Parco della Sponga, Natural park in Canistro, Italy.
Parco della Sponga is a natural park in the Simbruini mountain range situated between the villages of Canistro Inferiore and Canistro Superiore. The park contains two lakes connected by a creek, with the upper one flowing into the larger lower lake through natural waterfalls.
During the 16th century, the mountainous border area between the Kingdom of Naples and the Papal States served as refuge for people fleeing authority. The remote location made it a haven for those seeking to escape the reach of the law.
A water trail established in 2010 teaches visitors about natural cycles through hands-on learning experiences in the landscape. Local schools use the paths to show students how ecosystems and water flow work together.
The park sits at about 800 meters elevation and requires some hiking experience, especially during wet weather when the paths become slippery. The best time to visit is during months with stable weather when trails are dry and safer to walk.
The La Sponga stream vanishes underground beneath rocky cliffs and reappears elsewhere, a phenomenon that inspired the park's name. The word Sponga means sponge in the local dialect, capturing how water soaks into the mountain like it would through a sponge.
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