GEOPARC Rio delle Foglie

The Rio delle Foglie Gorge is South Tyrol's largest gorge located at the foot of Mt. Corno Bianco (2,317 m a.s.l.) on the Monte Regolo in the south of the region. Over millions of years the stone has been eroded so that nowadays you can see the singular layers. Here you can discover at first hand how the stunning Dolomites - the Pale Mountains - developed: The lowest layer is porphyry, above in the middle we find sandstone and at the top Dolomite limestone, of which also Mt. Corno Bianco is made. The interesting GEOlogic Trail takes you through the fascinating gorge.

Starting point is the visitor centre in Aldino, which has been extended recenty by ancillary areas, storage rooms, reception areas and toilets. Its walls resemble those of the canyon. The information panels through the canyon tell you all about the different layers and stones. Moreover, they inform about such precious findings as carbonised plants and woods, primeval sea animals, corals and mussels or the imprints of dinosaurs. If you don't want to descent into the canyon, you may do a walk on the Bletterbach Dinosaur Trail, perfectly suited for children.

There's another visit centre: The Redagno GEOMuseum shows findings from the gorge as well as the characteristic rocks. A pilot project has been implemented to enable an inclusive nature experience for everyone, regardless of environmental, physical or linguistic barriers. Part of it are online tools such as an app for multimedia content and a visitor experience with virtual reality. The canyon has also been used for several years for training sessions for ESA, NASA and JAXA astronauts to learn more about geology - it shows striking similarities to Mars.