Drive from Lienz thru dolomite to Innsbruck
 

Hi
Am planing a car trip through the Grossglocker
Road...from Salzburg. Stay overnight at
Lienz. Then go to Cortina and onwards to
a pass on Dolomite road and Innsbruck.
Is this doable ... Basically want to go to
Innsbruck from Lienz but thinking of doing
a detour ...
Can I just do one pass and then have to
back to cortina?
Pls advise what do u suggest.
Planning to do it in mid June.
Will roads be ok and are safe to drive ?

Lienz to Cortina via Dobbiaco/Toblach is easy, quite flat itinerary but for last (easy) descent to Cortina.

Cortina to Innsbruck:
1. backtrack to Dobbiaco-Brunico-Bressanone-highway to Brenner and Innsbruck (easy)
2. Cortina - Falzarego pass (lot of hairpin curves) - Valparola pass (I remember it as difficult but I was there 30 years ago)-San Cassiano-Brunico-Bressanone-highway to Brenner
3. Cortina-Falzarego pass-Livinallongo-Arabba-Campolongo pass (not difficult)-Corvara-Brunico-Bressanone-highway to Brenner
4. Cortina-Falzarego, Pordoi, Sella passes in sequence, tiring to drive as lot of hairpin curves on each pass (you will be dizzy at the end), but these are the three most beautiful passes in the Dolomites, then Gardena valley to the highway.

Roads are usually open in mid June (the last snow maybe as late as early June but this is rare), main passes are safe to drive - of course if you are at least a little used to mountain roads.

Tks a lot ... Just a follow up.. Is it possible to do one pass to get a feel for the dolomite beauty and then use a regular route to Innsbruck?

Hi asps... If I take your 2nd suggestion... Is that quite an ok drive esp the falzarego pass?
Also how much time would it take for driving

The "regular" route from Cortina to Dobbiaco is n.1. It is not dramatic at all as it is the lowest possible itinerary. If you do any higher pass you end needing at least another one to get anywhere near the Brenner highway.

N.2 is very scenic - if the weather is good you can stop at Falzarego pass and get up the Lagazuoi mountain on a cable car, incredible landscape. I cannot tell if it is an OK drive for you as some people find mountain driving easy, some find it difficult, you can have a look on google maps using the street view. I guess it should be 3 hours, 3 1/2 driving plus time for stops (google maps is notoriously very optimistic about driving times).

If you enjoy the Grossglockner road, you may enjoy solution 3 or 4 too.

Tks a lot to both of you... Yes ... I am
Thinking of doing the 3rd option.
I was planning to stay overnight at Lienz
But do u think Cortina Woukd be a
Better place to stay vs Lienz.

You will probably find Lienz much cheaper than Cortina.

There is a single pass option: overnight in Lienz or Dobbiaco/Toblach. Drive Brunico - Val Badia - Corvara - Gardena Pass - Val Gardena - Highway to Brenner. You skip Cortina.

Another very scenic option, maybe the best compromise: overnight in Lienz or (better) Dobbiaco/Toblach. You drive south direction Misurina and up the toll road to Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Hike about one hour or two under the Tre Cime (incredible landscape, hiking boots recommended if your hike gets too long), then go back to Dobbiaco, turn west to Brunico - Bressanone and Brenner. This option recommended only in sunny weather. Easy driving, no passes but Tre Cime are one of the better Dolomites landscape.

Tks a lot asps... It's been a real help...