Lake Campotosto, at 1,300 metres above sea level, is the second largest artificial reservoir in Europe, built between the 1930s and 1940s with three dams.
Before the lake was built, the Rio Fucino valley was covered by vast peat bogs, marshy vegetation formations from which peat, a type of fossil fuel similar to coal, was once extracted.
Of this unique environment, more common in northern European regions and extremely rare in the Apennines, only a few patches remain along the northern shores, threatened by fluctuations in the lake’s water level.
Lake Campotosto, a very important resting place for numerous species of migratory birds, is home to an important ornithological research station, managed by the Biodiversity Department of the Carabinieri Forestali dell’Aquila in collaboration with the Snowfinch Association, which regularly organises observation and educational days open to the public and schools.
The shores of the lake are almost continuously covered by a paved road that allows for a panoramic tour.
In addition to motorcycling and cycling enthusiasts and camper van owners, the lake is a particularly popular destination for recreational fishermen.
Navigation is subject to regulations for reasons of hydraulic safety and environmental protection; the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park website provides detailed information on this subject.
