Orecchiella Park

The Orecchiella Park is a nature reserve in the heart of Garfagnana, between the towns of Piazza al Serchio, San Romano, Sillano and Villa Collemandina, protected by the State Forestry Corps that also includes Pania di Corfino and Lama Rossa.

Here it is possible to go trekking, mountain biking and horseback riding, as well as guided tours in the impressive beech, chestnut and fir forests. The forests are populated by wild animals, such as the Apennine wolf, deer, mouflon and golden eagle, amid spectacular landscapes where you can admire the different blooms.

The Visitor Center in San Romano in Garfagnana houses the Nature Museum and the Museum of Predatory, where you can discover the special features of the area, and a splendid Garden of Mountain Flowers where you can stroll among colorful mountain species. Some enclosures are home to some of themin the wild, such as roe deer and brown bears.

The park includes the Pania di Corfino Nature Reserve, the splendid limestone massif that is like a terrace overlooking the Garfagnana. There is also a Botanical Garden here that collects local species, such as star gentians, peonies, lilies.

Inside the Park, moreover, there are traces of human presence dating back to Prehistory: these mountains were inhabited from the earliest times. This is evidenced by artifacts found in caves in the municipalities of Sillano and Villa Colemandina, such as the Tana delle Fate di Soraggio (Fairy Den of Soraggio) and Buca della Nonna (Cave of the Grandmother).

There are also "facilitated" trails in the Orecchiella Park that are accessible and suitable for families with small children. One of these is the Bear Trail, 1020 meters long among brooms, ferns and dog roses, which allows visitors to get close to the plantigrades, separated from visitors by a sturdy structure, in a natural environment and with a splendid view of the Apuan Alps.

Information on accessibility: parcoappennino.it