Giro del Paneveggio

A classic in the area, this is an 8 loop tour consisting of two loops that begin and end in the visitor center of the Paneveggio Nature Park (about 1500m above sea level). The first loop takes us to the sight of Cima Valgrande passing through the Venegia valley and the Venegia and Venegiotta huts until we reach Baita Segantini. After an initial stretch on a paved road, the trail becomes all dirt until Baita Segantini (2291 meters). From Baita Segantini there is a splendid view and with a walk it is possible to reach the statue of the Thinking Christ (path forbidden to bicycles).

From here you take a dirt road downhill, pass several malgas (Juribello) and reach a descent on asphalt, which you then abandon to return to the visitor center. You can now comfortably visit the deer enclosure, a large fenced green area where many deer live. On hot summer days they often seek the shade of trees. If you can't see them don't despair, it may be worth stopping by at the end of the loop because the deer are most active at the end of the day.

The second loop is largely in the woods and starts with a long uphill cart track and then flattens out to reach Passo Lusia refuge. From here we take a long descent that brings us back to the paved road from which we break off for a final uphill effort on a dirt road before reaching the visitor center again. The tour is very scenic in the first loop, but the second loop is also not to be underestimated: the ascent through the woods takes us to an altitude above 2000 meters where an almost flat dirt road allows us on fine days to enjoy excellent views as we travel along the dirt road lined with meadows and mountain cottages.

The first loop has gentler inclines than the second, but the bottom is still very good. It is suitable for any type of bicycle, and has no particular technical difficulties except for the fact that the downhill dirt roads in places may have a bottom consisting of moving coarse gravel.