Protected areas

Valcamonica has several protected areas: national and regional parks and municipal and inter-municipal nature reserves. They are places where nature is preserved and where riding is especially rewarding, above all for those interested in flora and fauna.

Stelvio National Park

The southern tip of the Stelvio National Park reaches into Valcamonica — Italy's largest park, covering 135,000 hectares, taking in the whole Ortles-Cevedale massif and its side valleys. It borders the Swiss Engadine National Park to the north and the regional Adamello Park to the south — itself linked to the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park in Trentino — forming one of the largest and most interesting protected areas in Europe. It only concerns upper Valcamonica, so there are no itineraries here (this is Adamello Bike's area). Information on the official site stelviopark.it.

Adamello Regional Park

The Adamello Park, in the Rhaetian Alps, covers the entire Lombardy side of the Adamello group, in the north-eastern part of the province of Brescia. It extends over 51,000 hectares, from the Tonale Pass to the Crocedomini Pass; to the east it is bounded by the border between Lombardy and Trentino, to the west it stays just above the left bank of the Oglio. It is home to Italy's largest glacier (about 18 km²) and has a radial layout, with the Baitone, Frisozzo and Blumone subgroups. More information at parcoadamello.it.

The following itineraries run through the Adamello Park: Val Paghera, Val d'Arcina, Enplas, Le Poie, Rif. Colombé, Val di Stabio, Le orme dei cavalieri and Le tracce dei camuni.

Barberino inter-municipal park

Established by the municipality of Cividate Camuno in 1986, it lies between 250 and 400 m of altitude, narrow and elongated in shape. It can be roughly divided into three zones: the Bardisone, with its dense coppice woodland interspersed with vineyards and sheep pastures; the central strip, planted with vineyards alongside meadows and maize fields; and the Barberino hill, which gives the park its name, with woods of black pine mixed with broadleaf trees. Trails, rest areas and a fitness trail make it ideal for walks and low-impact sports.

The following itineraries run through the Barberino park: Minerva and Esine.

Boschi del Giovetto di Paline nature reserve

The reserve straddles the ridge descending from the Corna di S. Fermo (2,329 m) down to the 1,273 m of the Giovetto Pass, along the border between the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia. Beech dominates at lower altitudes, then firs and finally larch higher up. It is famous for its colonies of the red wood ant, highly effective against the pine processionary moth: around their nests (up to 500,000 individuals), the ants clean and revitalise the soil within a 100-metre radius. More information.

The following itinerary runs through the reserve: San Fermo.

Valli di Sant'Antonio nature reserve

At the eastern edge of the Orobie Alps, the reserve protects two splendid twin valleys, Val Brandet and the Campovecchio valley, separated by a long ridge and joined near the picturesque hamlet of S. Antonio, set between two streams. The mining past is recalled by the smelting furnaces, especially in Val Brandet. It ranges from the 1,000 m of the confluence with the Ogliolo up to peaks above 2,700 m (Telenek, Sellero, Torsoleto) that bound the two valleys' basins. More information at vallidisantantonio.it.

The following itinerary runs through the reserve: Campovecchio.