Lake Braies to Seekofel

The Croda del Becco (Seekofel in German) is the 2,810 m peak that rises directly above Lago di Braies, the famous emerald lake in the Italian Dolomites' Prags Valley. The summit is reached by a serious day hike — 17 km return, 1,400 m of climb — from the lake shore, and the panorama from the top covers most of the central and eastern Dolomites, with the Croda Rossa, Marmolada, and Tre Cime visible in clear weather. It's the iconic Alta Via 1 day-1 destination but rarely walked as a day hike because most visitors stop at the lake.

The route follows trail #1 from the southern end of Lago di Braies, climbing steeply through forest and then onto the Fanes plateau to Rifugio Biella at 2,327 m (the AV1 hut, served lunch). From the rifugio, a marked path climbs to the Forcella Sora Forno saddle, then traces a stepped ridge with sections of chain-assisted scrambling to the summit. The last 100 m is loose rock and exposed — sturdy boots and a head for some exposure are essential. Most fit hikers reach the summit in 4–5 hours and complete the round trip in 7–9 hours.

The walking season is mid-June to mid-October when the rifugio is staffed and the upper rocks are reliably snow-free. Lago di Braies parking is heavily regulated in summer (June–September) — vehicle access is restricted to early morning and pre-booked slots only, with shuttle buses from Niederdorf otherwise. Start early both because of the climb's length and because afternoon thunderstorms regularly close the exposed summit ridge in July–August. The full Alta Via 1 long-distance trail starts at this lake; if you're inspired, the same trailhead launches the 9-day traverse south to Belluno.