Grostè with kids: by gondola from Madonna di Campiglio to a plateau in the Brenta Dolomites

Passo del Grostè is a pass in the Brenta Dolomites, at about 2,440 m. You get here by gondola from near Madonna di Campiglio, and at the top there is a limestone plateau, the Stoppani mountain hut and the start of some famous trails. We were here on 30 July 2025, during our campervan holiday. At the time we were staying in Arco on Lake Garda.

A free gondola for Lake Garda guests

It is about 70 km from Arco to the bottom station on the Campo Carlo Magno pass. We went there because, as guests of the campsite in Arco, we got free gondola tickets up and down. The offer covered the lifts from Pinzolo or from Madonna di Campiglio, and we went on the second to last day it was valid.

The gondola goes up in two sections, with a change at the middle station by the Graffer hut. From the cabin you can see meadows, forest and slopes that get rockier and rockier.

On the plateau in the fog

At the top we were greeted by clouds. The Grostè plateau is a wide limestone field of stones, and the trails lead across it from one red and white mark to the next. In the fog we could only see the nearest rocks. On the way Iwona made us laugh. She said, quite sure of herself, that it was very good some Poles had walked here before us and left signs on the rocks. The red and white trail marks really did look just like little Polish flags. Helena rode in a carrier on dad's back, and the older girls walked on their own.

We had a picnic by a signpost. The arrows pointed to the Via delle Bocchette, one of the most famous via ferratas in the Dolomites, and to the Bocca di Tuckett pass. For us they were just names on the signs, because with the kids we chose a short walk.

The Stoppani hut

We finished our walk at the Rifugio Stoppani al Grostè hut, next to the top station. When the clouds lifted for a moment, we saw the valley below us. There was not much of a view that day, but we were still happy that we had gone up so high.

On the way down we saw cows grazing under the cable. We got to the bottom at about half past two and drove back to Lake Garda.

Practical info

We checked this in November 2026.

The gondola

• The bottom station of the Grostè gondola is on the Campo Carlo Magno pass above Madonna di Campiglio. The middle station is by the Graffer hut at 2,261 m.
• In 2025 parking at the bottom station cost us 6 €.
• In summer 2026 the gondola ran from 25 June to 13 September.
• In 2026 an adult return ticket cost 30 €, and 35 € in peak season, from 25 July to 30 August. A junior return ticket cost 15 €, and 17.50 € in peak season.
• In 2025 guests with the Garda Guest Card got an email with a code for a free ride up and down on the Madonna di Campiglio or Pinzolo lifts, for every person on the card. The offer was valid from 19 June to 21 September, except in August. You book the tickets online on ski.it and show the QR code on your phone at the gate.

With kids

At the top it is much colder than at Lake Garda, and the weather changes quickly. Bring jackets and good shoes, because walking on the limestone is easy, but it is also easy to twist an ankle. If your youngest cannot walk far on their own yet, a carrier is useful.