Strada delle 52 gallerie – loop tour

I had a pretty nice day today. There were too many people, but the trail is still pleasant. I've been there many times and it's always worth it. The weather was nice, a little cold because it had snowed, and as often happens, when I arrived at the Papa refuge, it was foggy. 😶‍🌫️

The Strada delle 52 Gallerie, also Strada della 1ª Armata or Strada della Prima Armata, is one of the most famous and now most visited Italian military roads of the First World War. It was built to supply the Italian positions on the Pasubio. Getting to the starting point is also an adventure

The road of the 52 galleries is a military mule track built during the First World War on the Pasubio massif. Circular excursion of the 52 galleries Once you have taken the path near the Bocchetta Campiglia, the excursion necessarily follows the original route of the Strada Militare. Just over 6 km to reach the Papa Refuge. Return along the Strada degli Scarubbi.

Today my husband and I went this tour, it was fantastically beautiful but we had to find out that the descriptions from other sites are not necessarily true. On the one hand, the times given are not correct and that it is medium difficult is also not true in our eyes. The ascent in the tunnels is sometimes very steep and slippery. It is definitely a great tour exhausting but I think the pictures say more than a thousand words. The elapsed time was 6 hours, the recorded time is incorrect because the GPS does not work in the tunnels.

The times indicated by Komoot are not correct: we did not take 3.43 hours but 5 and a half hours adopting our best pace. Obviously the most challenging part is the climb of the 52 tunnels (the route requires a lot of attention, especially at night), but you still have to pay attention also on the return through the Strada degli Scarubbi in the gravel sections. Shortcuts at night are absolutely to be avoided 😁

Wonderful excursion to do in the day, which starting from the parking lot of the Bocchetta di Campiglia refuge (€ 6 all day) goes up along the famous Strada delle 52 Tunnel, and then descends, after a refreshment stop at the Papa Refuge, along the Strada degli Scarrubi . Attention ⚠️, even if not demanding, it must be faced with adequate equipment, to safely travel the dark and cold tunnels, where the ground is often wet and slippery. The development of the first part, of about 6km, has an average gradient of 12% and can be covered in 3h. The return takes about 2 hours. The total difference in height is around 800m.

I think it's a must for every Italian and everyone else should see it. In addition to the history, there are also fantastic views of the surrounding gorges. After walking through the 52 galleries, the longest of which is 430 meters long, you come to the Refugio Gen. A. Papa. There are enough places to sit, both for food and drinks you've brought with you and for those you've bought there. The path to the car consists of wide paths, which are also used to bring food to the Refugio and the surrounding farms. You can make the climb a little more pleasant by walking over the 8 small Sentioros instead of taking the large Tornantes. The small paths are single trails and should be walked with care. The parking fee is currently 6.00 euros for a whole day.

Be sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp. There are further branches within the tunnels that can be explored. Several tunnels are over 300 meters long (Tunnel 19) or lead upwards like a corkscrew through several levels (Tunnel 20). Unfortunately, many of the side tunnels have been littered and filled with shit by various "mountain enthusiasts." From the Achille Papa Reef, you can also explore various bunkers and passageways on Monte Palon, as well as on the Austrian and Italian plateaus. However, it shouldn't rain for this, as the tunnels would be flooded.