Puez-Odle Nature Park, a nature reserve in the heart of the Dolomites

The Puez-Geisler Nature Park is a nature reserve covering 10,200 hectares of a rocky plateau at the heart of the north-western Dolomites, known for their exceptional beauty and natural treasures. Rocky ridges, bizarre formations and interesting chalk deposits alternate with wide plateaus and woods. The park includes two main mountain chains: the Puez group and the Odle group. Both belong to the Val Gardena Dolomites, characterised by their special beauty and rich natural resources. The park was founded in 1978 and expanded in 1999 by annexing the Rasciesa area (part of the municipality of Ortisei).

The nature reserve is bordered to the west by the Valle Isarco, to the north by the Val Pusteria, to the east by Val Badia and to the south by Val Gardena.
The entire Puez-Giesler group includes the Plose and the Sass Putia (2,875 m) and the Odle group and the Rasciesa group with the highest peaks Furchetta and Sass Rigais (both 3,025m) in the south-west. To the south-east, however, lie the Puez group with the Stevia group, the subgroups Sassongher, Gran Cir-Vallunga, with the highest peak the Piz de Puez (2,913 m).

The mountain ranges of the Puez-Geisler natural park exhibit the typical rock layers of the Dolomites and show an extraordinary geological diversity.

The flora of the park is rich and varied. The woods are mostly on the northern edge of the park and consist primarily of Swiss pine and larch.

The fauna of the park is as rich as its flora. The key inhabitants of the Puez-Odle natural park are deer, chamois, roe deer, eagle owl, capercaillie, finch, wheatear, water pipit, alpine Chough, raven, eagle, adder, viper, alpine newt, alpine salamander and common lizard.