Casere Cregnedul di Sopra / Casere Crignidûl Disore

Casere Cregnedul di Sopra sits at 1515m on the slopes of Monte Matajur in the Carnian Alps of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Reach it from Pulfero (590m) in about 3.5 hours on marked trails through beech forest and high pasture. The hut works equally well as a base for day walks across the Natisone Valley or as a waypoint on longer traverses toward Montemaggiore and Rifugio Visintini. Cell reception is unreliable; plan accordingly.

This is a working dairy farm first, a hut second. It operates as a rifugio only in summer, offering simple meals based on what the family produces—expect cheese, milk, and regional specialties rather than a full menu. Capacity runs to about 20 people in basic dormitory accommodation. Showers are cold water only. The setting is pastoral rather than comfortable: you're staying with livestock in a genuine mountain farmstead, not a purpose-built refuge. Open June through September depending on snow and season.

Book ahead by phone in Italian, especially weekends and July–August. The hut has no website; contact via CAI's rifugi.net or call ahead through local tourism offices in Pulfero. Bring cash—card payment is unreliable. Winter access is unpredictable; confirm conditions before planning a winter visit.