The Gran Sasso Trail

Sixty kilometers in five stages through the breathtaking landscapes of the L’Aquila Gran Sasso and its villages, amidst authentic flavors and pristine environments.

The Gran Sasso Trail, managed by a dedicated association of about ten local operators focused on sustainable tourism, involves five municipalities—Barisciano, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Calascio, Castel del Monte, and L’Aquila—and ten tourism and non-tourism operators: Albergo Monte Selva and Ostello Natour in Barisciano, B&b La Bifora e le Lune in Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Ristorante La Taberna in Rocca Calascio, Albergo Parco Gran Sasso and Ristorante Da Loredana in Castel del Monte, the associations I Viaggiatori nel Parco and Gran Sasso Guides, with the participation of Legambiente Abruzzo and “Virtù Quotidiane.”

The Gran Sasso Trail, the result of precise cartographic and field survey work, is equipped with dedicated signage and e-bike charging stations. It is a loop trail that starts from Fonte Cerreto, at the base of the Gran Sasso cable car in the municipality of L’Aquila, and unfolds in the following stages: the first reaches Castel del Monte by crossing Campo Imperatore and the striking Scoppaturo Canyon, a natural set for numerous films; the second stage goes from Castel del Monte to Rocca di Calascio, crossing the San Marco Plateau and passing Colle della Battaglia; the third leads from Rocca di Calascio to Santo Stefano di Sessanio; the fourth reaches Barisciano via the Piana delle Locce; the fifth and final stage returns from Barisciano to Fonte Cerreto across the slopes of Monte Ruzza and the Montecristo refuge.