recommended route
Circular ST5 AAT: Tarvis - Rifugio Zacchi
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Photo: Sara Ehrlich, Alpe-Adria-Trail
The high valley of the Weißenfelser lakes (Laghi di Fusine) is one of the most fascinating places in this region. The lakes, which are situated at the foot of the Mangart group, are connected to one another by simple hiking trails and surrounded by thick spruce forests, and date back to the Ice Age. This region, which is inhabited by numerous typical animals and plants, changes over the course of the year as nature digs deep into her endless paint box to give the forest and lakes unique nuances of colour which make this spot even more enchanting. You can go on hikes of different lengths starting from the Weißenfelser/Fusine lakes. As well as the classic two lake circular tour (Giro dei due laghi), which leads along comfortable trails, a hike to the Zacchi mountain lodge (Rifugio Zacchi) is also particularly recommended.
The Julian Alps extend over Italian and Slovenian national territory, and can accordingly be divided into the Western Julian Alps (Italy) and the Eastern Julian Alps (Slovenia). The Italian Julian Alps, which are craggier and more inaccessible compared with the Slovenian ones, rise up in the region between Fella (a tributary of the Tagliamento ) and the Upper Isonzo. Their characteristic features are the imposing rock walls of dolomitic limestone and their largely unspoilt, wild nature. Rivers, glaciers and karst phenomena have all contributed to the morphological variety of the region. The mighty rock faces of the Julian Alps alternate with elevations characterised by strips of rock overgrown with grass and steep slopes with compact or fragmented rock. The main summits are all over 2,500 metres above sea level, but none of them is higher than 2,800 metres. Four elevations, which together with their subsidiary summits form four groups of mountains, determine the appearance of the Western Julian Alps: the Mangart (2,668 metres), the Wischberg (2,666 metres), the Montasch (2,753 metres) and the Kanin (2,587 metres).
Mangart group: TheMangart massif offers many routes of moderate and high levels of difficulty.
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Rifugio Luigi ZacchiSafety information
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From the centre of Tarvisio, at 752, we reach Cervi Park through Via delle Pinete.
Here we go to the right, cross the stream, keep to the boundary of Parco Cervi for a distance and move along the Passeggiata Monte Borgo until we ascend above the houses of Tarvisio Centrale.
We follow the CAI trail 509 for a short distance and then the path of the Anello di fondovalle (valley ring), which winds halfway down the slope, as far as Coccau, at 783 m.
We go along the road that crosses the country, then we take a right, keeping to the asphalt road.
At the next junction we go left onto a dirt road and then immediately take a right along a path that descends to the wide asphalt road used by the Alpe Adria Cycle Path.
We follow the road for 200 m towards Austria and then take a steep path to the right that descends to an iron footbridge that crosses the Slizza river, to 655 m
Beyond the bridge we follow an uphill path and then a cart road along the railway line for a stretch, which then leads us through meadows to the houses of Sant’Antonio, at 765 m. From here, following an asphalt road, with beautiful views of the Julian Alps, we come to the village of Oltreacqua, cross the bridge over the Rio Bianco, and we reach the SS (Strada Statale or state road) from Tarvisio to Slovenia.
We go towards Fusine for about 200 m, then turn right into a forest road that ascends into the forest until we reach the cycle path towards Slovenia.
We follow the cycle path leftwards until we reach an ascending asphalt road towards Aclete, at 825 m. From the small village we head towards the Lakes of Fusine, going for a lengthy period along a long forest road in the woods.
At a crossroads, at an altitude of 942 m, we leave the main road and turn left, take a forest track and then go along a marked trail which, passing near the small Fusine Lakes, reaches the northern shore of the lower Lake Fusine, at 924 m. Going along the lake in counterclockwise direction will bring us to the opposite bank and from here, on a cart track, we ascend to upper Lake Fusine.
A path runs counterclockwise around the lake, with numerous ascents and descents, leading to the car park at an altitude of 944 m, where the back road to the Zacchi mountain rifugio starts.
Going right up this road, we reach the mountain rifugio at 1380 m where the stage ends, but this can be done more quickly by taking a left turn after a few kilometres along the path marked CAI 512.
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- 10 Waypoints
- 10 Waypoints
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