Monte Tondo

A beautiful ride of about 32 kilometers in the heart of Garfagnana with magnificent views (Garfagnana, Apuan Alps and Apennines). Over 70% of the route is on dirt roads/trails and there are few places where you need to push the bike by hand.

Departure of this route is Magliano where we follow the signs for Ponteccio. After about 2.5 kilometers we leave SP67 and turn left onto the dirt road with signs for Rifugio Monte Tondo. The road climbs steadily and at an important intersection located at an altitude of 1310 meters, we turn right (left would take us to the Argegna Sanctuary). After about 7 kilometers of dirt road with an average gradient of 8.5%, we arrive at the Monte Tondo Refuge (m. 1591) where the view of the Garfagnana and the Apuan Alps is exceptional.

From the "Roof of Garfagnana" we continue first on CAI trail No. 86 (and the landscape changes completely: from the jagged Apuan Alps to the gentle Apennine reliefs) for about 3 kilometers to Passo Belfiore (m. 1669), then on trail 00 for about 3.5 kilometers, passing under the peaks of Monte Scalocchi and Monte Ischia, until we reach Passo di Cavorsella (m. 1511). From Passo di Cavorsella we continue to Passo di Pradarena and after a few hundred meters we turn right following CAI path no. 82 for Capanne di Sillano, which takes us, in a short time, to SP 12 a kilometer and a half from the Lamastrone lakes. From the natural oasis of Lamastrone we take the forest road that crosses the Costa Romana and takes us, after about 8 kilometers, near Dalli Sopra. From here we continue to the right on the main road, pass Ponteccio and return to Magliano.