The Val Badia borders the Puez-Geisler Nature Park and the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park. On the edge of these nature reserves lie small villages and hamlets, surrounded by vast meadows, forests and the mighty walls of the Dolomites. The trail runs between Stern and Corvara (1,574 m).

Reachability

From Bolzano along the Brenner Road to Waidbruck and from there into the Val Gardena. Over the Grödnerjoch (2121 m) into the upper Gadertal valley and down to Stern (1420 m). Continue towards St. Kassian, where we leave the main road to the right before the bridge over the Gader. After a hairpin bend near a wooden bridge, the car can be parked on the riverbank.

Description

We set off from our starting point below the residential area of Stern (1,400 m), cross the wooden bridge over the Gader and follow an unpaved forest track uphill on the left bank towards Corvara (signposted). After an initial steep climb of about 100 m (max. gradient 16%), the path runs alongside the stream and through the forest to a lovely rest area with a children’s playground. Shortly afterwards, we reach an open clearing which, in winter, serves as the finish line for the famous Gran Risa World Cup slope. Every year, the men’s Alpine World Cup circuit stops here in Alta Badia. Our route continues to a sports area with a children’s playground and a pond, where a fitness trail also begins. From here, the path leads gently downhill and we return to the forest. There are numerous benches along the route. After about 2.5 km, we cross a wooden bridge (1,450 m), after which the path continues for a further 2 km along the opposite bank. This second section of the route climbs gently through a dense pine forest (with gradients of 10–11% in places). At the entrance to the village of Corvara, we cross the Gader River via a new bridge and use a tarmac pedestrian underpass (gradient 12–13%) to cross the busy main road. On a footpath with a natural surface, we reach the hamlet of Pescosta a short while later and, after crossing a bridge, finally arrive at the centre of Corvara (1,555 m), where there is also a bus stop. The return to Stern follows the same route.