Trekking Pietracamela - Prati di Tivo

Scarica il file GPX Mappa in PDF GPXsee per i file GPX

📞 Useful Numbers - Pietracamela

Service	Phone	Address
🏛️ Town Hall	0861 955112	Via XXV Luglio, 19
👮 Carabinieri (Police)	0861 955122	Via del Colle
💊 Esposito Pharmacy	0861 955222	Via XXV Luglio
🩺 Medical Guard	0861 95105	Medical Clinic
📮 Post Office	0861 955115	Via XXV Luglio
🌲 Forestry Corps	0861 955110	Via del Colle
🏞️ Pro Loco (Tourist Office)	0861 959684	Pietracamela
🎿 Prati di Tivo Ski Lifts	0861 959634	Prati di Tivo
🚁 Mountain Rescue	800 258239	National
🏔️ Mountain Community	0861 698523	Gran Sasso
🥾 Hiking Guides	349 3586871	Pietracamela

Hiking Guide — Pietracamela & Prati di Tivo

Introduction

Pietracamela and Prati di Tivo are among the most scenic access points to the Gran Sasso massif. The historic stone village and the alpine basin beneath Corno Piccolo offer routes for all levels, both in summer and winter.

Recommended Trails

Pietracamela → Prati di Tivo: Medium difficulty, 1h 30’, +450 m. Historic and panoramic route.
Prati di Tivo → Rifugio Franchetti: Medium/High, 2h, +600 m. Iconic alpine trail.
Beech Forest Loop: Easy, 1h. Ideal for families and light snowshoeing.
Prati di Tivo → Madonnina: 45’ on foot or cable car. Excellent viewpoint.

Winter Activities

Snowshoeing: Rio Arno Valley, Beech Forest Loop, Madonnina area.
Skiing: Prati di Tivo offers blue and red slopes with panoramic views.
Ski Mountaineering: For experts only; routes toward Franchetti and Cornacchie Valley.

Equipment Rental

Prati di Tivo Ski Rental: skis, snowboards, snowshoes. Tel: 0861 959634.
Gran Sasso Ski: snowshoes, skis, poles. Tel: +39 347 557 2714.
Local Hiking Guides: rental + guided tours. Tel: 349 3586871.

Mountain Huts & Facilities

Rifugio Franchetti: open in summer; winter access for experts only.
Rifugio Cima Alta: seasonal opening; food and trail info.

Safety Tips

Always check weather conditions.
Carry warm layers, wind protection, and offline maps.
Beware of ice on exposed sections.
Mountain Rescue: 800 258239

Best Seasons

Summer for trekking, winter for snow activities, autumn for foliage, spring variable.

Route type: Trekking for hikers (Difficulty E – Medium/Easy)
Walking time: about 2 hours to reach Prati di Tivo
Starting point: the centre of Pietracamela.
A map is recommended;
Pets allowed
Recommended visit in summer; in winter snowshoes may be useful. Climbing with alpine skis can be difficult.
Starting altitude approx. 1030 m, arrival altitude approx. 1510 m. The GPS track continues further and reaches the Rio Arno Waterfall.

View the map online

Scorri il menù

Travelling through Abruzzo, we went to Pietracamela in summer and from there we climbed towards the Prati di Tivo at the foot of Corno Piccolo on the eastern side of the Gran Sasso d'Italia. An easy route of about a couple of hours on foot, and with another hour or so it is possible to reach the Rio Arno Waterfalls.

Travelling through Abruzzo, today we visited one of our favourite places, which I have already mentioned several times: Pietracamela in the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. It is a little village for which calling it “magical” is definitely an understatement. Every time we come here, I am overwhelmed by an irresistible urge to abandon my everyday life, invent some kind of activity that one could do in an isolated mountain village, and move here permanently. In the upper part of the village there are some little houses that seem to have my name written on them, that’s how much I like them. Usually this is a winter destination for us, when we want to be literally buried in snow and silence. But not this time. It’s summer, a beautiful day, sunshine, a clear sky… maybe not exactly sweltering, but since we have “warlike” intentions (as always), we certainly won’t have any problems with the cold!!!

We arrive and discover that in summer this destination is definitely popular. Finding a parking spot is not easy at all, and the village is buzzing with a kind of life we had never seen before. Apparently, for the rest of the world this is not a winter destination!!! Once we leave the car, we decide on our route. Today we will walk from Pietracamela to Prati di Tivo, going through the mountain. To do this, we must cross the entire village. Obviously, this is a pleasure given the beauty of the place. We start climbing the endless steps that are the only “streets” to cross the village. Every alley is different from the next, every staircase is a little piece of the history of this small village… every time you turn a corner you risk ending up inside someone’s house… When we reach the top, we have an unpleasant surprise. The path we had chosen is closed because part of the rock wall above it (stunningly beautiful, by the way) collapsed during the 2009 earthquake. We don’t lose heart and ask the locals to show us an alternative route. We then find ourselves entering a very dense forest that quickly takes us higher and higher. The nature here is beautiful, which is nothing new; what never ceases to amaze me are the streams, the little waterfalls, and in general the amount of water we encounter along the way. I really had no idea there was so much of it around here!!! The climb is pleasant and, in a short time, we reach our goal for today: Prati di Tivo!!!

Here too, there is no lack of activity. It seems that today everyone has chosen to spend their day with a nice picnic. We decide to walk the loop that surrounds the meadows; we pass through areas of dazzling green and then reach the tourist station where the commercial activities are grouped and where the ski lifts depart. We also go to see the new cable car that takes you to the top of the mountain. We decide not to go up, as we are not equipped for a walk at that altitude. After another little stroll, we find the road we came from and follow it back to the village. One last look and a few more photos of the beauty of the place, and then we leave, with the promise to return again, again, again!

Points of Interest

Useful Information

Skiing in Abruzzo – snow report

The most popular ski resorts, the updated snow report and useful information on how to find lifts or book accommodation for your winter holiday
Vai

Webcams in Abruzzo

View the webcams in Abruzzo and check real‑time weather conditions. Some webcams belong to www.abruzzoparchi.it, others are located throughout the region
Vai

Abruzzo weather

Weather forecasts for the coming days in Abruzzo. Live weather via our webcams and temperatures recorded in several mountain areas
Vai

Abruzzo trail maps

Maps for trekking, mountain biking, ski touring, running and horse riding. You can also download the GPX track of each route
Vai

Outdoor activities

Walks, diving, climbing, mountain biking, horse riding — all outdoor activities available in Abruzzo
Vai

Holiday in Abruzzo

Choose between sea or mountains, summer or winter, a sporty holiday or a relaxing one — Abruzzo has it all
Vai

Traditional Abruzzese cuisine

Abruzzo is famous for its cuisine, both mountain and coastal, with traditions that vary from area to area
Vai

Experience Abruzzo

Abruzzo’s villages are famous for their fortresses, mountains and the traditional trabocchi along the southern coast
Vai

Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park

One of Italy’s most famous and oldest national parks
Vai

Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park

One of Italy’s wildest parks, with typical Apennine landscapes and Dolomite‑like peaks
Vai

Velino‑Sirente Regional Park

Located in the heart of the Apennines, home to the beautiful villages of the Rocche Plateau
Vai

Majella National Park

One of the snowiest places in Italy, a unique mountain massif rising close to the sea
Vai

Trekking Pietracamela - Prati di Tivo

📞 Useful Numbers - Pietracamela

Hiking Guide — Pietracamela & Prati di Tivo

Introduction

Recommended Trails

Winter Activities

Equipment Rental

Mountain Huts & Facilities

Safety Tips

Best Seasons

3‑Day Trek on the Gran Sasso

The Springs of the Vera River

From Pietracamela to Prati di Tivo — Trekking and Ski Mountaineering

From Paganica to Pescomaggiore — Trekking, Mountain Biking and Ski Mountaineering

Madonna Fore — Trekking, Mountain Biking and Ski Mountaineering

The Ascent of Corno Grande

The Hundred Waterfalls (Cento Fonti)

From Fonte Vetica to the Base of Monte Camicia up to the Desiati Bivouac

From Castel del Monte to Campo Imperatore

Trekking and Mountaineering in the Montecristo Area — L'Aquila

Skiing in Abruzzo – snow report

Webcams in Abruzzo

Abruzzo weather

Abruzzo trail maps

Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park

Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park

Velino‑Sirente Regional Park

Majella National Park

Experience Abruzzo

Holiday in Abruzzo

Traditional Abruzzese cuisine

Outdoor activities

Points of Interest

Useful Information

Skiing in Abruzzo – snow report

Webcams in Abruzzo

Abruzzo weather

Abruzzo trail maps

Outdoor activities

Holiday in Abruzzo

Traditional Abruzzese cuisine

Experience Abruzzo

Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park

Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park

Velino‑Sirente Regional Park

Majella National Park