The Armentara meadows are located on the Armentara Plateau, between 1600 meters and 2000 meters, on the western edge of Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park in Alta Badia, South Tyrol.
Sprawling beneath the impressive rock faces of the Sasso di Santa Croce Group (Sas dla Crusc in Ladin, Kreuzkofel in German), the idyllic Armentara Plateau embodies everything we love about walking in the Dolomites: accessibility, dramatic views (with little effort), and scenic contrasts.
The walk across the Armentara Meadows begins at the Santa Croce Chapel (La Crusc in Ladin, Heiligkreuz in German), which is accessible by two cableways (La Crusc 1 and La Crusc 2) from Badia. From the chapel, you’ll amble across the plateau, following easy pathways, before descending all the way back to Badia.
Armentara Meadows Day Hike
- Starting Point: Badia, Alta Badia
- Chairlift Ascent: La Crusc 1 chairlift followed by the La Crusc 2 gondola.
- Trailhead: La Crusc Church (2045 m)
- Distance: 9 km point-to-point
- Time Needed: 3 hours
- Elevation Gain: 70 meters ascending
- Elevation Loss: 800 meters descending
- Difficulty: Easy
- Trails: 15, 15a, 7a
- Where to Stay: Hotel Melodia del Bosco in Badia
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Armentara Meadows Hiking Map
When to Hike Armentara Meadow
We recommend visiting between mid-June and mid-September, when the cableways are operating. You can hike here earlier or later in the season, but you’ll have to ascend 800 meters from Badia to the Armentara Plateau.
- Best Time to Visit the Dolomites
- Hiking in the Dolomites in September
- Hiking in the Dolomites in October
How to Get to La Crusc: the Armentara Meadows Trailhead
This Armentara meadows walk begins in Badia, a small town in Val Badia. It’s easy to reach Badia from other villages in Alta Badia using local bus lines.
La Crusc Cableways
To start the hike, head to the La Crusc Chairlift valley station in Badia. Take the La Crusc 1 chairlift followed by the La Crusc 2 gondola to the Santa Croce Sanctuary (2045 m). You only need to purchase a one-way ticket.
The La Crusc cableways operate from early/mid-June until late September.
Opening times
- La Crusc 1 chairlift: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
- La Crusc 2 gondola: 8:45 am – 5:15 pm
La Crusc 1 + La Crusc 2 Pricing
- Adults: 13.80 EUR
- Juniors (ages 8 – 16): 12.40 EUR
- Babies and children (ages 0 – 8): Free
For more information on pricing and openeing times, click here.
Armentara Meadows Trail Description
Santa Croce Sanctuary to Armentara
Starting from the La Crusc/Heiligkreuz/Santa Croce chapel, trail 15 leads left beneath the Sasso Santa Croce massif (Sas dla Crusc / Kreuzkofel) to the grassy Armentara plateau.
Small wooden huts dot the green pastures of Armentara in storybook fashion. The soft alpine views unfold beautifully, beckoning you to take your time.
As you descend, follow signs to Hütte da Andre (Ranch da André refuge).
Lunch at Ranch da André Refuge
Surrounded by goats and cows, Űtia Ranch da André (1855 m) makes for a perfect lunch stop on the Armentara plateau. The hut is open 9 am – 6 pm daily from June 1st until October 31st.
Ranch da André Refuge to Badia
From Űtia Ranch da André, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to hike to Badia. Follow signs 7a in the direction of Badia (1324 m). From the hut, head back to the trail a few meters and then continue right. Walk past the fenced enclosure of goats and animals. After about 20 minutes (1.2 km), you’ll arrive at the tiny lake called Lech de Valacia.
The trail continues to slope down. You’ll pass several farmsteads surrounded by grazing cows. Continue all the way to San Linert, the small hamlet above Badia. We used maps.me for orientation towards the end of the hike because the signage wasn’t very clear at times.
Where to Stay
Badia
Badia (Abtei) is a village in Val Badia between La Villa and San Martino in Badia. This Dolomites village lies between Puez-Odle Nature Park and Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park at an elevation of 1315 meters. The La Crusc Cableways connect Badia with Santa Croce Sanctuary (2045 m), the starting point of the Armentara Meadows hike.
Midrange | We recommend staying in the lovely and very reasonably-priced Hotel Melodia del Bosco in Badia. The rooms are modern and spacious. Guests have free access to the hotel’s wellness area, which encompasses a Finnish sauna, infrared sauna, Alpine herbs sauna, and a steam bath, as well as a relaxation area and gym. For the hotel’s location and overall quality, the price is unbeatable. When booking your room, you can opt for breakfast only or half board (breakfast and dinner).
Look for accommodation in Badia.
La Villa
La Villa (Stern) is a small village in Alta Badia between Badia and Corvara. Advantageously situated between the Fanes Group and Puez Group, La Villa is one of the dreamiest places to stay in the Dolomites. Set further away from Passo Gardena, La Villa enjoys a quieter location than neighboring Corvara and Colfosco. Sunset views here are unforgettable. When we stayed in La Villa, we hiked to Gherdenacia Plateau, Rifugio Fanes, and the Armentara Meadows.
Budget | Pensione Camoscio is a well-run charming hotel with cozy, Tyrolean-style rooms, excellent breakfasts and dinners, and a peaceful setting. Great value for money.
Luxury | Hotel Ciasa Soleil is a boutique hotel in La Villa that wowed us with its excellent cuisine, relaxing indoor and outdoor wellness facilities, unbeatable sunset views, and striking design.
Read Next: Where to Stay in the Dolomites in Summer
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Alta Badia Dolomites:
- Alta Badia Summer Guide
- Lake Pisciadù Day Hike
- Sass de Putia Circuit Trail
- Sass da Ciampac Hike
- Gran Cir Via Ferrata
Plan your trip to the Dolomites:
- Dolomites Travel Guide
- Best Things to Do in the Dolomites
- Best Places to Visit in the Dolomites
- 7-Day Dolomites Road Trip Itinerary
- Best Day Hikes in the Dolomites
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