Just before the border of South Tyrol, we find the source of the Adige - the starting point of a journey of over 400 kilometres
Image gallery: Hike from Resia to the source of the Adige river
The Adige (Etsch) rises in the Oetztal Alps near the South Tyrolean border with Austria and Switzerland. The source area lies at an altitude of 1,550 metres on the Passo Resia. On this September day, we stroll from the village centre of Resia to the edge of the village.
Above the centre, the signposts point into the forest. Trail no. 2 follows the Val Venosta High Route and leads us directly to the source of the Adige, the largest river in South Tyrol and the second longest in Italy. We walk past larch trees and spot two squirrels before a path leads us down to the left. Now we are very close to our destination: the source of the Adige River is well marked, partially built up, and unspectacular. A stone channel guides some of the spring water outside.
What follows next is more significant: The river carves its way first through the Val Venosta, meets the Isarco River near Bolzano, turns south, flows through northern Italy, and finally empties into the Adriatic Sea south of the Venetian Lagoon, the Laguna Veneta. A 415-kilometre journey.
After a short stay at this busy spot, we head back. Wide meadows open up, offering a view of the sunken church tower in Lake Resia and the lake itself.
To our left, the Adige flows down the grassy slope as a mountain stream. Shortly after, we reach the village of Resia (Reschen) again. However, you can see the Adige as a larger river on the two-hour hike along the wild Adige from Lasa to Silandro, which is also in the Val Venosta.
Author: RD
Experienced: September 2010
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- village centre of Resia (1,510 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 01:00 h
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- Total route length:
- 2,5 km
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- Altitude:
- from 1.510 m to 1.550 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +45 m | -45 m
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- Signposts:
- no. 2
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- Destination:
- source of the Adige River (1,550 m a.s.l.)
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Hike from Resia to the source of the Adige river
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks or stops.
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this hike!
