Forca Viola: how to get there and trails
Forca Viola is a grassy pass at about 1,936 m on the border between Le Marche and Umbria. It lies below the watershed ridge that runs down from Cima del Redentore toward Quarto San Lorenzo, and it is the most direct crossing between the Castelluccio plateau and the valley of Lago di Pilato. The word “forca” (pass) can be misleading: the saddle has no rough ground and appears as a compact, close-cropped meadow, comfortable for a break. From here one side looks over the expanse of the Piani di Castelluccio and the other over the gorge leading to the lake.
Before you go
Rules and orders: Park website. Snow and avalanches: Meteomont bulletin.
Where Forca Viola is
The pass opens in the national park of the Sibillini Mountains, between Monte Argentella and Quarto San Lorenzo. It sits at about 1,936 m. The Castelluccio side is gentle and grassy, while the opposite side drops toward the rougher valley of Lago di Pilato.
Several trails meet at the pass: the one climbing from Castelluccio, the one continuing toward Monte Argentella and the other peaks on that side, and the one leading to the lake valley.
How to get to Forca Viola
The pass can only be reached on foot. The most common starting point is Castelluccio di Norcia, from which a dirt road climbs to Capanna Ghezzi, a hut at about 1,570 m. The stretch between Castelluccio and Capanna Ghezzi is a few kilometers long.
For the car there are two options. Just before the village of Castelluccio, coming from the plain, a dirt road branches off the main road. After a few hundred meters the surface becomes very rough, so it is best to leave the car in a pull-out. Alternatively, park at the Fonte di San Lorenzo spring (about 1,400 m), reached by a dirt road that branches off the road between Castelsantangelo sul Nera and Castelluccio. Before setting out, check the condition of the road surface.
Forca Viola trails and hikes
From Capanna Ghezzi to the pass the trail is about 3 km long with about 370 m of elevation gain. On the first stretch, which follows the Strada Imperiale (Park route E17), dogs are not allowed, not even on a leash. The trail first climbs through flowering meadows, then traverses the western slope of the Redentore. From where the car is left, it takes about two hours of walking on a steep trail. The round trip from Castelluccio takes a good part of the day.
From the pass you can descend to Lago di Pilato or climb the ridge toward Cima del Redentore and Pizzo del Diavolo. Lago di Pilato is a destination for experienced hikers, with exposed sections and scree. The stretch up to the Redentore can be difficult and sometimes dangerous. Another ascent comes from Foce di Montemonaco along CAI trail 151, on a very long loop that includes Monte Vettore.
When to go to Forca Viola
The hike can be done at different times of year. The most suitable months are May to August, and some recommend May to November. Between late spring and early summer the Castelluccio plateau is in bloom. In winter, with snow and ice, the climb changes completely and the avalanche risk is high, so great caution is needed.
What to see near Forca Viola
Lago di Pilato lies at about 1,941 m and is the only natural lake in Le Marche, a glacial basin at the foot of the Vettore. Higher up are Cima del Redentore (2,448 m), Pizzo del Diavolo and Monte Vettore (2,476 m), the highest peak in the Sibillini. From Capanna Ghezzi a trail also leads toward Monte Argentella, Palazzo Borghese and Monte Porche. For other crossings in the area, see the page on Forca di Presta, from which the trail to the Rifugio Zilioli climbs, or the list of mountain passes of the Sibillini.