Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
once home to the Alps' only brown bears. Although this became a protected area in 1967,
by then bear numbers had dwindled to just three. Beginning in 1999, park authorities set
about reintroducing Alpine brown bears from Slovenia. The first cubs were born in the
park in 2002 and more are to be born every winter.
Bears aside, the 620-sq-km park - Trentino's largest protected area - is home to ibexes,
red deer, marmots, chamois and 82 bird species, along with 1200 different mountain
flowers, including two (Nigritella luschmannie and Eryshimum auranthiacum) that are
unique to the area. This wildlife thrives around the banks of Lago di Tovel, set deep in a
forest some 30km north of Spormaggiore in the park's heart. An easy one-hour walking
trail encircles the once-red lake. The lakeside visitors' centre has extensive information on
other walks.
Casa dell'orso
Spormaggiore
( 0461 65 36 22; Via Alt Spaur 6; adult/reduced €6/5, incl park admission; 10am-1pm & 2-6.30pm
Tue-Sun Jun-Sep, book for other periods)
This is the top place to see the Parco Naturale
Adamello Brenta's 20-odd population of brown bears. There are cute displays for kids,
and you can book to see the bears in winter dormancy via infrared camera. It's 15km
northeast of Molveno.
ANIMAL RESERVE
Funivie Molveno Pradel
(one way/return €4/7.20)
From the top of Molveno village, a two-seater cable car transports
you in two stages up to Pradel (1400m) from where trail No 340, a pleasant and easy one-
hour walk, leads to the Rifugio Croz dell'Altissimo at 1430m. Several other trails, of
varying difficulty, start from there.
CABLE CAR
Paganella Ski Area
The Paganella ski area is accessible from Andalo by cable car and Fai della Paganella by
chairlift. It has two cross-country skiing trails and 50km of downhill ski slopes, ranging
from beginner-friendly green runs to the heart-lurching black.
SKIING
Gruppo Guide Alpine
HIKING, ROCK CLIMBING
Dolomiti di Brenta
( 0461 58 53 53; guidealpine@visitdolomitipaganella.it)
Organises rock climbing and guided
walks in summer and ski-mountaineering, ice climbing and snowshoeing excursions in
winter.
