Lake Calamone is one of the most evocative and visited places in the Reggio Apennines.
Small lake of glacial origin, it was formed when the glaciers retreated thousands of years ago, today it represents a wetland of all importance of the Reggio Apennines and is one of the major tourist attractions.
The water surface is over thirty thousand square meters with depths of almost ten meters.
There are three areas that, in the Calamone – Ventasso area, contain the most interesting botanical peculiarities of the place: they are located in the south-west part of the lake, on the north side of the mountain and along the rocky ridge.
The first that encloses a lake vegetation is characterized by a progressive filling of the lake by sediments that, over time, have created a marshy habitat where botanical rarities vegetate. The first place belongs to the Orchid called Dactylorhiza Praetermissa detected in Italy only on the shores of this lake.
Going up the slope of the Ventasso you cross clearings in which, during the year, picturesque blooms of high-altitude plants alternate, among which you can see Gentian with the characteristic blue flower, Primroses with small yellow flowers and the Crocuses with a large purple flower carried on a whitish stem.
The trees here record the presence of some centuries-old specimens of beech, of considerable size.
The mountain belt characterized by this presence, rises from 800 m, where oak and chestnut groves end, up to touch 1800 m where the last bush beeches give way to high altitude meadows created by man.
The beech forest is also home to other plants such as silver fir, linden, maple, yew and holly.
The undergrowth is very reduced due to the strong cover and consists of herbs such as ferns and flowers such as the Seal of Solomon and the Knotty Geranium.
Here traditionally graze free horses of Ventasso, as well as cows and calves in the summer.
Not far from Lake Calamone there is one of the most important and delicate peat bogs of the Park: Lake Verde.