Holiday apartment in Passo Rolle: Nature, Trails and History

Passo Rolle connects San Martino di Castrozza with the other Dolomite valleys. A holiday apartment in Passo Rolle is therefore an appealing choice if you want to combine experiences in nature, mountain history and a range of activities in an impressive landscape. Between the pale peaks of the Pale di San Martino and the colourful rocks of the Lagorai range, trails, lakes and traces of history lie close together.

Landscape between the Pale di San Martino and Lagorai

At Passo Rolle, the quartz-bearing porphyries of the Lagorai range meet spectacularly with the pale, towering sedimentary peaks of the Pale di San Martino. The colours of the porphyries range from red through reddish brown to green. In the Passo Rolle area, you can visit large parts of the Pale di San Martino and Lagorai Orientale Natura 2000 sites.

The two glacial Laghi di Colbricon are among the most distinctive destinations. They lie at 1,909 and 1,922 metres respectively, near Rifugio Colbricon. Above Passo Rolle there is also a high-altitude lake with marshland and reeds in the municipality of Primiero San Martino di Castrozza. The area in question belongs to Paneveggio Pale di San Martino Nature Park and is classified as an integral reserve, with the highest level of protection provided by law for habitats and species.

Trails with culture and history

Baita Segantini was built in 1936 by the artist Alfredo Paluselli. Paluselli lived in solitude at Baita Segantini for 35 years. The surrounding area also has an older history: five Mesolithic archaeological sites are associated with the Passo Rolle area, including sites near Malga Rolle. The Mesolithic site at Laghetti del Colbricon was the first evidence of human presence at high altitude after the Last Glacial Maximum.

Along the trails near Passo Rolle, trenches and positions from the First World War are still visible. The Trekking del Cristo Pensante trail passes through tunnels and military installations from the First World War and reaches the large iron cross and the statue of the Thinking Christ. Cimon della Pala towers above Passo Rolle at an elevation of 3,186 metres.

Holiday apartment in Passo Rolle for active days

The Trekking del Cristo Pensante begins at Baita Segantini. From Passo Rolle, you can reach it comfortably on foot via signpost 710 in about 40 minutes to one hour. After crossing an extensive plateau, the trail through Val Venegia leads over broad switchbacks to Baita Segantini and opens up wide panoramic views of the Pale di San Martino. Val Venegia is crossed by the Rio Travignolo.

Baita Segantini can be reached from Passo Rolle via a 3-kilometre gravel road; in summer, there is also a shuttle bus service. For experienced cyclists, Paneveggio Expert Bike is a panoramic route through Val Venegia to Baita Segantini and Passo Rolle. It is approximately 22 kilometres long, includes around 600 metres of elevation gain and takes about four hours.

Wintertime differences around the pass

The Passo Rolle–Laghi di Colbricon route is an easy snowshoe hike from Malga Rolle to the lakes. It passes through part of the Paneveggio Forest and offers views of the Pale di San Martino and Lagorai. For experienced skiers, Passo Rolle also has a challenging black ski run with significant gradients and a compact snow cover.

The route to Laghi di Colbricon can be continued to San Martino di Castrozza. The walking time is about two hours; from there, a scheduled bus takes approximately 15 minutes to return to the Passo Rolle car park. This means that different route lengths and return options can be taken into account when planning your accommodation and excursions. The Seggiovia Paradiso chairlift at Passo Rolle leads to the ridge of Tognazza. From there, the First World War positions on Monte Cavallazza and the Sentiero della Pace to Laghetti di Colbricon can be reached.

For further regional orientation: Mattarello, Montesover, Piazzola, San Martino Di Castrozza, Canazei, Cavalese, Faedo, Ronzo-Chienis.

For the higher-level travel overview: Trentino.