Established in 1993, it spreads on 203.000 hectares on the territory of 57 communes divided among the provinces of L'Aquila, Teramo,
Pescara, Ascoli Piceno and Rieti. Inside it the
mountainous chains of Gran Sasso and of the Monti della Laga are completely
included. The
Group of the Gran Sasso is situated between the basin of the river Vomano in the north and
the river Aterno-Pescara in the south
The main structure is constituted by a long ridge line stretching from the
Passo delle Capannelle to Vado di Sole; in the western part,
past Monte S. Franco, the chain parts in two sections which rejoin on Monte Aquila. The
first stretches towards South and is constituted by the ranging Monte Ienca, Pizzo di
Camarda, Cresta delle Malecoste, Pizzo Cefalone, Monte Portella; the other one extending
eastward is constituted by the ranging Monte Corvo, Pizzo d'Intermesoli, Corno Piccolo and
Corno Grande, which border the Karst plain of Campo Pericoli and the high grassland of
Venacquaro. Moreover this ramification includes the peaks of the mounts Prena (2561
mts)
and Camicia (2570 mts) -where there is the highest source of the Apennine, Fonte Grotta,
with interesting concretions in the small pools of clear and icy water - and, under the
northern side of the Corno Grande, the Calderone, the only glacier of the Apennine and the
most southern of Europe. South of the massif spreads the endless plain of Campo
Imperatore, at 1600 mts of height.
The chain of the Laga is North-South oriented and presents two
sides, which differ for climate and structure. The eastern side, more
humid and cold, goes down towards the river plains of the Vomano, Tordino,
Salinello,
Vibrata, the other side in the territory of L'Aquila, Rieti and Ascoli, throws itself on
the Lake of Campotosto, on the valley of the Tronto and on the gorges hollowed out by the
latter in the territory of Ascoli.
The main ridge, again above two thousand meters, is constituted by the peaks of the Monte
della Laghetta (2369 mts), of the Monte Gorzano (2458 mts) and the Pizzo di Sevo (2421
mts).
territory of 57 communes divided among the provinces of 
part,
past Monte S. Franco, the chain parts in two sections which rejoin on Monte Aquila. The
first stretches towards South and is constituted by the ranging Monte Ienca, Pizzo di
Camarda, Cresta delle Malecoste, Pizzo Cefalone, Monte Portella; the other one extending
eastward is constituted by the ranging Monte Corvo, Pizzo d'Intermesoli, Corno Piccolo and
Corno Grande, which border the Karst plain of Campo Pericoli and the high grassland of
Venacquaro. Moreover this ramification includes the peaks of the mounts Prena (2561
mts)
and Camicia (2570 mts) -where there is the highest source of the Apennine, Fonte Grotta,
with interesting concretions in the small pools of clear and icy water - and, under the
northern side of the Corno Grande, the Calderone, the only glacier of the Apennine and the
most southern of Europe. South of the massif spreads the endless plain of Campo
Imperatore, at 1600 mts of height.
ents two
sides, which differ for climate and structure. The eastern side, more
humid and cold, goes down towards the river plains of the Vomano, Tordino,
Salinello,
Vibrata, the other side in the territory of L'Aquila, Rieti and Ascoli, throws itself on
the Lake of Campotosto, on the valley of the Tronto and on the gorges hollowed out by the
latter in the territory of Ascoli.