Cascate e Casinei
A 2½-hour walk offering a wide variety of scenery
Summary of the route
When you’re on a mountain holiday, a bit of healthy exertion can sometimes be well worth the effort and offer a unique experience. This is certainly true of this hike, which offers stunning views, thanks in particular to the small waterfalls and the varied terrain.
The start: we set off from the finish line of the legendary 3-tre
This hike, which is not particularly demanding, starts from the Vallesinella Mountain Hut, at an altitude of 1,513 metres. From the Vallesinella car park, you initially follow the forest track that runs alongside the river.
At the end of the track, near the cableway to the Tuckett Refuge, the dirt track begins.
This is the most challenging part
This section, which climbs for about 20 minutes up the side of Mount Spinale, is the only one that requires a fair amount of physical effort. However, the effort is hardly noticeable, thanks to the incredible and evocative panorama: ahead of the hiker lies the glacier of the Adamello group, whilst behind them stand several Dolomite peaks (Castelletto, Sella, Massari).
The waterfalls and the climb up to the Casinei Mountain Hut
The most incredible sight is provided by the sources of the River Sarca, which gush forth beneath the small bridges and footbridges along the path and plunge over waterfalls several dozen metres high.
This splendid climb ends in the beautiful pasture of the Vallesinella mountain hut at an altitude of 1,681 metres, from where you take path no. 2261 to the Casinei mountain hut.
Now the climb becomes much gentler and winds around the large cirque that forms Vallesinella; after about 20 minutes, you reach the refuge.
To complete the loop, from the refuge’s excellent restaurant, you descend through the beech forest along the winding path, which takes you back to the starting point of our trip in Madonna di Campiglio and surroundings in about 50 minutes.