High Trail of the Parks

The route consists of 27 stages covering approximately 500 km, with a total elevation gain and loss of over 30,000 meters, offering an immersive experience of nature, culture, and high-altitude landscapes.

The best time to hike the entire route is from June to November, but the section that includes the Vena del Gesso Romagnola—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and the Casentino Forests can also be hiked during the rest of the year.

Starting from Berceto, in the province of Parma, the route reaches peaks and passes that approach 2,000 meters in elevation, with a maximum elevation of 1,956 meters in the Alto Appennino Modenese Regional Park, before continuing through forests, lakes, and unique geological features such as the Vena del Gesso Romagnola, until it reaches Monte Carpegna in the Sasso Simone and Simoncello Interregional Park.

The Alta Via passes through two National Parks (the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Casentino Forests, Monte Falterona, and Campigna), five Regional Parks (the Upper Modena Apennines, the Cedra and Parma Valleys, Corno alle Scale, Suviana and Brasimone Lakes, and Vena del Gesso Romagnola) and one Interregional Park (Sasso Simone and Simoncello), offering panoramic views ranging from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Alps and passing through some of the Apennines’ most precious protected areas.

Along its route, it intersects with other trails of the Emilia-Romagna Circuit of Pilgrimage Routes and Trails, including the Via Francigena, the Via degli Dei, the Via della Lana e della Seta, the Via Romea Germanica, Dante’s Trail, the Assisi Trail, the San Vicinio Trail, and the St. Francis Trail from Rimini to La Verna.

Thanks to its division into stages, the route can be tackled as a major Apennine traverse or explored in individual sections, integrating with the regional hiking network and public transportation. It is an ideal option for both experienced hikers and those who wish to spend a few days immersed in nature.