meadows. Every turn seemed to reveal a new backdrop of jagged mountains or deep valleys below. And still, I couldn’t figure out where Seceda was.

After about an hour, we reached Baita Troier Hütte, a perfect spot to have an early lunch and take in the view. This place was awesome. In all the hikes we’ve done in the Pyrenees, we haven’t seen anything like this. Good food, good service, amazing views, people chilling, families, groups… This place gave us a punch of positive energy. Lara developed here her love for pasta, and mama Ellen was in a much better mood!

Up to Seceda

We kept going a bit up, passing other rifugios that also looked great for stops. We stoppped many times to take photos because the views were phenomenal. I’m not kidding. The final stretch before the last rifugio was the most demanding. The path zig-zagged upwards, and we slowed down to catch our breath. It also started to rain a bit, and we entered in Rifugio Seceda, a more concurred shelter since it’s near the cable car from Ortisei.

After a few minutes, the rain stopped, and we continued going up. I had no idea about where Seceda ridges where, and I told Ellen. She said “are you kidding? We’ve been all the time facing Seceda! It’s that wall there!”

And yes, there we were. 😅 The view was pretty good. The famous jagged Seceda ridges dropping off dramatically into the valley with layers of Dolomite peaks. Since it was midday, the light wasn’t the best for photos, but still, the landscape looked gorgeous. There were people taking photos but nothing too crazy like Lago di Braies.

The way back

On the north part of the hike, they had put a turnstile and you had to pay 5 €/ adult… We paid to make our way back, and do a different route. The descent was gentle, giving us a break from the previous effort, but the weather started to get cloudy and rain started to pour again. By chance, we got into a small hut that was serving hot coffee and chocolate: Malga Pieralongia. A family saw us with Lara and let us sit inside.

From here, after the rain stopped, we moved faster back down, enjoying again the views and the sun that came back. We improvised the track a bit going back, cutting through meadows with cows until we finally made it to Col Raiser, five hours later.

Our verdict for Seceda Hike

Being honest, I was expecting something even more spectacular for the views of the actual Seceda ridge itself. BUT, what struck us most was the variety of the hike: peaceful meadows, small lakes, rustic huts, and then the Seceda cliffs. Hiking from Col Raiser gave us the full range of Dolomites beauty — a journey that was memorable, with epic mountain views, a variety of scenarios and the amazing huts. Seceda became one of our favourite hikes in the Dolomites and we absolutely recommend it.