Anyone visiting Val di Non who doesn't know what to do should know one thing: missing the chance to stop at Rio Sass Canyon is truly a great pity.
Rio Sass Canyon is by far the most famous and spectacular canyon in Trentino and with its walkways attached to bare rock, it is a must-visit destination for anyone wanting to add a touch of adventure to their nature trip.
Not far from the historic center of the town of Fondo, this canyon gem of upper Val di Non is a truly unmissable place and proves suitable for many different types of tourists. Taking a walk here, despite the beautiful surrounding mountains, is truly a must.
Before taking a closer look at Rio Sass Canyon, it's good to know that we at Meeters know many similar places scattered throughout Italy. For years we have been working to create events dedicated to discovering our beautiful country, whether through sports activities, cultural visits and much more. Our mission is to improve the quality of free time for those who choose to explore new places with us, while also making new friendships at the same time.
Now let's discover everything you need to know about the Fondo canyon in this article.
What Is Rio Sass Canyon?
Let's try to define this splendid piece of Trentino Alto Adige.
Rio Sass Canyon is a natural gorge carved over millennia by the Sass stream.
This stream flows beneath the historic center of the town of Fondo, right in Val di Non.
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The gorge is characterized by a back-and-forth of rocky walls that continuously narrow and widen, with a width ranging from 25 centimeters to 30 meters. Over the millennia, vegetation has taken over the bare rock, colonizing the damp walls of the gorge with green climbers and many colors.
Rio Sass Canyon can be visited through aguided tour along a path made of walkways above the flowing water beneath the village of Fondo.
The canyon tour lasts about two hours and includes a route of a couple of kilometers within a fairytale setting, capable of astonishing the average visitor with its palette of small waterfalls, rocks, cliffs, and stalactites.
How Does the Rio Sass Canyon Tour Work?
To visit Rio Sass, it is necessary to join a guided tour organized by the Smeraldo cooperative. The official website contains all the important information about schedules, equipment, meeting points, and more.
Thecanyon entrance is located near the water mill; from there, local operators distribute helmets and accompany tourists to the canyon entrance. The gorge entrance is under an old Roman bridge, on metal walkways overlooking the river, giving an immediate good impression of what the visit will be like.
The excursion route allows you to observe ferns, stalactites, stalagmites, small waterfalls, limestone formations, and abundant vegetation. The moss-covered rock walls are damp from water droplets coming from the waterfalls, and occasionally you can see real pools carved by the stream's force over the years.
The areas with the most vegetation also receive the most sunlight due to their orientation. The total length of the path is 2.5 kilometers, with an elevation gain of 145 meters and over 600 steps; these make the route impossible for strollers or wheelchairs.
The ticket price is €10, including the helmet rental.
Unless adverse weather conditions occur, Rio Sass is open daily from April to mid-November.
How to Get to Rio Sass Canyon?
Geographically speaking, Rio Sass Canyon is located in Val di Non, at a point between the municipalities of Cloz, Dambel and Romallo, all belonging to the province of Trento in Trentino Alto Adige.
The canyon is located near the town of Fondo, a municipality with just under 1,500 inhabitants.
Given the canyon's geographic location, it will come as no surprise that the best way to reach this place is bycar. Public transport, while available, is not very frequent and risks turning the trip into an uncomfortable odyssey.
The easiest way to reach Fondo by car is to exit at the Trento Nord motorway exit and from there take the provincial road 235 until it joins the state road 43. From there, simply follow the signs to the municipality of Fondo.
If arriving by car, it's good to know that the municipality of Fondo is full of parking spots with time limits. To avoid fines and other unpleasant surprises, the best option is to use the parking lot on Via Santa Lucia, not far from the trail entrance.
To reach the municipality of Fondo by public transport, you need to rely first on train routes and then on bus lines. Specifically, there are two ways to get to Fondo:
- From Bolzano: take the train to Merano and from Merano's bus station take line 248. The journey takes about 2.5 hours.
- From Trento: take the train to Mezzocorona and then transfer to Cles. At Cles bus station, take line 632 or 630, depending on the schedule. The entire trip lasts about 2 hours.