Carona – Winter Sports, Trails and Mountain Culture

Carona combines winter sports, mountain trails and regional culture within a compact area. The Valle Carisole is known for winter sports, while the chairlift provides a connection from Carona to the Rifugio Mirtillo. This gives you a destination where winter activities can be combined with hikes, nature observation and excursions into the history of the surrounding area.

Winter Sports and Mountain Trails

Carona’s connection with winter sports is particularly evident in the Valle Carisole. The Rifugio Mirtillo can be reached from Carona by chairlift. Another important connection leads via the Sentiero 210 to the Rifugio F.lli Calvi. The walking time is three hours each way there and two hours on the return; the difficulty is classified as E for hiking.

Several trails offer different time commitments. The Sentiero 224 connects Lago del Prato with the Rifugio F.lli Longo and is listed as taking one hour and 15 minutes there and 50 minutes back, also with a hiking difficulty rating of E. The Sentiero 247 leads from Pagliari to the Baita della Capra. The walking time is one hour and 45 minutes there and one hour and 15 minutes back. From Pagliari, this trail crosses the Brembo, runs through woodland to the Baita della Capra and continues via the Sentiero 210 towards the Rifugio F.lli Calvi.

On the Way to Mountain Huts, the Lake and the River

The Rifugio F.lli Longo can be reached on foot, by bicycle or with a Jeep shuttle. The Rifugio F.lli Longo was continuously open from mid-June to mid-September. Carona also offers several mountain-bike routes, particularly to the numerous mountain huts in the surrounding area. There are opportunities for walks along a rural and forestry track through coniferous forests and beside Lago di Carona.

A route of approximately 50 kilometres along trails in the Parco delle Orobie Bergamasche takes five days, leading from Passo San Marco via the sources of the Brembo to Carona. A trail along the Brembo River also connects the Botanical Garden with waterfalls and particularly clear water. Brown trout, marble trout and Arctic char are found in Lago di Carona, the Brembo River and numerous alpine lakes in the area.

Accessible Places for Different Interests

The Botanical Garden can be reached via an accessible footpath from the car park on Via Pagliari. The path crosses the Brembo on an old arch bridge. The garden is fully equipped to be accessible for wheelchair users and blind visitors. The Lungo-Lago path is also accessible to people with motor and sensory disabilities. It has tables, areas for sunbathing and play areas for children with climbing elements made from blocks.

The Sentiero naturalistico e osservatorio has a paved surface, protective barriers with handrails and a grab rail as an orientation aid for blind visitors. The observatory is housed in a restored old hut that was renovated while preserving the traditional architecture. From a viewing balcony, there is a view of the lake. As another active alternative, the Sala Bouldering is located on the ground floor; it is equipped with safety systems and accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Pagliari, Rock Carvings and Local History

Pagliari is a small, rural hamlet about one kilometre from Carona. The hamlet lies on the road to the Rifugi Calvi and Longo at an altitude of 1,350 metres. Exposed walls made of local stone and characteristic slate roofs define its appearance. The area of the rock carvings is also one of the notable cultural features of the surrounding area; it contains numerous engraved boulders at elevations between 2,100 and 2,450 metres above sea level.

In Val Camisana, the CMS 1 rock bears Celtic inscriptions in the Lepontic script dating from the 3rd to 2nd century BC. Figures dating from the 5th century BC are also located there. The term “sapel” refers to an opening in a dry-stone wall or in a wall built to secure a slope. This opening made it easier to access sloping potato fields and points to the former use of the slopes.

Carona as a Destination with Its Own Character

The white potatoes from Carona are associated with the qualities “floury and long-lasting”. Potatoes were used to make up for the shortage of flour and to produce bread that would keep for a long time. In addition, the riding stable in Piana–Carona di Sotto offers riding lessons for children and adults. At the natural climbing wall La Corna, there are climbing routes with difficulty grades from 6a to 7c.

Other destinations in the shared regional surroundings include Valbondione, San Pellegrino Terme, Valtorta, Bagnella, Villa Di Serio, Selvino, Gazzaniga and Cenate Sopra.

To the main travel overview: Bergamo.