Discover the Best Trail Running Races in the Dolomites

Looking for your next trail running adventure? The Dolomites in northern Italy are home to some of the most scenic and challenging races in Europe. From world-famous ultras to short but technical skyraces, this UNESCO-listed mountain range offers events for every type of runner. Each summer, thousands of athletes head to the Dolomites to test themselves on alpine trails surrounded by jagged limestone peaks.

In this guide, you’ll find a full list of trail running races across the Dolomites — with dates, distances, official websites, and useful notes to help you choose the right event. Whether you’re chasing a UTMB World Series qualifier, a vertical kilometer challenge, or a weekend half-marathon in the mountains, the Dolomites have a race that fits.

Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB

The Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB is probably the most famous (and largest) trail running event in the Dolomites. It takes place each June in the heart of the Dolomites. The flagship 120 km race starts at midnight in Cortina d’Ampezzo, and covers over 5,800 m of elevation gain, with iconic sections passing Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Tofane, and Lagazuoi. The event also includes shorter formats — the 80 km UltraDolomites, 50 km Cortina Trail, 20 km, and 10 km — making it accessible to a wide range of runners. As part of the UTMB World Series, it’s a key qualifier for the UTMB Finals in Chamonix and draws elite athletes as well as passionate amateurs from all over the world.

Race Date: 24 – 28 June 2026
Distances: 120K – 80K – 50K – 20K – 10K
Event Location: Cortina d’Ampezzo (Belluno), Italy
Event Website: https://lavaredo.utmb.world/

Registration Info:
Registration for the Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB is by a lottery system. Participants must pre-register online at https://lavaredo.utmb.world/registration. For the 2026 race, this pre-registration is open from 8-15th September 2025. For the 50K, 80K and 120K races, runners must have a valid UTMB Index. For the 10K and 20K races, no UTMB Index is required.

Delicious Trail Dolomiti

Delicious Trail Dolomiti is as much a food festival as it is a trail running event. Courses of three different lengths, from 23–43 km, take runners around the mountains close to Cortina d’Ampezzo. Forget aid stations serving up sports drinks and gels. Along each of the courses, local mountain huts and restaurants serve healthy but delicious snacks for runners.

The dishes offered will be designed so as to have the same nutritional value as energy bars or gels, but will be tasty and tempting and easy to digest for the athletes.

Delicious Trail Website

Race Date: 27 September 2025
Distances: Short (23K) – Medium (35K) – Long (43K)
Event Location: Cortina d’Ampezzo (Belluno), Italy
Event Website: https://delicioustrail.it/index_en.php

Registration Info:
Registration for the Delicious Trail is available online and is open to anyone, however places are limited to 850 runners for the short trail, 300 for the medium trail, and 350 for the long trail. Entry fees also increase as more runners sign up.

DoloMyths Run

The DoloMyths Run at the foot of the Piz Boè is a weekend of races that offer technical climbs, alpine vistas, and a mix of elite competition and amateur participation. There are two distances, which include a challenging marathon distance trail race and a 21km skyrace. For younger runners, there’s also a 12km race.

Race Date: 12-13 July 2025 (2026 dates TBC)
Distance: 21km Skyrace – 43km Trail race – 12km Junior race
Event Location: Canazei, Val di Fassa
Website: https://www.dolomythsrun.it/en/home.html

Seiseralm Half Marathon

A scenic 21 km route across the alpine pastures of Alpe di Siusi with ~600 m of ascent. Beginner-friendly and moderately challenging, it’s ideal for runners looking for non-technical trails and panoramic views with a manageable distance.

Race Date: 5 July 2026
Distance: 21km with 600m elevation gain
Event Location: Compatsch
Event Website: https://running.seiseralm.it/en/half-marathon.html

Registration info:
Registration usually opens at the start of the new year, and is available via the website. Participation is limited to 900 runners.

Dolomiti Extreme Trail

One of the most rugged Dolomites trails, the Dolomiti Extreme Trail (DXT) offers distances from 11 km to 103 km through the Val di Zoldo region of the Dolomites, an area that still remains relatively untouched by mass tourism. Expect steep climbs, technical trails, and breathtaking scenery in a challenging yet well-supported event.

Race Date: 12-14 June 2026
Distances: 103K – 72K – 55K – 35k – 22K – 11K
Event Location: Val di Zoldo
Event Website: https://www.dolomitiextremetrail.com/en/index

Registration Info:
Registration is via the website from 1 October, with prices increasing incrementally as the event draws nearer. Each distance does have a participation limit, however, in 2025, only the 35k distance sold out.

FUSKY – Fiemme Ultra Sky

Held in Val di Fiemme, Trentino, FUSKY is a premier skyrunning event offering four race distances: 30 km, 55 km, 80 km, and 120 km, with up to 7,700 m of elevation gain. Courses traverse the Latemar and Lagorai ranges, featuring alpine ridges, high-altitude meadows, and dense forests. With options for hobby runners through to elite skyrunners, FUSKY combines technical challenge with spectacular Dolomite scenery, making it a must-do for anyone seeking a high-alpine trail experience.

Race Date: 4 – 5 October 2025 (2026 dates TBC)
Distances: 120K – 80K – 55K – 30K
Event Location: Cavalese, Val di Fiemme
Event Website: https://www.fiemmeultrasky.com/en

Registration Info:
Registration opens in February, with limited entries allowed for each distance.

Primiero Dolomiti Marathon

Race Date: 5 July 2025 (2026 dates TBC)
Distances: 42K – 26K – 16K – Family Trail
Event Location: Fiera di Primiero
Event Website: https://primierodolomitimarathon.it/en/

Rosengarten Schlern Sky Marathon

The Rosengarten–Schlern SkyMarathon is a high-alpine marathon that circles the Rosengarten massif in the Dolomites. Starting in St. Zyprian/Tiers at around 1,100 meters above sea level, the route climbs to its highest point at Passo Principe (Grasleitenpass) at 2,610 meters. Set in the heart of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site, the race combines stunning mountain landscapes with demanding terrain, making it an unforgettable challenge for well-prepared runners who love both endurance and nature.

Race Date: 11 July 2026
Distances: 45K – 36K
Event Location: Tiers
Event Website: https://www.skymarathontiers.it/en.html

Dolomites Saslong Half Marathon

The Dolomites Saslong Half Marathon lets runners enjoy crisp alpine air and breathtaking views of the Sella Group, Sassolungo, and Sasso Piatto in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites. Open to both experienced athletes and recreational runners, the event creates a shared celebration where everyone can push their limits and savor the experience together. True to its motto, “the route is the goal”, the race is as much about the journey through extraordinary landscapes as it is about reaching the finish line.

Race Date: 6 June 2026
Distances: 21km
Event Location: 
Event Website: https://www.saslong.run/en/Default.asp

Registration Info:
Registration opens in September/October for the following year and is limited to 600 participants.

Tre Cime Experience

Tre Cime Experience is a multi-event mountain sports series set against the dramatic backdrop of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo in the Dolomites. It blends trail running, skyrunning, and even ski mountaineering into a dynamic calendar of events designed to highlight the UNESCO-listed landscape. Runners can choose from a spectrum of race formats—from the swift 1.5 km Diavolo Vertical Sprint, the technical 20 km Cadini Sky Race, and the panoramic Misurina Sky Marathon (42 km, ~3 000 m elevation), to the beginner-friendly Misurina Lake Run (10 km), as well as winter season challenges like the Misurina Winter Run, the Alpine Relay, and inclusive community events like the Luca Molin Trophy. Each event showcases unique terrain—from steep ascents to frozen alpine paths—offering something for elite competitors, casual runners, and families alike, all unified by the spectacular setting of the Tre Cime peaks.

Race Date(s): September, January, March & April
Distances: Vertical sprint – 10K – 25K – 45K
Event Location: Misurina
Event Website: https://www.trecimeexperience.com/en/

Südtirol Drei Zinnen Alpine Run

This standout mountain race starts in Sexten (Sesto) and climbs through the lush Fischleintal (one of my favourite valleys in the Dolomites) before winding upward to the dramatic Tre Cime peaks at Rifugio Locatelli. Covering around 18 km with 1,350 m of elevation gain, the course challenges runners with steep ascents via Zsigmondyhütte and Büllelejoch, finally rewarding them with breathtaking views beneath the Three Peaks of the Dolomites—one of Europe’s most iconic skylines.

Alongside the summer race, organizers also host the Drei Zinnen Winter Night Run in February, which brings the same spirit of challenge to a snowy alpine setting. This event leads runners across snow-packed trails in the Dolomites, combining endurance with the unique demands of winter mountain running. It offers a different perspective on the landscape, transforming the course into a crisp, white playground for athletes who enjoy cold-weather adventure.

Race Date: 13 September 2025 (2026 dates TBC)
Distance: 18K
Event Location: Sexten/Sesto
Event Website: https://www.dreizinnenlauf.com/en/

Registration Info:
The registration deadline is Thursday before the race at 8 pm. After this time, only on-site registrations are possible. Entries are limited to 1000 participants.

Transpelmo Skyrun

This scenic skyrunning event encircles the formidable silhouette of Monte Pelmo—often nicknamed the “Throne of God”—with both the main race (19.5 km, +1,450 m elevation gain) and a newer, shorter Pelmo Sprint Run (8.5 km, +650 m), both starting and finishing in Pecol, Val di Zoldo. The full loop leads runners through woodland ascents, high-altitude pastures, rocky scree slopes, and alpine passes like the dramatic Forcella Val d’Arcia (~2,607 m), before descending via long gullies and scenic trails back to the valley. Set in the UNESCO-protected Dolomites, the race blends a challenging format with awe-inspiring mountain landscapes and is officially ITRA-scored for performance tracking.

Race Date: 7 September 2025 (2026 dates TBC)
Distances: Skyrun 19.5K – Sprint 8.5K
Event Location: Pècol di Zoldo, Belluno
Event Website: https://www.transpelmo.com/en/

Xterra Dolomiti di Brenta Trail

Starting and finishing in Molveno, this stunning trail running event unfolds across three distances—21 km (1,250 m+), 45 km (2,850 m+), and a demanding 64 km ultra (4,200 m+)—traversing paths that snake through the heart of the Brenta Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage area. Runners journey from the shores of Lake Molveno up to high alpine passes like Passo del Grosté, and skirt dramatic peaks such as Cima Brenta, Cima Tosa, Crozzon di Brenta, and Campanil Basso, before descending back to the lake. Each distance offers a different blend of challenge and spectacle, set against a backdrop of sheer limestone walls and classic Dolomites terrain. Noteworthy is the event’s commitment to social impact—in recent editions, instead of medals and prize money, donations have been made to charity.

Race Date: 6 September 2025 (2026 date TBC)
Distances: 64K – 45K – 21K
Event Location: Molveno, Trentino
Event Website: https://www.dolomitidibrentatrail.it/en/homepage/

Rules & Considerations for Running Events in Italy

Medical Certificate Requirement (Certificato Medico Agonistico)

For most competitive races (trail runs, marathons, ultras, skyraces, etc.), Italian law requires a valid sports medical certificate for competitive activity (“certificato medico agonistico”).

This certificate must:

• Be issued by a licensed sports physician.
• State fitness for athletics (atletica leggera).
• Include basic health checks (ECG at rest and under exercise, spirometry, blood pressure, etc.)

Foreign runners are usually allowed to provide an equivalent medical certificate from their home country, but it must often be signed and stamped by a doctor, and written in or translated into Italian/English.

Many races provide a template form to download and have your doctor complete.

Federation Membership or Day License

Many Italian races are under FIDAL (Italian Athletics Federation) or UISP/other federations. If you are not a FIDAL member, you can typically:

• Present your medical certificate plus
• Purchase a temporary race license (tesseramento giornaliero). This is a small extra fee, covering insurance for the event.

How to Get a Medical Certificate for Running in Italy

In Italy, competitive running events require a sports medical certificate—known as a certificato medico agonistico—to confirm that you are fit for athletic activity. This isn’t just a race formality; it’s a legal requirement for organizers. The certificate must be issued by a licensed physician and typically includes a basic health check, resting and exercise ECG, and confirmation that you are fit to participate in athletics.

If you are a foreign runner, most events will accept an equivalent certificate from your home country, but it often needs to be officially signed and stamped by a doctor and may require translation into Italian or English. Some races even provide a template form that your doctor can fill out to ensure it meets Italian regulations.

For runners not affiliated with the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL), many events allow you to purchase a temporary race license. This is usually a small fee that provides insurance coverage for the day of the race, but the medical certificate is still mandatory.