Monti Sibillini National Park

The Sibillini run for about forty kilometres with several summits above two thousand metres, the highest Monte Vettore at 2,476. Lago di Pilato lies in a glacial cirque below it, one of the few natural lakes in the Apennines, and holds Chirocephalus marchesonii, a small crustacean found nowhere else, which turns the water red when numerous. Medieval legend placed a prophetic sibyl in a cave on Monte Sibilla and made the lake a place where magicians came to consecrate books, which gave the range its reputation. Wolves and chamois, reintroduced from the Abruzzo, live here. Earthquakes in 2016 damaged trails and villages across the park.

Highlights

• Lago di Pilato - a glacial lake reddened by a crustacean found only here.
• Monte Vettore - the highest summit at 2,476 metres.
• The Sibyl's cave - the legendary cave site on Monte Sibilla.
• The Gola dell'Infernaccio - a narrow gorge walked between rock walls.

When to go

June to September for the high routes; snow lies late and the ridges are exposed. The lake can dry out entirely by late summer in dry years.

What to expect

Trails and access roads were damaged in the 2016 earthquakes and some remain closed or rerouted. The lake sometimes disappears. Bathing in it is prohibited.

Nearby

Castelluccio lies on the western plain; Norcia is west.

Key facts