Via Alpina Red R30

The Via Alpina Red R30 is a roughly 15 km point-to-point trail in South Tyrol, Italy, linking St. Martin in Gsies (1,261 m) with Anterselva di Mezzo (1,236 m) and gaining around 900 m of elevation over a single full hiking day. Rated moderate, it crosses a forested mountain saddle between the Gsies and Anterselva valleys with sweeping views of the surrounding Pustertal peaks.

About the Via Alpina Red R30

The Via Alpina Red R30 is stage 30 of the Red Trail, the longest of the five colour-coded routes that make up the Via Alpina — a network of long-distance hiking trails created in 2000 by public and private organisations from the eight Alpine countries, with EU funding running from 2001 to 2008. The Red Trail alone covers 161 numbered stages (R1 to R161), threading more than 2,500 km from Muggia near Trieste in Italy all the way to the Place du Palais in Monaco, crossing Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, France and Monaco along the way.

Stage R30 sits in the South Tyrolean heart of that journey, in the Pustertal (Val Pusteria) region. It runs from St. Martin in Gsies (S. Martino in Casies) westward over a wooded ridge to Antholz-Mittertal (Anterselva di Mezzo), the gateway village to the Anterselva valley and its famous biathlon arena. The route is managed by the international Via Alpina secretariat, today coordinated by CIPRA in Liechtenstein after the original Grenoble-based Grande Traversée des Alpes association handed over the role in 2014.

For hikers, R30 is a connecting stage rather than a dramatic summit day — but that is exactly its charm. It samples the quieter, pastoral side of South Tyrol: hay meadows, larch and spruce forest, traditional farmhouses (Höfe) scattered across the slopes, and the bilingual German-Italian culture that defines this autonomous province. Because it bridges two side valleys of the Pustertal, it is also well served by public transport, making it an unusually accessible single-day section of an otherwise committing trans-Alpine route.

Route Overview & Stages

The official stage R30 is a single day, but in practice most walkers break the crossing into clear segments defined by the climb out of Gsies, the saddle, and the descent into Anterselva. The table below outlines the typical breakdown; distances are approximate and vary slightly depending on which farm tracks and forest paths you follow.

Total walking time runs to roughly 5–6 hours at a steady pace, covering about 15 km with around 900 m of ascent and a similar amount of descent. None of the terrain is technical — this is well-marked path and forest road throughout, waymarked with the Via Alpina logo alongside the standard South Tyrol trail numbers.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• St. Martin in Gsies (1,261 m) — the quiet valley-floor village where the stage begins, with its prominent parish church and a scattering of centuries-old farmhouses lining the Gsiesbach stream.
• Gsies Valley (Val Casies) — a 20 km side valley known for cross-country skiing in winter and unbroken hay meadows in summer; one of the least developed valleys in the Pustertal.
• The forest saddle — the high point of the stage at roughly 1,700–1,800 m, where the path crosses between the Gsies and Anterselva watersheds beneath the southern slopes of the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park.
• Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park — a 31,500-hectare protected area to the north whose glaciated peaks form the skyline for much of the climb and descent.
• Anterselva di Sotto (Antholz-Niedertal) — the lower village of the Anterselva valley, with a fine baroque church and the first cafés and Gasthöfe after the descent.
• Antholz-Mittertal (Anterselva di Mezzo, 1,236 m) — the stage end and the largest of the three Anterselva villages, the springboard for visits to Lake Anterselva.
• Südtirol Arena Anterselva — the world-renowned biathlon stadium a short way up-valley, host of World Cup rounds and the 2020 Biathlon World Championships.
• Lake Anterselva (Antholzer See, 1,642 m) — an optional detour beyond the village, the third-largest natural lake in South Tyrol and the gateway to the Staller Sattel pass into Austria.

Best Time to Hike the Via Alpina Red R30

The reliable hiking window for R30 runs from mid-June to early October. The saddle sits below 1,800 m, so snow clears earlier here than on the high Dolomite passes, but shaded forest sections on the north-facing climb can hold patches into early June in heavier snow years. By late June the meadows are in full bloom and the farm-track surfaces are dry and fast.

July and August bring the warmest, most settled weather, with valley-floor highs of 22–26 °C and long daylight, though afternoon thunderstorms are common across the Alps in high summer — start early and aim to be off the saddle by mid-afternoon. September is the single best month to walk R30: stable high-pressure spells, cool clear air, autumn larch colour beginning on the upper slopes, and far fewer walkers than in the peak July–August holiday weeks. As of 2026, South Tyrol's tourist board continues to highlight September and early October — the "Törggelen" harvest season — as the region's quietest and most scenic walking period.

From late October onward, daylight shortens fast and the first snows can arrive on the saddle; by November the route is effectively a winter outing. Spring (April–May) is unreliable, with lingering snow in the forest and muddy, soft tracks.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Both ends of the stage have good lodging, so there is no need to wild camp. In the Gsies valley, family-run guesthouses (Gasthof and Pension) typically charge €55–€85 per person per night for a double room with breakfast, while three- and four-star hotels in Anterselva di Mezzo run €80–€140 per person including the half-board (dinner and breakfast) that is standard in South Tyrol. Mountain dormitory beds, where available on connecting stages, cost around €25–€40 per night, with a hot evening meal adding €15–€22.

Formal campsites are limited in the immediate Gsies–Anterselva corridor; the nearest full-service campground is near Niederdorf/Villabassa in the main Pustertal, charging roughly €12–€20 per pitch plus per-person fees. Wild camping is legally restricted in South Tyrol, so plan to stay in villages. Booking ahead is strongly advised in July, August and during the winter biathlon events when Anterselva fills up.

Getting There & Back

The Pustertal railway (Pustertalbahn / Ferrovia della Val Pusteria) runs the length of the main valley between Franzensfeste/Fortezza and San Candido/Innichen, with the nearest stations at Welsberg-Taisten (Monguelfo) for the Gsies side and Olang/Valdaora or Bruneck/Brunico for the Anterselva side. From Welsberg station, local SAD/SüdtirolMobil buses (line 444) reach St. Martin in Gsies in about 15–20 minutes; line 441 connects Anterselva di Mezzo back to the railway in around 25 minutes.

The nearest major airports are Innsbruck (about 1 hour 45 minutes by road via the Brenner Pass) and Verona (around 2 hours 45 minutes). Travelling from Bolzano/Bozen, the provincial capital, the train to Bruneck takes roughly 1 hour 20 minutes. A SüdtirolMobil regional travel pass covers trains and all valley buses and is the simplest way to link the two trailheads without a car.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to walk the Via Alpina Red R30 — the trail is open, free and unrestricted year-round. There are no entry fees for the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park. The only costs are accommodation, food, and transport. If you continue toward Lake Anterselva by car, note that the access road and the Staller Sattel pass have seasonal traffic-management rules in summer, but walkers are unaffected.

Gear & Packing List

R30 is a non-technical single-day stage, but Alpine weather demands proper preparation: waterproof shell, warm mid-layer, sturdy trail shoes or light boots, 1.5–2 litres of water, sun protection and a map or GPS track. Because resupply is easy at both ends, you can travel light — a 30–40 litre pack is ample for a day hike, and even thru-hikers tackling multiple Red Trail stages rarely need more than 50 litres if they use the valley guesthouses for meals and beds.

For a comfortable, lightweight load on this kind of valley-to-valley stage, the Abisko Hike 35 handles a full day's kit with room for layers, while ultralight walkers chaining several Via Alpina stages often prefer the 2400 Windrider or the slightly larger 3400 Windrider for multi-day comfort without the weight. If you are still deciding on a pack, our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 compares seven models head to head. And because a full day on the trail burns serious energy, it is worth reading how many calories you actually need hiking a full day before you pack your snacks.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the South Tyrol scenery of R30 appeals, the nearby Dolomite high routes (Alte Vie) offer longer, more dramatic multi-day adventures across the same province and just to the south. They share the bilingual culture, the hut-to-hut infrastructure and the summer-season rhythm, but climb into far more rugged terrain. Consider these related Italian routes:

• Alta Via n. 2 delle Dolomiti - Dolomiten-Höhenweg Nr. 2 (Italy), 185 km
• Alta via n. 6 delle Dolomiti (Italy), 180 km
• Alta via n. 6 delle Dolomiti - XI tappa (Italy), 180 km
• Alta via n. 6 delle Dolomiti - X tappa (Italy), 180 km
• Alta via n. 9 delle Dolomiti - Dolomiten-Höhenweg Nr. 9 (Italy), 140 km

For a contrast outside the Alps, the cross-border Theth to Valbona trail in Albania delivers a similar valley-to-valley pass crossing in the wilder Accursed Mountains.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Via Alpina Red R30?
September is the single best month, offering stable high-pressure weather, cool clear air, early autumn larch colour and far fewer walkers than the July–August peak. The broader reliable season runs from mid-June to early October. Avoid late October onward, when shortening daylight and the first snows turn the saddle into a winter route.

How difficult is the Via Alpina Red R30?
R30 is a moderate stage with no technical terrain. It follows well-marked forest paths and farm tracks over a wooded saddle, with around 900 m of ascent and a similar descent across roughly 15 km. The main demands are general fitness for a sustained climb and standard Alpine weather awareness, but no scrambling, exposure or special skills are required.

How far is the Via Alpina Red R30 per day?
The stage is designed as a single full day of about 15 km, taking 5–6 hours at a steady pace including the climb to the saddle and the long descent into the Anterselva valley. Because both trailheads are linked by train and valley buses, you can comfortably complete R30 in one day without an overnight stop on the trail itself.

What accommodation is available along the Via Alpina Red R30?
Both St. Martin in Gsies and Anterselva di Mezzo have guesthouses and hotels, so you stay in villages rather than huts. Expect €55–€85 per person for a guesthouse with breakfast and €80–€140 for half-board hotels. Formal campsites are scarce in the corridor and wild camping is legally restricted, so book village lodging in advance during summer.

Do I need a permit to hike the Via Alpina Red R30?
No. The Via Alpina Red R30 is open, free and unrestricted all year, with no permit and no entry fee for the surrounding Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park. Your only costs are accommodation, meals and transport. A SüdtirolMobil travel pass covering the Pustertal railway and local buses is the easiest way to link the two trailheads.

For full official stage data, see the Via Alpina stage R30 page, and for transport timetables and the regional travel pass consult SüdtirolMobil.