The Paneveggio Park and the Pale di San Martino

The Paneveggio - Pale di San Martino Natural Park, which includes the Pale di San Martino, part of the Lagorai and the Paneveggio forest, was founded with the aim of:

• protecting and preserving a large and diversified territory
• supervising and encouraging a correct and respectful use of environmental assets
• promoting the dissemination of scientific learning and study.

The diverse climatic characteristics, the sudden and sharp changes in the landscape and a terrain with markedly diversified substrates characterise the Paneveggio Pale di San Martino Nature Park and influence its division into zones: integral reserves (zone A), guided reserves (zone B), controlled reserves (zone C) and special reserves (zone D).

Theme trails, including Great War itineraries, wildlife and nature trails, and visitor centres, are perfect itineraries for moving around the park with ease and getting to know it intimately.

The Visitor Centres are small theme museums where, in addition to practical information, all the environmental and naturalistic realities encountered when exploring the park are presented. They comprise:

• The Villa Welsperg Visitor Centre, which focuses on the mountain aquatic environment
• The Paneveggio Visitor Centre, dedicated to the Violin forest and woodland animal life
• The San Martino di Castrozza Visitor Centre, which specialisesin high altitude mountain areas, the eagle and the geology of the Dolomites
• The Ethnographic Trail - The Vanoi Valley Ecomuseum, dedicated to the environment and humankind's industriousness.

Experience the wonderful initiatives and projects that enliven the Paneveggio - Pale di San Martino Nature Park in all seasons.

For those who love hiking at high altitudes, a visit to the Pale di San Martino plateau will not fail to delight. The Pale di San Martino are the largest mountain group in the Dolomites, extending from the Primiero area to the Agordino. They comprise many peaks (to name but a few: Vezzana, Rosetta, Pala, Sass Maor, Modonna, Cima Canali, Cimon della Pala) that form a ring which marks the boundary of the vast plateau of 50 square kilometres with an almost lunar landscape at an altitude of 2700 metres.

Excursions to the Pale di San Martino satisfy the appetites of both non-professional hikers and lovers of more demanding routes.
Numerous trails with different levels of difficulty, ski lifts and five mointain huts facilitate tours and excursions to the Pale di San Martino throughout most of theyear.
On the plateau, you can also visit the remains of a large glacier, the Fradusta glacier, now almost completely receded.
During the winter, the Pale di San Martino snow and avalanche bulletin provides rela-time information on the lifts that are open, the conditions of the slopes, the weather forecast for the area and the temperature, which on the Pale di San Martino can reach record levels at high altitudes (below -40°C).