Dreaming of standing on Seceda’s wild ridgeline at sunrise but not loving the idea of €52 round-trip tickets? Good news: your boots, lungs, and chaotic mountain spirit are about to get a serious workout.
Here’s exactly how to hike Seceda without the cable car — and why it’s one of the most unforgettable (and brag-worthy) ways to experience the Dolomites.

---

Seceda might just be the most ridiculous, breathtaking ridgeline in the Dolomites — but getting there isn’t cheap if you do it the easy way.
Most people take the Ortisei-Furnes-Seceda cable car (for the low, low price of a €39 one-way trip)(yes, that was sarcasm) and call it a day.

But you?
You’re about to earn that sunrise.

Whether you’re chasing those early golden hours, saving your Euros for Hugos, or — let’s be honest — realising you drank too many afternoon spritzes and missed the last cable car down, hiking Seceda without the lift is pure “this is what your legs were made for” magic.
Here’s exactly how to do it — without handing over half your ‘but I really want to Paraglide‘ budget.

You are not just hiking Seceda. You are breaking free from capitalist oppression in the Alps.

The features in this post were hand-selected by an obsessive travel nerd with strong opinions who doesn’t gatekeep good shit (hi, that’s me). Some of them are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my work and the occasional wine along the way – Cat.

---

Can You Really Hike Seceda Without a Cable Car?

Short answer?
Yes.
Long answer?
HELL YES.

You don’t need a ticket, a guide, or permission from anyone except your own slightly unhinged mountain spirit (high-fiving you from over here).
Hiking to (or from) Seceda without using the cable car is 100% doable — you just need to be ready for a bit of sweat, a bit of swearing, and a whole lot of “fuck yes” moments when you hit those ridgelines on your own two legs.

The trails are well-marked, well-trodden, and so stupidly scenic you’ll forget your calves are crying.
(Well. Almost.)

Want to do Seceda the traditional way?
⤷ Read my full post on exploring Seceda like a regular, sensible human

How Long Does it Take to Hike Up or Down Seceda?

Here’s the deal:

➔ Hiking UP Seceda (aka my-lungs-hate-me mode):
Allow around 2.5 to 3 hours from Selva, Ortisei, or Santa Cristina depending on your route, your lung capacity, and how often you stop to weep at the beauty.

➔ Hiking DOWN Seceda (aka my-knees-hate-me mode):
Allow around 1.5 to 2 hours — plus whatever extra time you spend collapsing in meadows, photographing cows, or congratulating yourself for not taking the cable car like a normal person.

Important timing tip:
If you’re aiming for sunrise (spoiler: you should), know that in peak summer, the sun can rise around 5:00am.
Work backwards. Leave early. Like stupid early. Like “setting off while drunk German tourists are still finishing their last beers” early.

(Sunset hikers: same rules, but swap beers for Hugos and make sure you have a headlamp.)

CATS TOP TIP | Be your best self, be organised, and book an overnight stay at Rifugio Firenze for the sunset, the sunrise, and all the Spritz fun inbetween.

Hiking from Seceda to Ortisei

If you want to hike down to Ortisei, you’ve got two solid options: a direct route that’ll get you back to town before your knees file for divorce, or a longer scenic adventure that crams every last postcard-perfect view into your day.

Choose your fighter: fast and furious, or slow and glorious.

The Quick Route

Short, sharp, and efficient — this is the fastest way back to Ortisei if you’re racing sunset or your legs are already staging a coup.

TRAILHEAD | Seceda summit
DISTANCE | 7.6 km
TIME | 2 hours
ELEVATION | 1300m descent
DIFFICULTY | moderate

➔ From the Seceda summit, pass the top station of the Ortisei-Furnes-Seceda cable car.
➔ Turn left and follow the trail toward Baita Sofie.
➔ About 5 minutes beyond the restaurant, hit the fork and turn right onto path 6.
➔ Slip under the Fermeda cable car and reach a T-junction — turn right again.
➔ Follow the downhill trail past the Curona restaurant (pause here if you need a last spritz or sanity check).
➔ After the restaurant, the trail veers sharply right — stay with it until you hit a left turn onto path 2.
➔ Follow path 2 down, cross onto path 2-8, turn left, then take the next right.
➔ You’ll pop out at Costamula, near a bus stop and restaurant.
➔ Cruise down Streda Cuca — Ortisei and a strong drink await you.

• Save

The Scenic Route

Got legs of steel? Good. The scenic route serves up hut-hopping, fairy-tale valleys, hidden chapels, and enough “holy shit” moments to crash your camera roll.

TRAILHEAD | Seceda summit
DISTANCE | 14 km
TIME | 4 hours
ELEVATION | 1200m descent
DIFFICULTY | moderate

➔ From the Seceda viewpoint, head downhill on path 6 — a sharp right from the summit.
➔ Take the next left onto path 1 then right at the fork to reach Troier Hut (perfect snack stop if needed).
➔ At Troier, turn right toward Lech de Rijeda onto path 2B.
➔ Follow signs to Malga Pieralongia Alm (or Pieralongia Hütte — same spot, different languages).
➔ Keep right toward the twin Pieralongia peaks — you’ll know them when you see them.
➔ Take a right onto path 1, meander a while, then right again onto path 2 toward Ortisei.
➔ You’ll cruise past the tiny Fermeda Chapel and Fermeda Hut (another snack break option, if you’re slow-roasting yourself nicely).
➔ After Fermeda, head left, following a mix of path 6 and path 6A towards the Mt Balest viewpoint.
➔ Trail gets steeper, narrower, and a little rocky here — go slow through the woods around Mt Balest.
➔ At the Mt Balest sign, follow path 6 for about 30 minutes til you reach St Jakob’s Church (San Giacomo/Dlieja da Sacun). REST. ADMIRE. SOB WITH JOY.
➔ Continue down path 6, past the outdoor art installation.
➔ You’ll pop out of the Col de Flam path beside 23-25 Via Sacun (Streda Sacun) — Ortisei is just a few minutes’ stroll from there.

• Save

Hiking from Seceda to Santa Cristina

If you’re aiming for Santa Cristina, your trail cuts across some of Seceda’s best soft green slopes before plunging into cow-country charm.

It’s a little less traffic, a little more local — and a damn good choice if you want an easier bus ride or hotel hop afterwards.

TRAILHEAD | Seceda summit
DISTANCE | 6 km
TIME | 1.5 hours
ELEVATION | 960m descent
DIFFICULTY | moderate

➔ From the Seceda summit, pass the top station of the Ortisei-Furnes-Seceda cable car.
➔ Turn left toward Baita Sofie.
➔ About 5 minutes beyond the restaurant, hit the fork — right onto path 6.
➔ Quick left toward Restaurant Mastlé.
➔ Continue past Mastlé, and left again toward Baita Daniel.
➔ At Baita Daniel, right along the track that skirts beside the hut.
➔ Continue straight until the next split — left toward Rifugio Fermeda.
➔ Just beyond Fermeda, right past Restaurant Cuca toward the Fermeda cable car station.
➔ At the station, take the right fork then left past Neidia restaurant.
➔ Continue downhill to Gamsblut (marvel at how an entire route can be described using nothing but the names of restaurants)
➔ From Gamsblut, follow the trail toward the Col Raiser cable car line — descend alongside it.
➔ You’ll arrive directly at the Santa Cristina car park.

Hiking from Seceda to Selva

Hiking to Selva is the stealth power move.

It’s the easiest trail for a full DIY sunrise hike up Seceda without the cable car, and it’s a dreamy soft descent if you’re coming down late in the day.

Plus: parking’s a breeze if you’re smart about it (hello, Via Daunei car park).

TRAILHEAD | Seceda summit
DISTANCE | 5.7 km
TIME | 1.5 hours
ELEVATION | 690m descent
DIFFICULTY | easy – moderate

This is the route that I recommend to hike up to Seceda or if you want to do an entire day hike at Seceda without the cable car. It’s a good option for a late afternoon hike if you’re staying overnight at one of the rifugios on the mountain.

➔ Follow exactly the same route as for Santa Cristina until you pass Gamsblut.
➔ At the junction beyond Gamsblut, stay straight instead of turning toward the Col Raiser cable car.
➔ Continue past Sangon restaurant (resist the siren call of strudel and beer).
➔ Head toward Rifugio Juac — sweeping views and smug satisfaction await.
➔ At Juac, turn right onto path 3.
➔ Follow path 3 downhill — meadows, forest, and golden light optional but encouraged.
➔ You’ll pop out neatly at the Via Daunei car park in Selva di Val Gardena.

Where to Park for a Seceda Hike (If You’re Skipping the Cable Car)

OK, logistics lovers, listen up:
If you’re hiking down from Seceda, you can wing it a bit — but if you’re hiking up to catch sunrise or to earn maximum bragging rights, you need a parking plan.

➔ Selva:
Park at the Via Daunei car park (€8/day June-Oct, otherwise free). It’s the best launch point if you’re hiking up for sunrise — or the easiest exit if you’re stumbling down after sunset and Hugos.

➔ Ortisei or Santa Cristina:
If you’re staying in town, some hotels offer guest parking. Otherwise, use public lots — but double-check overnight restrictions if you’re aiming for sunrise.

CAT’S TOP TIP | If you’re parking at Daunei and hiking up, leave STUPID EARLY.
Parking fills fast with other hikers, sunrise maniacs, and possibly that one German family who treat hiking at 3am like an Olympic sport.

Is Hiking Seceda Without the Cable Car Worth It?

Short version?
Absolutely.
Long version?
HELL YES and you will never stop talking about it.

It’s not the easy way.
It’s not the polished, Hugos-at-lunchtime way.
It’s the boots-scuffed, lungs-burning, standing-alone-at-sunrise, feral-yell-into-the-mountains way.

The kind of memory that doesn’t just sit pretty on your camera roll — it sears itself into your bones.

You don’t just hike Seceda without the cable car.
You become Seceda.

Top Tips for Wildly Adventurous Seceda Hikers

➔ Bring hiking poles — Especially if you love your knees and would like to keep them functional for future adventures. Trust me.

➔ Pack a headlamp — Sunrise/sunset heroes, this one’s for you. Trail markers are great; your eyeballs at 4am are not.

➔ Wear layers — Even if it’s t-shirt weather at the bottom, the ridgeline laughs in alpine.

➔ Check the forecast — Mountain storms are no joke. If it looks dicey, reschedule. No sunrise is worth a lightning bolt to the face.

➔ Fuel up — Bring snacks unless you want to start hallucinating giant croissants on the trail. (Speaking from experience.)

➔ Respect the trail — Stick to marked paths, don’t stomp through fields, and try not to scare the cows. (They’re judging you already.)

➔ Celebrate properly — Hugos, pizza, two orders of pasta — whatever. You earned it.

Final Thoughts: Hiking Seceda without A Cable Car

You didn’t come to the Dolomites to play it safe.
You didn’t come to Seceda to ride up, snap a photo, and ride back down like a tourist trapped on a conveyor belt.

You came to feel it.
To earn it.
To chase something a little stupid and a little beautiful at the same time.

Hiking Seceda without the cable car isn’t just about saving money — it’s about stacking a story you’ll still be telling long after your boots are dusty and your knees are sore.
The kind where the sunrise hits the cliffs just right and you think, “I made it here. With my own two fucking feet.”

So lace up. Step out.
And let the mountains wreck you in all the right ways.

Cat x

Found this guide helpful?
➔ Save it for your future feral adventures.
➔ Share it with your strong-legged, iron-willed bestie.
➔ Start planning your Dolomites dream trip with my full Dolomites Hiking + Road Trip Guides.