Established in 1990, it is entirely located in the territory of Cortina d’Ampezzo, in the Province of Belluno, and encompasses some of the most famous Dolomitic groups, such as the Tofane, Monte Cristallo, the Croda Rossa d'Ampezzo, Lagazuoi, Pomagagnon and Col Bechei.

Together with the adjacent Naturpark Fanes-Sennes-Prags in the Province of Bolzano, it forms a protected area of 37,000 hectares in the heart of the Dolomites.

The park has been designated as a Site of Community Importance, and about one quarter of its territory is afforded further protection through twenty smaller reserves.

Predators such as the brown bear, the European lynxs and the golden jackal, long extinct in the region, have recently started to move back in from other Alpine areas where they have been preserved or reintroduced.

[2][6] Two visitor centres and eleven mountain huts are located in the park, which is crossed by over 300 kilometres of hiking paths, including eight vie ferrate.