Autumn hike to the Locher Tavern

A pleasant autumn hike with wonderful panoramic view on the South Tyrolean mountains takes us from San Genesio to the Salto high plateau.

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San Genesio is the starting point of our hike. We reach the mountain village by cable car (in the picture the church in the hamlet of San Giorgio, seen from the cabin window).
Foto: AT, © Peer
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San Genesio in November.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Colourful forest on the edge of the village.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The stairs lead us to the path no. 33A.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The so-called “French Cross” (Franzosenkreuz).
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Crossroads near San Genesio - we continue our hike on the path no. 33A.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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It leads through the autumn forest.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Farms near the Locher tavern above San Genesio.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The Locher tavern, our first destination.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The path no. 33 proceeds uphill, we enjoy the view on the Dolomites in the east.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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In the west there are the Luco and Small Luco mountains and the hamlet of Nobls at our feet.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Earth pillars are column-shaped or conical phenomena caused by erosion.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Hikers on the path no. 33.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The last uphill section to the larch meadows on the Salto high plateau, in the background the peaks of the Tessa Mountain Group.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Larch meadows and grazing horses…
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The famous larch meadows on the Salto high plateau near San Genesio are the highest point of our hike.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The path no. 33 leads us back to San Genesio.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The Edelweiss tavern invites to stop.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The last section of our trail.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The circular hike ends in the village of San Genesio again, in the background the Dolomites.
Foto: AT, © Peer
video : Autumn in South Tyrol

Starting in Bolzano, we reach San Genesio by cable car and follow the path no. 2 straight away through the village centre. The trails no. 33 and 33A (signpost "Locher") proceed afterwards through the late autumnal landscape characterised by the sparse forests at the slope. After a 90-minute walk we reach the well-known Locher Tavern, where several hiking paths cross.

On this mild and sunny autumn day we choose the steep meadow path no. 33 to reach the Salto high plateau with its famous larch meadows. The view opens up on the hamlet of Montoppio, Mount Mendola and Mount Luco in the west and the snow-capped peaks of the Dolomites in the east. At the Edelweiss tavern we follow the path no. 1 back to San Genesio. We've experienced this hike in late autumn, but it's worthwhile year-round!

Author: AT

If you want to do this hike, please take information about the weather and the current conditions of the trail on site!

Starting point: San Genesio village (mountain station of the cable car)
Route: San Genesio - Locher Tavern - Salto high plateau - Edelweiss Tavern - San Genesio
Signposts: no. 2, 33A, 33, 1
Distance: approx. 8.5 km (in total)
Walking time: about 2.5 hours
Altitude difference: approx. 470 m
Altitude level: between 1,060 and 1,430 m a.s.l.
Experienced in: November 2014