Helmet in the Hochpustertal

Hike to the Helmet in Innichen

If you are looking for breathtaking views of the Sexten Dolomites and are willing to do only a leisurely family hike, you should explore the Helmet in Innichen in the Hochpustertal. Stunning views of the 360° area can be found here, including the Three Peaks Nature Park, the Sexten Sundial and even the Großglockner. The Helmet (Monte Elmo in Italian) is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and pleasant hiking destinations in the Hochpustertal. Reaching the summit is easily possible for families with children and even without any major effort.

The hike

There are various ways to reach the historic military hut on the 2,434 meter high Helmet. The easiest option is to take the cable car in Sexten or the one in Vierschach (Innichen) and start the hike from there. This way, you have already covered some meters. For those who want to explore the Helmet as an afternoon excursion, the cable cars are the fastest way to reach the destination as quickly as possible. After a roughly 15-minute cable car ride, once you arrive at the so-called Helmet Restaurant, the approximately 1-hour tour to the Helmet begins. If you want to enjoy hiking in the Hochpustertal for several hours, I recommend starting in the town of Innichen, the municipality of Sexten, or from Austria, the town of Sillian in East Tyrol. From there, the hike to the Helmet takes several hours, but offers much more in terms of experience and nature.

Intermediate destination: the Hahnspielhütte and the Helmet Restaurant

Once you have arrived at the so-called Helmet Restaurant, it is only 1 hour to the destination, the military hut on the Helmet, regardless of where you start. You will always pass by the popular Hahnspielhütte. You should definitely stop there to enjoy the specialties from South Tyrol and the Pustertal region.

From the Hahnspielhütte to the summit of the Helmet in the Hochpustertal

After the 15-minute hike from the Helmet Restaurant to the Hahnspielhütte, you continue towards the summit, the goal of this family hike in the Hochpustertal. The first meters are easy and flat, then it becomes steep. It will take 15-20 minutes to climb uphill until you reach the destination, the military hut. However, unlike many other tours, the trail is well-prepared and perfectly marked. You can't get lost here, because the destination is always in sight.
It takes about 45 minutes from the Hahnspielhütte to the summit. Once you have reached the Helmet in the Hochpustertal, depending on the weather, you will be rewarded with the best views of the surrounding mountains of the Sexten Dolomites.

The view from the Helmet in Innichen

Like no other mountain, the Helmet in the Hochpustertal offers an incredible view of the opposite Dolomites. It may be that the mountain is not very high at 2,434 meters, but it has the perfect location for the most fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and summit crosses: The famous Fischleintal, the Haunold, the local mountain in Innichen, the Dreischusterspitze, the Pfannhorn, and even the highest mountain in Austria, the Großglockner, can be seen from here.

Such a magnificent view is hard to believe considering that the Helmet is only about 2,400 meters high. If you still have the energy and continue a few more meters, you can even gaze at the Three Peaks in the Sexten Dolomites. Beautiful, simply unique this panorama. The Helmet has the perfect location for breathtaking views. Hiking in the Hochpustertal is great fun. If you still haven't had enough of mountain climbing, you can of course do some more tours from the Helmet, such as to the Sillianer Hütte in the Carnic Alps. However, you should start before noon.

My conclusion:

There are numerous hikes in the Hochpustertal with beautiful views, but most of these tours require a lot of time and, of course, some fitness. The Helmet in Innichen offers the perfect view with moderate effort. If you have time for a hike with your family or just in the afternoon, this is the best option. Unfortunately, the weather was not perfect during my hike, but it was still a great experience to explore the Helmet in the Hochpustertal.