Unite With Nature on Prato Piazza Pasture in Braies Valley – We Mapped Out This Difficult Hiking Route

How is your hiking form? If you are up for a challenge, we have a 16-kilometer circular trail that will test your endurance, fill up your camera memory, and calm down the backpacker in you that never wants to rest. Enter the Prato Piazza, a high mountain pasture at over 2000 meters at the end of the Braies Valley.

Located in the middle of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park, it has preserved its natural features and the tranquility of the wide high plateau. The overwhelming views with the grassy plateau in the foreground and the Dolomite giants; Three Peaks, Cristallo and Hoher Gaisl invite you to explore. The area is particularly appreciated by amateur photographers, as the red rock of the Gaisler group together with the gray dolomite rock gives a special contrast. 

Route description – Your Prato Piazzo hiking adventure starts at Brückele

The hike over the Prato Piazza starts at the parking lot or at the stop Brückele. From here, take the road up to the Prato Piazza inn. Turn right here and follow the meadow path to the small, managed Stolla hut. From here, follow the path behind the hut steadily uphill to the saddle. 

There the trail crosses some scree fields and rocky precipices, but also gentler alpine grass. The mountain path is varied and only a few places require some surefooted. At the Rossa hut, enjoy the view of the Remeda Rossa peak and the red break-off area of the rock slide at the Kleine Gaisl. 

After the alpine hut, keep to the right and head downhill along a wider hiking trail (later a driveway) through a sparse forest and over several scree slopes until you reach the valley. Once at the bottom of the valley, follow the road to the starting point. 

Photo tips that will make your Instagram pop – Kleiner Gaisl, Prato Piazza and the lush, green meadows

The most famous photo spot is in the immediate vicinity of the Rossa hut, with the newly built hut as the main motif and the break-off area of the rockfall and the Kleiner Gaisl in the background. Other beautiful pictures are taken on the wide and flat Prato Piazza with various rock formations in the background. 

In addition, in early summer there are rare and beautiful flowers on the lush meadows, which are well worth a close-up. Beautiful panoramic pictures are possible on and from the Dürrenstein hut or the Strudelkopf with a view of the Three Peaks. 

However, these photo spots require an extra approach from Berggasthof Plätzwiese of at least 45 minutes each way.

Mountain Moments Photo Workshops provide Photo Tours for everybody, Alpine Experience for beginners and intermediate-level photographers with 3 to 6-hour routes, as well as Summit Experience for more advanced photographers and hikers. We have private workshops and group classes.

More information about your next adventure in the Dolomites 

How to get there by car: Follow the Brenner freeway A22 to the exit Brixen-Pustertal, take the Pustertal state road to the Prags valley. At the tourist office in Braies turn left in the direction of Prato Piazza and park in the Brückele parking lot, for which a charge is made. It is possible to drive up to Prato Piazza (subject to a fee), although we do not recommend this due to various restrictions and the choice of route. 

How to get there by public transport: Train connection via the Brenner Pass to the station Franzensfeste to Welsberg. From there take bus no. 443 in the direction of Prato Piazza to the Brückele station. Other connections possible via Bruneck and Lienz. 

Hike difficulty level: medium – difficult

Duration/distance: 6.0h/ 16km 

Ascent/descent: 950m/950m

Highest/lowest point: 2341m/1490m 

Refreshments: Mountain inn Plätzwiese, mountain hotel Plätzwiese, Stolla Alm, Rossalm

Start/finish: Brückele parking lot (coordinates: geogr. 46.677433, 12.148845)

Tips: Plan a break at the Stolla Alm / Rossalm. The rustic alpine pastures are also known by locals because of their local and homemade dishes.

The most beautiful photo spots and hikes in the Dolomites – experience this hiking tour and 29 other exceptional trips in the Dolomites now.

Fancy more hikes in the mountains – and beautiful photos? Get out into nature! Experience the best hikes and locations with our new book: Alps – Photo and Hiking Guide. The 90 best Photo Locations and 30 most panoramic Hikes.

Here we have compiled the most beautiful locations and photo opportunities. 30 hikes with 90 photo spots are selected and described in such a way that you can easily experience these wonderful landscapes for yourself – including GPS tracks and hiking map and all other information.

You can take a closer look at the ebook here– – why not give it as a gift to someone you want to visit and photograph these places with!

Of course, you will find all the information about this hike in the ebook. After registering, you will also receive the GPS track, so you are on the safe side and won’t get lost and will find all photo locations easily.