It’s no secret that the Adolf Munkel Trail is one of the must-do hikes in the Dolomites. But is it dog-friendly? When planning our trip to the Dolomites with our dog, we had to carefully research hiking routes to ensure that we would not be overexerting him, especially in the July heat. However, despite its length, the trail ended up being pretty manageable and turned out to be our favorite hike in Val di Funes. Here are some tips on how to hike the Adolf Munkel Trail with your dog.
Adolf Munkel Trail
The Adolf Munkel Trail is one of the Dolomites’ most popular hikes for good reason; it’s enjoyable, has a varied landscape, and culminates in sweeping views of the Odle peaks. It’s considered moderately challenging and is anywhere from 8 km to 13 km long depending on the route/trails you choose. Our dog is agile but small, so we went with one of the shortest possible loops – credit where it is due, Earth Trekkers gave us impeccable turn-by-turn directions for this journey to which we made only minor modifications. The trail takes 2-3 hours, not including any time spent at the rifugios.
Timing your arrival and start time
The trail starts and ends at the Zanser Alm parking lot. There are technically three lots that are part of the Zanser Alm, with P1 being the closest to the trailhead, but we parked right next to the info center, and it only added a couple of minutes of walking time. Note that the machine at the entrance of the lot takes only cash and parking during peak season in July is €10.
Because we were traveling during hot summer season and the daily highs were up in the mid-30s, we wanted to make sure to start the hike early in the morning. This ended up being hugely beneficial for a number of reasons. For one, we were one of maybe 6-8 cars when we arrived at 6:30 am, so we practically had the trail to ourselves. The early arrival also gave us 3-4 hours of hike time before the temperatures got unbearable and would ensure that there was no chance the dog would be in any danger of heat stroke before we finished. At the very least, the bulk of the uphill part of the hike would be over before the sun got too hot.
Trail route
We did the hike in a clockwise direction starting on trail 6. The beginning of the trail is on a gravel path that takes you to a stone bridge with a couple of small waterfalls and the Odle Group as the backdrop. This is where the Adolf Munkel trail actually starts. To get on it, you have to follow trail 35 towards Geisler Alm. Make sure you read the names and not just the trail number, because trail 35 also continues in the other direction. You want to go up to the right of the stone bridge through a wooden turnstile.
At this point, the trail gets a little steeper and more challenging, full of giant interlocking tree roots and some stones to maneuver around in places. Though you won’t have a complete view of the mountains the majority of the way, this is the part of the trail that is closest to them so every time you catch a peek along the way, they will look majestic and awe-inspiring, bathed in the 7 am light.
After about 4 km, we switched to the 36A trail, which is the most direct route to the viewpoint at Geisler Alm. We reached it at around 8:30 am, about 2 hours after beginning the hike. Save for one other guy with a dog, we were the only people there, which is another one of the advantages of starting your hike at daybreak. We also stopped by Gschnagenhardt Alm, which is just 5 minutes down the path to see a different view of the mountains. Since the rifugios are closed until 10 am, I recommend bringing a snack and enjoying it in the peace and solitude of the area.
We returned to the parking lot via route 34, though route 36 is also an option. We only made one small detour on the way back to stop in Dusler Alm. Though that added a bit of additional uphill walking, we arrived by the time the rigufio opened and were able to rest and have breakfast. After breakfast, we only had about 30 minutes left of the walk, and though the sun was high, the route from Dusler Alm back to the parking lot was through the forest and had a lot of shade. It was nice to be on our way back when most people were hiking uphill in the hot sun, starting their own 4-hour journey.
In total, we ended up walking upwards of 11 km with the two rest stops along the way. By the time we headed out around 11 am, the parking lot was completely full.
Should you skip Adolf Munkel and go with the Santa Magdalena trail?
Prior to our trip, we had all but shelved the idea of doing the Adolf Munkel trail in favor of Santa Magdalena panoramic path. Part of the reason is because though the views of the Odle/Geisler peaks are similar, the Santa Magdalena trail is much shorter, as little as half the distance.
Thankfully, a friend who had just been to the Dolomites strongly recommended Adolf Munkel and we modified our itinerary. And having done both of them, I can tell you, they are absolutely not the same. The Adolf Munkel trail gives you an incredible up-close perspective that the Santa Magdalena panoramic viewpoint that’s 10 km away does not. Frankly, we thought Santa Magdalena was totally mid after the Adolf Munkel trail – they’re not even in the same league.
The Adolf Munkel trail also isn’t very challenging. We had more tiring hikes in Saxon Switzerland. The majority of the hike is on wide comfortable paths that are not excessively steep, and it’s only a little rough in some spots, requiring maneuvering around giant boulders.
Tips for hiking the Adolf Munkel trail with a dog
It’s important to consider your dog’s fitness level. Our dog regularly walks around 10 km a day over 3-4 walks, so it wasn’t a dramatic increase in activity and it was the only thing we did that day. We also made sure he rested the whole day after the Adolf Munkel trail, only going outside for potty breaks.
Though the beginning and end of the loop are both in considerable shade, I recommend starting early to avoid prolonged sun exposure and crowds.
There are several natural spring water fountains throughout the hike, but it’s always important to bring enough water for you and your dog.
It’s not a bad idea to bring wet wipes during the hike. Our darling pup rubbed himself over fresh manure and we had to clean him as best we could in the middle of our trek.
Your dog should be on a leash at all times. There are other dogs on the trail, not all of them friendly, and there are grazing animals that may be along the path.
Speaking of poop, if you want to adhere to “Leave no Trace” principles, that includes dog poop. You’ll only find wastebins at the rifugios. And while it’s unpleasant to walk around for hours with an increasingly warm bag of poop, it’s the kind thing to do.
To end this on a less… shitty note, the hike was one of the highlights of our Dolomites trip. Having the Geisler Alm viewpoint to ourselves in the early morning light was a once-in-a-lifetime treat for both us and the dog.
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