The Parma Apennines are the ideal place for a mountain bike adventure: every curve offers new emotions among centuries-old woods, dirt paths and views ranging from peaks to valleys.
The 100 Laghi Bike is a cycle-hiking itinerary of about 24 km, with technical sections and mixed terrain, to be tackled carefully. It winds through the heart of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park, connecting stages such as Lagdei, Lagoni, Valditacca, Trefiumi, Lake Ballano and Pratospilla.
The route, recommended for experienced bikers and outdoor enthusiasts, alternates forest roads, exposed climbs and gravel descents, crossing beech forests, fir trees and high-altitude villages. The signs present have a blue icon with the words
Get your MTB ready, let yourself be conquered by the wild beauties of this part of Emilia Romagna, live a unique experience!
The route can be enriched with walks following the numerous CAI paths that are located in the areas surrounding the route. For information on the routes, consult the website of the Parks of the Duchy.
Important notes and tips
The itinerary starts from the Lagdei Refuge, an ideal starting point located within the Hundred Lakes Park, reachable from Corniglio, on the border with Tuscany and about 61 km from Parma.
The refuge is located at 1250 m.a.s.l. and the route takes place on a forest road with a beaten gravel bottom, quite stable. The difference in height begins to be felt, but it is constant and pedalable.
You climb through beech woods until you reach the evocative landscape of the Gemini Lakes of 1350 m above sea level, also known as Lagoni, in about 5 km of ascent. The area, of glacial origin, is one of the most iconic in the Park, immersed in absolute silence and surrounded by beech forests, centuries-old fir forests and a beautiful view of the mountains around the lakes.
In this stage – as along the entire route – the presence of man has not prevented nature from preserving an extraordinary variety of animal and plant species, unique geomorphological landscapes, different habitats and traces of local stories and cultures.
Tips
Technical data
Length: 5.6 km
Difference in altitude: 182 m positive – 75 m negative.
This fascinating itinerary continues along the forest road that leads from the Lagoni Refuge to the Colla Pass and then to the village of Valditacca.
In the first part, from Lagoni to Passo della Colla, you cycle along a forest road surrounded by beech and conifers and with a surface between beaten gravel and rather corroded asphalt (in this section you must pay attention to the gravel on the ground, especially downhill and in case of damp ground or leaves).
Once you arrive at the Pass, you take a very scenic consortium road, surrounded by meadows and beech scrub but totally exposed to the sun. Here too, especially for those who are less experienced, it is good to pay attention to the surface which can become risky as it is an unstabilized road surface.
Tips
Visit the town of Valditacca, a panoramic village located between Parma and Massa Carrara, where you can also make a stop.
Technical data
Length: 7.7 km
Difference in altitude: 163 m positive – 505 m negative
From the village of Valditacca, a small rural village at the foot of the mountains, with a stone road that crosses it, the path has a slight slope and winds for a part along the "Path of the Hamlets" of the Park, for the most part halfway up the hill and through a beech forest.
This pleasant stretch allows you to admire the beauty of these places also skirting the village of Trefiumi, a pretty village located about 938 meters above sea level in the Municipality of Monchio delle Corti, you arrive at the pretty Chalet dei Leghi.
Tips
The Chalet dei Leghi is a refreshment point / diner that is an ideal stop to rest and admire the surrounding landscape.
Technical data
Length: 4.2 km
Difference in altitude: 46 m positive – 75 m negative
From the Chalet dei Laghi, take a paved road immersed in a beech forest, in the direction of Lake Ballano (1341 m a.s.l.), one of the most evocative bodies of water in the upper Val Cedra. The lake, set in the greenery, is dominated by the profile of Mount Torricella, which elegantly overlooks it, giving a quiet and panoramic atmosphere.
The route, entirely developed in the woods of the Parma Apennines, crosses a varied and evocative landscape, with clearings, firs and well-marked hairpin bends. In the uphill section, the surface may have disconnections: caution is advised when descending, especially in the case of wet ground.
Tips
Lake Ballano, of glacial origin and subsequently blocked by a dam in the 30s, is a quiet corner set among beech woods. An ideal starting point for excursions, numerous paths branch off from here that allow you to explore the surroundings. One of these leads to the suggestive Green Lake, also shaped by the ancient passage of glaciers.
Technical data
Length: 4.40 km
Elevation gain: 370 mt positive – 3 mt negative
The last stage of the route will take you to the tourist resort of Pratospilla.
A town in Alta Val Cedra, it is located at about 1350 meters above sea level and is surrounded by greenery from the Apennines. On the path that leads up to here you will find yourself in a beautiful beech forest and in some sections a bit steep with the bottom that you may find uneven, so always pay close attention.
The floristic richness of Pratospilla is characterized by beech and chestnut woods, woods of specimens of silver fir, spruce and yew.
From here, you can return by walking back along the same route. But, if you still have a little strength, you can take one of the CAI routes, in whole or in part, that start from Pratospilla.
Technical data
Length: 1.5 km
Difference in altitude: 49 m positive – 24 m negative
