Umito-Volpara Trail: Route, Difficulty and Map

The Route of the Umito-Volpara Trail

The start is in Umito. From Acquasanta Terme, take the turnoff for "Umito - Pozza" and in a few kilometers you reach the village. There is a small parking lot at the far end of the houses. On weekends it is best to arrive early, because the route is very popular. The waymarking to follow is the white-and-red of trail no. 314.

From Umito the track enters the valley on the level. After the first stream crossing, a detour leads to the base of the Cascata della Prata, on the stream of the same name, a drop of about 50 meters. The detour lengthens the walk. Those who only want La Volpara continue on the main trail.

Past the stream, the road climbs to a mountain hut. There the track ends and the path begins, heading on the level into the valley among the beeches. After several streams it reaches the old fornetto (small oven). From there the path descends and follows the streambed, passes the sandstone slides and continues on a less comfortable surface, because of the vegetation, to the base of the falls. Near the waterfalls the path becomes narrower and steeper, and the ground can be slippery from the humidity.

The last section toward the base of the falls may be blocked by a landslide, in which case the waterfalls can only be seen from a distance. Before setting out, it is advisable to check the latest trail conditions.

Umito-Volpara Trail Technical Data

The trail is no. 314 (CAI register code MAPP3140) and links Umito to the Volpara waterfalls. The difficulty is E on the CAI scale and the route is linear, not a loop. The length is 5.7 km.

The minimum elevation is 648 m and the maximum 1,208 m. The elevation difference is about 620 m. Since the route is not a loop, the elevation gain depends on the direction of travel.

The trail is waymarked. The recommended period is from late spring to autumn. The water flow peaks between late spring and early summer, which is the best time to see the waterfalls at their fullest. Hiking boots and an adequate water supply are needed. Weather and ground conditions should be checked before setting out.

Umito-Volpara Trail Map

On the map the route runs in a line from the hamlet of Umito to the Cascata della Volpara, along trail no. 314. The coordinates given for the waterfall are 42.705476, 13.370001. The reference map for the area is the "Monti della Laga" map published by Società Editrice Ricerche.

Points of Interest Along the Umito-Volpara Trail

The end point is the Volpara waterfalls, where the water drops over several sandstone steps. In the late 1990s the rock split, and the waterfall today looks different from how it once did. Just before the falls are the sandstone slides known as the Bacili della Volpara.

Lu Fernitte, the "fornetto", is an old cave oven once used by shepherds, partisans and charcoal burners. It was restored in August 2020 by volunteers of the Comunanza Agraria Umito. Along the way there are also a small waterfall and a spring. The Cascata della Prata, reached by the detour, is another possible stop.

The hamlet of Umito, where the walk starts, was historically part of the old municipality of Montacuto.