Sibillini trail 131: Fonte Santa – Monte Vettore

The route of trail 131 to Monte Vettore

The trail starts from the spring. After less than 200 meters it passes the church of Santa Maria in Pantano, which the Park describes as badly damaged by the earthquake.

The gradient is steep from the start and stays almost constant for the entire climb: about 200 m of elevation gain per kilometer. After less than two kilometers the trail is already at 1,526 m, at the Fonte del Pastore: this is the last marked water point and also the junction with trail 132.

The next landmark is Il Sassone, a peak at 2,086 m, at km 4.5. The last two kilometers lead above 2,450 m, where trail 131 meets trail 101 coming up from Forca di Presta, about a hundred meters from the summit (2,476 m).

Sibillini trail 131 technical details

The Park combines it with trail 101 in the E15 hiking route, "Vita dura, in alta quota" (A hard life, at high altitude): Forca di Presta, Monte Vettore, Santa Maria in Pantano, or the reverse. In total 11.8 km, 5 hours one way, difficulty EE; the elevation gain given by the Park, 1,100 m, refers to the direction starting from Forca di Presta. Those climbing from this side face almost two hundred meters more.

The Park states that the route can also start from Colle di Montegallo and lists it as a maintained trail.

Sibillini trail 131 map

Stage 6 of the Grande Anello dei Sibillini, which ends at Colle di Montegallo, passes through the starting area. For the section between Santa Maria in Pantano and Colle di Montegallo, the Park warns that a stream has flooded the route and that the trail may have ruts with standing water.

Points of interest along trail 131

According to the Park, Santa Maria in Pantano dates back to the late 8th century; its frescoes depict Sibyls and prophets. Higher up, the flower that symbolizes the peaks is the Apennine edelweiss: the plants that live at these altitudes, the Park notes, have adapted to strong winds and low temperatures.