Epic Gran Sasso in MTB

Arrival in Assergi independently, in the late morning. Optional bike fitting for rented bikes. Your luggage will be transported and waiting for you directly in Calascio. Departure for the first trail of the weekend: you will ride through mountains, meadows, and small lakes, encountering shepherds grazing and alternating between open trails and forested tracks. Along the way, you can admire the Schizzataru Waterfalls, famous for forming a rainbow within their waters, and follow the Via Piana, a long, gently ascending dirt road that runs alongside Monte Carpesco and the Locce of Santo Stefano. The route continues to the octagonal church of Santa Maria della Pietà and the magnificent Rocca di Calascio, best admired at sunset. Arrival at the accommodation, followed by dinner and overnight stay.

After a hearty breakfast, we leave the stunning church of Santa Maria della Pietà and head towards the Campo Imperatore plateau. Along the way, we will pass Racollo Lake and its refuge, where you can admire grazing horses. We will ride along trails and mule tracks leading to Vado di Corno and the plateau’s small lakes. Leaving the plains of the “Little Tibet,” we enter the scenic Valianara Canyon, made famous by numerous film shoots, including the classic movie They Call Me Trinity. At the end of the canyon, a picnic break awaits at Mucciante Refuge, where you can enjoy the famous Abruzzo arrosticini, purchased directly from the high-mountain butcher and cooked independently on the provided grills. Refreshed and rested, we continue towards the Gran Sasso summit to reach the iconic Pietranzoni Lake, from where you can admire Corno Grande reflected in its waters. Arrival at the accommodation, followed by dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, with a view over the Aquila valley, we head towards Vado di Corno, a panoramic point at 1,924 m where you can enjoy a spectacular view of Corno Grande and encounter local wildlife, including chamois. We then tackle a long and fun single trail downhill that brings us back to the Campo Imperatore plateau. The ride continues to Monte Cristo, a stunning viewpoint from which we can admire the Gran Sasso one last time. From here, a long descent of over 20 km awaits, first taking us to Fonte Cerreto, where we can refill our bottles, then to San Pietro a Jenca, home of the Sanctuary of Saint John Paul II, and finally into the Valle del Vasto, where an easy and enjoyable single trail leads back to Assergi, the tour’s finishing point. End of services.