Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park

The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park was established in 1991. It has an area of 2,014 square kilometres. The terrain is predominantly mountainous.

Management

Italian Regulations and Statutes Regarding the Establishment and Maintenance of the Park

*Legge 6 dicembre 1991 n° 394;
*Decreti ministeriali 4 dicembre 1992, 4 novembre 1993, 22 novembre 1994;
*Decreto del presidente della Repubblica 5 giugno 1995

Managing entity

Ente Parco Nazionale Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga with headquarters in Assergi in the Province of L'Aquila.

Access

The two most convenient ways to reach the park include traveling through Assergi from the western province of L'Aquila and through Colledara when arriving from the eastern province of Teramo.

Geography

The park is one of the largest protected areas in Europe, the show-piece is the massif of Gran Sasso, which dominates the surrounding landscape. The king of Apennines rises vertically on the immense pastures of Campo Imperatore, which is a small Tibet. On the east side, from Teramo, there is the majestic "Paretone" which is a part of the central Adriatic landscape. It is the kingdom of perennial snow, rocks and wind. On the north the profile of Monti della Laga chain, where thousands of migratory birds stop on the shores of Lake Campotosto. This part is completely covered by woods of beeches, firs, turkey oaks and chestnuts. There are over 200 kilometres of horse tracks which can be used to visit it.

Nature and wildlife

The park is one of the areas in Europe with the greatest biological variety. Its nature is borderline between the Mediterranean and Europe, more than two thousand plant and vegeteble species, some of which are found exclusively in this area, and fauna which is equally precious.Many species of wildlife inhabited in the park, rare animals such as Abruzzo Chamois, wolf, roe deer, stag, wildcat, wild boar, foxes and squirrels; Birds as the golden eagle, the goshawk and the peregrine.

Tourist highways

A very beautiful road, the Grand Highway of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park runs through the park between the Gran Sasso mountain peak and the chain of mountains known as Monti della Laga.

Attractions

*The park contains a very long circuit of almost 200 miles (320 km) featuring trails that can be visited on horseback, by mountain bike, or on foot.

Activities

Many outdoor activities are possible within the park including:
*Horse riding
*Trekking
*Cycling
*Canoeing
*Bird watching
*Alpine skiing
*Cross-country skiing

Communes (Municipalities) and Provinces of National Park

*Province of L'Aquila
Barete, Barisciano, Cagnano Amiterno, Calascio, Campotosto, Capestrano, Capitignano, Carapelle Calvisio, Castel del Monte, Castelvecchio Calvisio, L'Aquila, Montereale, Ofena, Pizzoli, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Villa Santa Lucia degli Abruzzi

*Province of Ascoli Piceno
Acquasanta Terme, Arquata del Tronto

*Province of Pescara
Brittoli, Bussi sul Tirino, Carpineto della Nora, Castiglione a Casauria, Civitella Casanova, Corvara, Farindola, Montebello di Bertona, Pescosansonesco, Villa Celiera

*Province of Rieti
Accumoli, Amatrice

*Province of Teramo
Arsita, Campli, Castelli, Civitella del Tronto, Cortino, Crognaleto, Fano Adriano, Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia, Montorio al Vomano, Pietracamela, Rocca Santa Maria, Torricella Sicura, Tossicia, Valle Castellana.

External links

* [http://www.parconazionalegransasso.it/eng/parco.html The National Park of the Gran Sasso]
* [http://www.regione.abruzzo.it/turismo/en/index.html Abruzzo Regional Tourism Bureau]
* [http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.gran.sasso/Eindex.html Pages by the Park Authority on Parks.it]