Rifugio Puez Hike from Selva: Worth the Climb?
A strenuous climb to an excellent mountain hut—great if you have time, but not our first priority in Val Gardena.
What the hike felt like
Our hike from Selva to Rifugio Puez was about 8.7 miles with roughly 3,000 feet of elevation gain. The beginning is beautifully scenic as you start in the valley. Once we turned onto Route 16, the character changed: it became a fairly consistent uphill climb toward the hut.
The loose stone matters
A lot of the route is loose stone. That makes the climb a little more tiring, but we noticed it even more on the descent. The final push to the hut felt strenuous.
The payoff: Puez Hütte
Reaching the hut made the climb worthwhile. The views were breathtaking, the hospitality was excellent, and we had a great strudel at the top. A rifugio stop after a hard climb is one of those Dolomites experiences we loved.
Would we prioritize it?
If you have another full hiking day in Val Gardena and want something strenuous, absolutely. But if you are choosing between this and Seceda, we would do Seceda first. Puez was excellent; it just was not as essential for us as the very best hikes of the trip.