Gole di Tiberio, the Tiberio gorge in Sicily

The Gole di Tiberio are a canyon about 400 metres long carved by the Pollina river, in the territory of San Mauro Castelverde. You reach them on foot in half an hour along the river; inside the gorge you only go by dinghy, in spring and summer. They are a geosite of the Madonie UNESCO Global Geopark.

It is the Madonie outing best suited to a summer day with children: little climbing and water always beside you.

Why go to the Gole di Tiberio

To get inside a part of the Madonie that you usually see from above. The walls are smooth and sheer, water flows all year and the light changes at every bend.

The town of San Mauro Castelverde dates the rocks to the Upper Triassic. Inside the gorge it lists things to look out for: bird nests on the walls, fossil gastropods and a large boulder in the middle of the route which, by tradition, was a secret passage for bandits and fugitives hiding in the caves of the area.

What you see along the trail

The CAI 602 trail starts at Case Marcatagliastro, a farmstead with two buildings facing a large courtyard, at 284 metres. It goes down through an olive grove and a citrus grove to the Pollina.

Then you walk along the bank, among boulders shaped by the current, small pools and riverside vegetation. In less than a kilometre you are at the entrance to the gorge.

Keep your eyes open. The town lists bee-eaters, grey wagtails, buzzards, tawny owls, little owls and a pair of golden eagles. In the water and on the banks there are crabs, eels, frogs and dragonflies.

The dinghy trip

You cannot walk into the gorge. In spring and summer the Madonie Outdoor association runs trips of about 2 hours: a dinghy crossing of the canyon and a walk along the river, downstream to the small gorges or upstream to the pools where you can swim.

Dates, prices and minimum age change every year: ask the association before you go.

Who it is for and when to go

The 602 is an easy hiking trail. The page calculates about 2 km and half an hour one way: you return the same way, so double it.

The best period is May to September, when the dinghy service runs and the water is calmer. In autumn and winter the place is still beautiful, but after rain the river swells and access to the gorge becomes dangerous.

How to get there

The town gives directions from the A20 motorway: exit at Castelbuono or Tusa and follow signs for Finale di Pollina. Take the SP52 towards San Mauro Castelverde and, after about 8 km, at the Borrello junction turn right onto the SP60. After about 1.5 km, at the Tiberio junction, turn right again: a lane, first paved and then gravel, leads in about 1 km to the start of the path.

From there a flight of about 400 steps goes down to the gorge. If you prefer to avoid it, park at the La Rocca picnic area, with toilets, changing rooms, bar, showers, tables and barbecues, and use the internal path or the shuttle.

Where to sleep and eat

Near the gorge there is the Agricampeggio Gole di Tiberio. For other places see where to stay in San Mauro Castelverde and where to stay in Pollina. To eat in the village, where to eat in San Mauro Castelverde.

San Mauro Castelverde has two festivals worth the detour: the Caciocavallo Festival in early June and A Fera in the first half of July. The village page tells the rest.

What to bring and tips

• Shoes that can get wet, a full change of clothes, a towel and sun cream.
• Drinking water: not from the river.
• Check the weather in San Mauro Castelverde for the days before, not just the day itself: rain upstream is what matters.
• Leave no litter on the banks and do not disturb the nests.

Nearby there is another trail along the water, in the Vallone dei Molini: it is described in the trail register of the tourist district.