Gardena Pass in the Dolomites is an absolute must for road lovers

Passo Gardena (Grödnerjoch) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.123m (6,965ft) above the sea level, located in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, in South Tyrol, Italy.

Is the road to Passo Gardena paved?

Set high in the Dolomites, within Val Gardena, the road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called Strada Statale 243 (SS243). It is very steep, hitting an 11%% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. The road has been featured in the Giro d’Italia race. Riding this road along the Sella massif, you will find here the classic and worldwide published typical Dolomite Alps landscape. Winters see a fair amount of snow with occasional closures.

When was the road to Passo Gardena built?

It’s one of the busiest passes in the area and becomes very busy with tourists, motorcyclists, and cyclists during the summer, especially from July to August. Located to the east of Sela de Culac (Kulatsch Satte), the summit hosts a hotel with a restaurant, a souvenir shop and a few commercial buildings. A driveway up to the mountain pass was built in 1915, during World War I and in 1960 the first road to the summit was built.

How long is the road to Passo Gardena?

The pass is 15.0 km (9.32 miles) long, running west-east from Plan De Gralba to Colfosco. Rock slide area. The drive offers great views, with the majestic Sasslong / Sassolungo in the background. The roads and density of passes against the scenic backdrop of unique mountains makes this area an absolute favorite not just for bikers. The reward for climbing the two punchy ramps of the southern slopes of the Passo Gardena is one of the best descents of your life through the luscious meadows of the Passo Gardena’s eastern flank.