The park develops around the Marguareis Massif (2651 m), the most south-western portion of the Maritime Alps, and includes two valleys: the Pesio Valley and a portion of the Upper Tanaro Valley.
Its particular position has made it famous for the variety of its flora. It preserves, in fact, about a quarter of the plant species present in Italy. The presence of fauna is varied and rich: chamois, eagles, deer and roe deer populate the territory. In recent years the wolf has reappeared.
Both on the Tanaro side and in the Pesio Valley there is an equipped nature trail to deepen the knowledge of the great naturalistic heritage of these valleys. A network of high-mountain refuges (Garelli, Mondovì, Pian Rosso) makes the complete tour of the Marguareis massif easy, while in the heart of the Park, surrounded by the silver fir forests of Valle Pesio, the refuge of Pian delle Gorre is open. For those who love animals, not far from Pian delle Gorre hut, there is the wildlife observatory, where you can admire, with a little luck and silence, deer, chamois, and roe deer.
At the Garelli Hut, a two-hour walk from Pian delle Gorre at an altitude of about 2000 meters, there are two botanical stations, connected by a self-guided path, where there are exclusively plant species that live in the alpine, nival zone of the Ligurian and Maritime Alps. The entrance is free, every day, from June 1st to September 15th.
The park hosts the most important alpine karst system in Piedmont, with more than 150 km of explored caves, reaching 1000 meters of depth. The landscape is characterized by vast forests of silver fir, beech and larch. The Pesio Valley, thanks to its geographical position and climate, can boast an exceptional variety of floristic species (about 1500) that coexist with continental and Mediterranean alpine species, among which Cypripedium calceolus, Saxifraga cernua, Phyteuma cordatum and Viola pinnata stand out.
From the architectural point of view, inside the Park, in Valle Pesio, there is the wonderful Certosa di Pesio, an ancient medieval monastery; while on the Tanaro side, the traditional villages of Carnino are worth a visit.
Another point of interest is the Park Museum - Aldo Viglione Center, at the headquarters of the Park Authority in Via S. Anna, 34 in Chiusa di Pesio. It houses a permanent exhibition of 300 photographs by Michele Pellegrino which offer an overview of the local environmental heritage and make visitors think about the recovery and enhancement of the naturalistic heritage.
