Green and wild stretches of land, peaks that stand out glowing of the seasons’ iridescent colors, and water that creates waterfalls or quiet alpine lakes.

In a valley where the natural environment is still intact, and the traces of human presence are very few, the Park is rich in springs that feed the countless lakes that dot the slopes and valleys.

Lake Antrona was established in 1642 after a dam caused by a landslide; today, it is a hydroelectric basin, but it still has all the charm of an enchanting alpine destination, and it is a popular destination for many excursions.

Heading up, it is possible to reach by foot the lakes of Camposecco, Cingino, and the dam of Campiccioli with its basin.

The small town of Cheggio, at an altitude of 1,497 meters, overlooked by mountains whose peaks reach 3,000 and 4,000 meters, is surrounded by the imposing basin of Lake dei Cavalli.

Nearby: the ibexes of Cingino

In the Antrona Valley, at an altitude of 2,230 meters above sea level, the agile pregnant female ibexes climb in search of salt, dozens of meters above the ground on the artificial wall of the dam of Lake Cingino, with a 90-degree slope. They find it in the cracks of the dam as saltpeter. The surrounding habitat and high-altitude pastures where the herbivores spend the summer are particularly suitable for breeding, but the grass lacks salt. The nature of the ibex’s hooves is the peculiarity that makes all this possible: they are wide and flexible, with an adipose pad on the bottom that grips the rock like a tong. This spectacle, unique in the world, with the wild mammals typical of the alpine range as protagonists, is a jewel that can be seen and enjoyed after a walk of almost four hours along the “Strada Antronesca,” an ancient road that connected the Ossola with the Swiss

Valais Canton, passing through the valleys of Antrona and Saas. The ibexes are not afraid of visitors and approach in groups of 3 or 4, up to a maximum of about fifteen.