How long is the hike to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint?
About 4 km out and back from Rifugio Auronzo, 1.5 to 2 hours total. The trail itself is moderate; only the final viewpoint ridge is exposed.
Cadini di Misurina
The Cadini di Misurina viewpoint: the short exposed walk from Rifugio Auronzo, how scary it really is, sunrise strategy and the huts next door.
Updated: 2026-07-22
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Effort
Moderate, short but exposed at the end
Time needed
1.5-2 h out and back
Getting there
Same toll road / bus as Tre Cime
Best light
Sunrise
A jagged organ of spires that looks computer-generated: the Cadini viewpoint went from local secret to one of the most photographed points in the Alps in a few Instagram years. The surprise is how short the walk is: about 4 km out and back from the same Rifugio Auronzo parking used for the Tre Cime loop.
The viewpoint stands on a narrow ridge nose. The final metres are exposed, unfenced and badly eroded from traffic; in wet or icy conditions, or with a fear of heights, enjoy the spires from the main trail instead.
The walk
From Rifugio Auronzo head south on the Bonacossa trail no. 117 toward the Cadini group. After about 40-50 minutes of gentle up and down, a signed spur climbs to the ridge viewpoint facing the full spire wall. Return the same way; the round trip is about 4 km and 1.5 to 2 hours with photo time.
Combine it with the Tre Cime loop for one big day from the same parking, or walk on to Rifugio Fonda Savio deeper in the Cadini for lunch among the towers.
- Out and back: ~4 km, ~1.5-2 h from Rifugio Auronzo
- Final ridge is narrow and unfenced: skip it in wet or windy weather
- Trail no. 117 (Sentiero Bonacossa), signed
Sunrise without the suffering
The famous shots are sunrise shots, when first light hits the spires head-on. From a valley hotel that means a pre-dawn drive and the toll road. From Rifugio Auronzo or Lavaredo it is a 45-minute headlamp walk. From Fonda Savio, inside the Cadini group itself, you wake up already surrounded by the towers.
Where it is
Tap a marker to see how to get there, then open it in the planner with your start already set.
Sleep next to the view
Staffed huts closest to this spot. Sleeping up here is how you get the sunrise and the empty trail.
FAQ
Is the Cadini viewpoint dangerous?
The last stretch follows a narrow, unfenced ridge with big drops on both sides, and the path is eroded from heavy use. In dry, calm weather a careful walker is fine; in rain, snow, wind, or with vertigo, stop at the main trail viewpoints instead.
Can I sleep near the Cadini di Misurina?
Yes: Rifugio Auronzo and Rifugio Lavaredo are 40-60 minutes away, and Rifugio Fonda Savio sits inside the Cadini group itself, about 2.5 hours on the Bonacossa trail. Any of them turns the sunrise photo into a short morning walk.
More famous views
Heading for Cadini di Misurina? These guides cover the practical side of walking and sleeping in the Dolomites.