Hike in Cortina: to Fodara from Ra Stua

Introduction

This amazing hike will allow you to reach the mountain lodge Fodara Vedla, starting from Malga Ra Stua. This beautiful walk passes through two nature parks and leads to one of South Tyrol's most distinctive high-altitude mountain lodges.

You can find this hike to Fodara Vedla on the Tabacco Map 003 - Cortina d'Ampezzo Dolomiti Ampezzane; it goes along Path 9. Alternatively, you can see our route on Google Maps by clicking here.

This is an easy walk in the sense that there are no cliffs or sections with climbing, but it is quite long and challenging. The elevation gain is mainly concentrated on one climb. It's appropriate for a person with average training, but it's not recommended for young children or people with motor difficulties.

Path of the Hike

This hike to Fodara Vedla begins at the parking lot of Malga Ra Stua, which can be reached on foot, by car, or by shuttle bus. If you don't know how to get there, we'll describe it in depth down on the page, in the chapter "How to Get There."

If you need to eat or drink something, you should stop at Malga Ra Stua, since it's the only public place from there to Fodara Vedla.

Take the gravel road that enters the pastures, Path 6, following the sign that says Rifugi, Val Salata e Ciampo de Croš.

The road continues for about fifteen minutes through meadows where it is possible to observe, in the summer months, some cows grazing peacefully.

These animals are used to the presence of people, but they must be approached with respect, without annoying them. If a cow approaches you, she's probably just thinking you have food. If you don't want to be disturbed, just ignore her completely. Don't look at her, and she'll lose interest in you. If you have dogs, keep them on a leash.

Our stretch of Path 6 ends at the scenic pasture called Ciampo de Croš, where you'll see a crossroads and a small bridge.

Take the road to the left, crossing the little bridge. From here, we'll start following Path 9 towards Rifugio Fodara Vedla and Lavinores. Get ready, because the only steep climb of the hike awaits you; here you'll gain most of the four hundred meters, one thousand feet, of positive elevation of the hike.

This stretch won't be a stroll; it's steep, but if you keep a steady pace, you'll get to the top faster than you might think.

After about thirty minutes you'll reach a respectable altitude, as you'll be able to see from the panorama that will stand out below you.

From here, the road continues without major elevation changes, first through the forest and then opening up to a wide view of the Dolomite peaks.

Further on, the road gradually turns to the right, along the shores of a small lake known as Lago di Rudo. It is an ephemeral lake, which appears in the spring with the melting of the ice and then disappears as soon as the water provided by the thaw runs out.

Just before you reach the mountain lodge, without even noticing it, you will cross the border between the Veneto and the Trentino Alto Adige regions, which are administrative divisions of the Italian territory.

The border is marked by two wooden tables, one installed by the Ampezzo Dolomites Natural Park and the other by Fanes, Sennes, and Braies Natural Park.

From here, it's only a ten-minute walk to reach the mountain lodge of Fodara Vedla, which is hidden just below the horizon, to the left of the trail that proceeds in front of you.

Continuing the walk, you will see the roof of the mountain lodge appearing first, then the structure as a whole. This hike ends here and should have taken you about an hour and a half.

At the mountain lodge, we ate the pressed cheese dumplings on a bed of cabbage; this plate, in Italian, is called Canederli pressati al formaggio, but here you'll find many other delicious dishes of the traditional South Tyrol cuisine.

If you decide to eat elsewhere for any reason, you could consider going back and eating at Malga Ra Stua, the starting point, or make one more effort to reach the Rifugio Sennes, which is located higher. It's not a small effort, but it may be worth the visit: its cuisine is highly praised. You'll find all the details in the next paragraph.

Curiosities

If you feel this hike has been too short, you might consider continuing to the Rifugio Sennes, which is a mountain lodge located about fifty minutes from here, at a higher elevation. Keep walking after Fodara and take Path 7. After a few minutes, take the shortcut to the right, always along Path 7, and continue for about forty minutes, until you reach the Rifugio Sennes. It's a slightly uphill walk, always well signposted. If you want to have a better idea of the walk, by clicking here, you can see the path on Google Maps, or you may prefer to click here to download the GPX route. Once you reach Sennes, you can also return to Ra Stua. If you need to know how, read our page, which you can find below:

From Ra Stua to Sennes A hike from Malga Ra Stua to the Rifugio Sennes, in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park. 3h 00' - 11 km - Difficult

Fodara Vedla was built as a World War I camp, but in 1923 it was taken over by Hans Mutschlechner and used as a cattle pasture. Following the arrival of tourism, the hut was converted into an accommodation facility, with rooms and a kitchen. To this day, the mountain lodge is still run by the Mutschlechner family, now in its fourth generation.

You will not find the classic symbols for men and women in the bathroom, but instead a much more distinctive system with chamois. The men's bath is identified with the male, recognizable by its horns and beard; the women's bath has the female chamois, without horns or beard. As far as we know, the female chamois should also have horns, but we preferred to be discreet and not ask about the family situation of the portrayed specimens...

The name Fodara comes from the Ladin dialect and literally means sheep grazing. There are other similar examples, such as Fedaròla at Cortina or Fedares in Val Badia.

How to Get There

In order to get to Malga Ra Stua in the low season, the easiest way is to use the car. In the months of June and July, the road from Sant'Uberto is closed to traffic. In this case, you have to leave the car in the locality of Fiames and take the shuttle. We'll describe it better a few lines below, in the public transport chapter.

If the road is open, from the center of Cortina, you need to reach the Sant'Uberto parking area, also known as tornichè. From here, you'll have to proceed along a rather steep and narrow road towards the destination. There you will find the free parking lot of the Malga, with a capacity close to fifty cars.

Ra Stua is the starting point of many hikes. You should get there early in the morning to be sure to find a free spot. From the center of Cortina, you will need approximately a twenty-five-minute drive.

Unfortunately, there is no public transport directly to Malga Ra Stua. The bus n°1 can take you to the locality of Fiames, but from there, you'd have to walk for two hours, which is quite unreasonable. The solution is the private shuttle service, but it's only active in the peak season.

Let's suppose it's the peak season: June and July. The first step is to take bus n°1 from the Cortina bus station and get off at the stop of the Fiames Sport Center. For more information and to purchase tickets, you should contact the ticket office, which is located in the same office as the Tourist Information Center. It may be closed during lunch.

Once at the Sport Center, you just need to cross the road to reach the shuttle area. The tickets can be purchased directly onboard, and the price is approximately €10 each. Before assuming the availability of the shuttle service, always search for a confirmation; the easiest way is to contact the Dolomites of Ampezzo Park.

You could also take a taxi. From Cortina to the Malga Ra Stua, the cost should be approximately €50. If the shuttle service is active, you may get off at Fiames. In this case the price will be lower, around €30. Considering that prices could vary a lot, both for the type of vehicle and the number of people, you should always ask for a quote. Taxis can be found both in Roma Square and at the bus station, or you can visit the official taxi website.

Even though this hike is already quite long, you might want to reach Malga Ra Stua on foot. This walk will take you about an hour and a half, and the length will be nearly three kilometers, or two miles.

If you choose to walk there, you should read our page about the walk from Sant'Uberto to the pastures of Ra Stua. You can see it below:

Walk to Malga Ra Stua A hike from the Sant'Uberto parking lot to Malga Ra Stua, avoiding the paved road. 2h 30' - 6 km - Intermediate

If you need any information, there is a tourist information office. It is located in the town center, near the church.

Useful information

The hike to Fodara should be done only in the summer. Although it never gets closed, bear in mind that the route is not beaten by snowmobiles or snowcats, so it's really hard to walk it safely in winter. The best months for this walk are from May to November, but unfortunately, every season is different, so we can't tell you in advance if you will find ice, mud, or a perfect road.

If you decide to eat or sleep in a mountain lodge, they are usually open for most of the year. If you don't want to have bad surprises in the low season, it is always better to call to check the actual opening.

When you go hiking, you should always use sturdy shoes and carry a backpack with some water, a snack, and a jacket for the rain. If you want more information, we recommend you read our tips for first-time hikers:

Safety tips for hikers Tips for safely going to hiking and preparing your backpack with all you may need. Reading time: 8 min.

We want to emphasize that, in the territory of the Dolomites, there are rules to be followed. The main ones are:

• It is strictly forbidden to light fires.
• It is strictly forbidden to pick plants and flowers.
• Free camping is prohibited.
• It is prohibited to abandon garbage.
• It is mandatory to keep pets on a leash.

Always be responsible, and when in doubt, stop. CiaoCortina cannot be held responsible for any damage to things or people, variations, wrong paths, errors, or inconveniences that may occur along the route.

Conclusion

We hope you liked this page on the hike from Malga Ra Stua to Fodara Vedla. Before saying goodbye, we would like to mention that you can find other amazing hikes in Cortina and its surroundings by clicking here.

If you want to thank us, you can read the page Support Us. If you only want to suggest a change, propose something, or just say hello, in the section Contacts and Info, you'll find all the ways to reach us.