From the mines to the high pastures, from Pattine to Campotorondo — the red deer rut

In September, in the woods of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, male red deer begin to roar. It is a low, insistent sound that comes from far off in the evening and marks the mating season: one of the most striking natural phenomena in the Alps, and one of the few you can hear before you see it.

What to expect

A free, full-day guided walk climbing from Pattine to the high pastures of Campotorondo, along a route that also crosses the traces of the area’s old mining activity. The Park guides tell the two faces of this land: the work of people, with mines and pastures, and the wildlife that has taken it back. The outing is part of the programme the Park devotes to the rut.

Where

Municipality of Sospirolo, southern side of the Park.

When

Sunday 20 September 2026.

Practical information

A full-day walk: adequate fitness, hiking boots, a packed lunch, water and layered clothing are needed. Listening to wildlife calls for silence and group discipline; not advised for very young children.

Booking

Compulsory, with the Park Authority.

Source and updated information: Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi.