Terraegna mountain hut

A cozy double room and a spacious eight-bed dormitory offer ideal accommodations for couples seeking a romantic getaway or groups of hikers eager to explore one of the most fascinating and remote areas of the protected region. Both options feature bathroom facilities with hot water, heating, and electricity supplied by renewable energy sources. There is no Wi-Fi connection — a perfect opportunity to rediscover the pleasure of a good book or an authentic conversation.

We offer a continental breakfast, with homemade cakes and good moka coffee. At dinner we enjoy traditional Abruzzo dishes such as maccheroni alla chitarra, ravioli with L'Aquila saffron, soup with orapi and beans or codetti with potatoes and ricotta cheese. Depending on the availability of the season, it is possible to taste many other local products such as Picinisco pecorino cheese, caciocavallo cheese and scamorza from Villetta Barrea.

Terraegna mountain hut obtained in 2018 acknowledgment from European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas: a practical management tool that enables Protected Areas to develop tourism sustainably. The core element of the Charter is the collaboration between all interested parties to develop a common strategy and action plan for tourism development, based on an in-depth analysis of the local situation. The objective is the protection of the natural and cultural heritage and the continuous improvement of tourism management in the protected area in favor of the environment, the local population, businesses and visitors.

Essential tips and useful details for a smooth and enjoyable stay

The refuge provides the essentials for overnight stays: a bed, mattress, pillow, and plenty of blankets. There’s no need to bring a sleeping bag or sleeping mat from home, especially during the summer. However, for personal hygiene and out of respect for others, you must bring a sleeping-sheet bag (lightweight and compact).

Check-in from 3:00 PM on the day of arrival
Check-out by 10:00 AM on the day of departure

After 10:00 PM, lights are turned off to allow early risers a good night’s rest and to give nature back its space. Be sure to bring a modern headlamp, preferably one with a low-light red LED, perfect for reading or going to the bathroom without disturbing the rest of the room.

Slippers are not mandatory but are highly recommended. Hiking boots are not allowed on the wooden floors inside the hut. If you don’t have slippers, bring an extra pair of socks to use indoors.

Showers are not always available, but water for freshening up is generally provided. It’s advisable to bring the bare essentials for personal hygiene: a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a microfiber towel, which is ideal for its compact size and light weight.

Thanks to its position, the Rifugio Terraegna offers the possibility of following several panoramic routes, all of which are accessible and clearly signposted.

Monte Argatone(Path W3 PNALM) 1 h
Valico del Carapale(Path A1-A3 PNALM) 2 h
Valico della Corte(Path A1-A4 PNALM) 3 h
Monte Marsicano(Path A1-A6 PNALM) 5 h

In the most hidden corner of this land still survives an ancient beech forests, as in Coppo del Morto and Codone, where the patriarchs reach 500 years of life. These trees have been born before the end of the Middle Age and before the “discovery” of Americas by Columbus. Therefore, these are not only the oldest beech trees known in Europe but also the oldest broad-leaf trees of the Northern hemisphere! Such an amazing discovery has brought the magnificent Apennine beech forests to the attention of the international scientific community and also triggered their nomination process as “UNESCO World Heritage Site”. In these primeval forests, the concentration of species is impressive.

Apennine Chamois
Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata (Neumann, 1899)

Apennine Wolf 
Canis lupus italicus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Barbastelle Bat 
Barbastella barbastellus (Schreber, 1774)

Black Kite
Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783)

Collared Flycatcher 
Ficedula albicollis (Temminck, 1815)

Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758)

Marsican brown bear 
Ursus arctos marsicanus (Altobello, 1921)

Meadow Viper 
Vipera ursinii (Bonaparte, 1835)

Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus (Tunstall, 1771)

Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurio (Linnaeus, 1758)

Rosalia alpina
Rosalia alpina (Linnaeus, 1758)

Rock Thrush
Monticola saxatilis (Linnaeus, 1766)

Snowfinch
Montifringilla nivalis
(Linnaeus, 1766)

Tawny owl
Strix aluco (Linnaeus, 1758)

Treecreeper
Certhia brachydactyla (Brehm, 1820)

White-backed Woodpecker
Picoides leucotos (Bechstein, 1803)