Planning your first hut-to-hut hike is exciting, but one question I’ve often been asked:

“When should I book the mountain huts?”

Ensuring you have confirmed reservations for the right huts on the right dates is a vital part of your preparation, and will transform your hiking adventure into a stress-free experience.

If you’re a last minute type of person hiking on your own, you may be lucky enough to squeeze in to a hut that has had a late cancellation.

When hiking as a family though, arriving at a remote mountain hut at 2,000 metres and discovering they can’t accommodate everyone is not only disappointing but potentially dangerous. This scenario might leave you without a place to stay, forcing you into unexpected extra miles to another hut or even back down the mountain. As you can imagine, this is something definitely best avoided, especially with kids!

To ensure peace of mind and a safe, enjoyable hike, booking your spot when booking opens, especially for summer family hikes, is highly recommended.

This will guarantee you all a comfortable bed and a warm meal after each exhilarating day on the trail!

Here’s a simple guide to when you should book your huts:

Peak summer season: Book mountain huts early!

If you’re heading out on the trails between late June and early September, you’re travelling during peak hiking season. Mountain huts in popular areas like Austria’s Alps, the Dolomites in Italy, or the French Alps can fill up quickly.

Private rooms or beds in the dormitory

Most huts have more beds in dormitories than private rooms, and private rooms are usually in high demand. For families, I highly recommend booking a private room. It’s usually a lot more peaceful and gives you a place to spread out with your gear, for example hanging clothes out to dry, without encroaching on strangers’ space. It also ensures your family can comfortably settle down at night, particularly if the kids need an earlier bedtime than most adults.

Not all private rooms are as charming as the one in this picture, but many are!

  • A cozy wooden room in a mountain hut, featuring four simple single beds with checkered beige bedding. Red and white checkered curtains frame a small window, letting in natural light. This is the sort of private room families can book on a hut to hut hike with kids.
    A private room in a mountain hut

Book your mountain huts as soon as you can

As a general rule, start booking your huts whenever the hut opens its bookings for the dates you want to travel. This is particularly important if you’re travelling as a family or group and require multiple beds. Weekends are particularly popular, so securing your spots early will ensure your planned hike can go ahead!

Remember, if your hut hike spans more than just one night, the completion of your entire route hinges on having every overnight hut confirmed – often there is only one option each night with no alternatives, so it’s crucial to secure confirmations for all huts along your route, and on the right dates, which makes booking early even more imperative!

As a general rule, start booking your huts whenever the hut opens its bookings for the dates you want to travel. You can typically find out when bookings open by checking the hut’s website or social media pages, subscribing to their newsletter, or contacting the hut directly via email or phone. Most hut guardians speak some English, but it’s always appreciated if you try to email in the local language. Simple, short, polite messages using Google Translate can go a long way.

When do mountain hut reservations open?

For the upcoming season, many huts open bookings in January or February. However, there are exceptions; I’m currently dealing with one hut that only opens bookings on 1st April, which is slightly stressful since I’m travelling in early June. The late opening of bookings means there’ll be more competition for popular dates, so I’ll be ready online first thing that morning, especially as there are six of us, and the rest of the trip is already confirmed! In contrast, huts on very popular routes such as the Alta Via in the Dolomites open bookings as early as October, immediately after the previous season. My best advice: Do your research and book as soon as you can!

Last minute bookings in peak season

From personal experience, I’ve found that during peak hiking season, huts often can’t respond to emails daily due to a combination of their lack of signal and extremely busy schedules. I’d suggest submitting online requests at least a week before your planned arrival. For last-minute availability or urgent queries, calling the hut directly is always the best approach.

Shoulder seasons: You have more time (but don’t wait too long!)

In late spring (May and early June) or early autumn (late September to mid-October), the weather can be significantly cooler and trails tend to be quieter, giving you a little more flexibility. Booking 4 – 6 months ahead is usually sufficient, but again, if you don’t have much flexibility in your timing or route, I’d book as soon as you can! By this I mean as soon as bookings open or as soon as you have confirmed your trip; whichever is earlier.

Keep in mind that during shoulder seasons, some huts might not even be open. They open later in the season than planned if there’s still a dangerous amount of un-melted snow around in the early summer, and close earlier than planned if there’s been early snowfall in the autumn. Always verify opening dates and availability through the hut’s website or by contacting them directly.

Organising your hike during these shoulder seasons does carry some risks, particularly concerning variable weather and potential changes to hut opening dates. On the positive side, trails are often less crowded, providing a more peaceful hiking experience. Additionally, the scenery can be stunning; springtime brings vibrant wildflowers, and autumn paints the mountains with beautiful golden foliage and rich autumnal colours.

  • A close-up of delicate wildflowers, including purple, white, and yellow blossoms, growing among rocks in the foreground. In the blurred background, a wooden mountain hut is perched on a high ridge with jagged peaks behind it. The cloudy sky and distant mountains add depth to the alpine scene.
    Wildflowers in the Dolomites

Off-season hiking: Check opening dates carefully

Most mountain huts close completely outside the main hiking seasons, typically from mid-autumn through late spring. If you’re planning an off-season adventure, it’s crucial to research huts individually. Booking might not be necessary far in advance, but confirming huts are open is essential.

Don’t forget to book meals!

When booking your hut stays, don’t forget to reserve your meals at the same time! Mountain huts need to plan their food supplies carefully due to their remote locations, so it’s crucial to book dinner, breakfast, and even a packed lunch (if that’s offered and you want one!) in advance. Ensuring your meals are reserved helps hut guardians prepare enough food and guarantees you’ll have tasty, nourishing meals waiting for you after a day on the trails.

  • A woman sitting at an outdoor table in a mountain setting, enjoying a meal of fried eggs with bacon and potatoes, a well-earned break during a hut hiking trip.
    Delicious food at a mountain hut

Pre-trip organisation: Keep a clear record

To stay organised before your trip, I highly recommend creating a spreadsheet. Each row corresponds to a specific day, detailing:

  • The date and day number of your hike.
  • The name and location of the hut where you’ll be staying.
  • Confirmation details such as the booking date and reservation number; any deposit paid
  • The cost per person or per family (since huts often require cash payments, tracking costs ensures you have sufficient cash on hand).
  • Any notes about meals, dietary restrictions, or special arrangements made with the hut.

This spreadsheet becomes a handy tool, providing a clear overview of your itinerary and helping you stay organised and prepared. I use Google Sheets, and make sure I’ve toggled the “Available offline” switch to on, so that I can cross check everything when I’m on the trail if I need to! Here’s an example of one of my spreadsheets:

  • A spreadsheet detailing a hiking trip itinerary in the Seiser Alm region from June 23 to June 27, 2025. It includes daily activities such as flights, train journeys, hikes, and accommodations. Columns list the date, activities, details, overnight stays, price per person, booking and payment status, and applicable discounts. The total estimated cost per person is €510.30, covering flights, trains, and ski lifts. A link to a Komoot route is included. Some rows contain notes on booking requirements and discounts, such as a €10 Alpine Club discount and family discounts for accommodations.

Reconfirming your bookings

Many huts don’t require any deposit payment, which offers flexibility but can understandably make you feel uncertain about whether your booking is fully confirmed (it certainly does for me!). Rest assured, I’ve never experienced or heard of a booking being rescinded or cancelled, and most huts seem to operate beautifully on a trust system. However, for peace of mind, it’s a great idea to reconfirm your bookings about 1 – 2 weeks before your planned arrival. A quick, polite email simply saying you’re looking forward to your stay and reconfirming your booking is all that’s needed.

What if I miss the ideal booking window?

If you’re late to the party and huts are fully booked, don’t panic! It’s always worth directly contacting huts, as cancellations and last-minute spaces can appear. Be flexible with your route, check less popular huts nearby, or consider hiking midweek when there’s typically more availability.

Quick tips for successful hut booking:

  • Always check cancellation policies. Booking early is easier when you’re reassured you can adjust your plans if necessary. Huts also operate on a trust system, so if you do have to cancel inside the cancellation deadline, be prepared to pay a cancellation fee
  • Contact huts directly via email or phone if online bookings show as full – hut guardian are often accommodating and helpful.
  • Consider joining an Alpine Club, as members often have priority booking privileges or receive discounts.

Booking mountain huts doesn’t have to be daunting. With a bit of early planning, you’ll soon be looking forward to conquering the trails by day and cosy hut evenings with wonderful food and surrounded by stunning alpine views.

Further Reading:

If you’ve not experienced a stay at a mountain hut (rifugio in Italian, or Hütte in German), read 

If you’re hiking with kids, start by reading

For packing advice, read

For navigation advice, read

For hut to hut hiking routes in various parts of Europe, split out by family friendly and kid-free hikes, check out my Hut to Hut Hiking page. This also lists all other posts on the hut to hut hiking topic!

Bea Searle is the creator of Wild Bee Outdoors. Having lived in Austria as a kid, she fell in love with the mountains early on. Passionate about sustainable train travel and outdoor adventures with her family, Bea shares local insights, detailed routes, and plenty of tips for hut to hut hiking and multi-day cycling trips in the European Alps and beyond; along with ideas for worthwhile detours to make every journey unforgettable. Her goal? To inspire you to embrace the mountains, dodge the tourist traps, and explore with confidence.

You might also like these posts: