Hiking in Campofontana
Campofontana is a perfect location for a beautiful, 2.5 hour hike and a quick one hour drive from Vicenza. It’s a small, picturesque town in the Lessini Mountains, or Monte Lessini. This area is considered the Venetian Prealps. We visited in early January so the grass is a very dull, brown color, but I can imagine it being vibrant and lush during the other seasons. You’ll see in the pictures below and the video, snow was on the ground so some places were slippery. I am a rookie Alps hiker and wore tennis shoes. I won’t make that mistake again.
Husband and I left Vicenza around 10:00 and arrived shortly after 11:00. The road is very windy and it’s a steep incline in some places. It brought me much joy seeing the mountains in the distance. It’s been too long since we’ve been out and enjoyed nature. Knowing we would be out of the house for a while, we took some snacks with us to have a picnic. We chose one of the cliffs as our lunch spot.
This trail is also called the Wolf Trail. No, we didn’t spot any wolves but we spotted cow poop and what appeared to be fox holes. I’m not sure where the cows were hiding. Maybe they only come out in the warmer months. I’ll let you know at a later date or you let me know in the comments. The views of the quaint town as you start down the path are spectacular and unique. There are rolling hills that drop off and on the other side are sharp, peaks covered in snow. In one direction, the sun is brightly shining and in the other, the clouds are resting on the mountain tops.
While overlooking the valley from the cliffs near the end of the trail, we spotted a rifugio (listed below). Perhaps we will return and stay overnight to do more exploring on other trails. It seems cheap enough at € 28 per person which includes breakfast.
Parking location: 45°38'18.1"N 11°09'21.2"E
Once you park, you’ll proceed to trail on the left of the cemetery. Trail 205. It is marked along the way.
Restrooms: No actual toilette, but there’s nature.
Nearest Rifugio: Rifugio Bepi Bertagnoli
Duration: 2.5 hours (to the cross and back)
Total Trip Duration: 5.5 hours (10:00-15:30)
To/from Vicenza. I stopped many times along the hike for pictures and we had a picnic.
Elevation: 1672 m
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
CAI Level: E = Hikers
See CAI Scale here.
Terrain: Gravel, dirt, pavement, rocks.
Kid friendly: No
Distance from Vicenza: 1 hour
Pictures for your viewing pleasures.
