Jenne (a village of approximately 350 inhabitants in the Simbruini mountains, Metropolitan City of Rome, at 913m altitude in the valley of the Inferno stream, a tributary of the Aniene river. 70km east of Rome) is both one of the most isolated communities in the Roman hinterland and one of the most accessible genuine mountain wilderness experiences from the capital. The Parco Naturale Regionale dei Monti Simbruini (the regional nature park covering 30,000 hectares of calcareous Apennine mountains east of Rome, one of the largest protected areas in Lazio) has Jenne as one of its gateway villages, the parking area below the village serves as the trailhead for several of the park's most scenic routes, including the path to the Aniene river gorge (the Gole dell'Aniene, the section where the river cuts through the calcareous massif in a narrow gorge accessible on foot from the Jenne valley floor).
The Jenne wolf context: the Monti Simbruini are one of the primary Apennine wolf territories within commuting distance of Rome. The Italian wolf (Canis lupus italicus, the subspecies that survived in the central Apennines when the northern European wolf populations were hunted to local extinction, and which has been recolonizing its former range since the protection law of 1971) is present in the Simbruini and occasionally visible at dawn and dusk in the alpine meadows above Jenne. The wildlife-watching tradition in the Simbruini (the wildlife observers who position themselves in the upper valleys at dawn for wolf sightings) is a specific activity that no organized operator currently packages for the Rome day-trip market.
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Jenne: Hiking and Nature
The Aniene Gorge (Gole dell'Aniene)
The Gole dell'Aniene (the gorge section of the Aniene river between Trevi nel Lazio and Subiaco, accessible from the Jenne side via the trail from the village parking area) is the primary natural attraction of the eastern Simbruini: the calcareous walls of the gorge rise 50-80m above the river, with the vegetation of the moist gorge floor (ferns, mosses, beech woodland) contrasting with the exposed limestone above. The trail into the gorge is approximately 4km from Jenne (one way), with a 200m descent to the river. Accessible for fit walkers in good conditions (trail can be muddy after rain). The gorge floor in summer is cool (the microclimate of a closed gorge with the river providing humidity), a practical consideration for summer hiking from Rome.
The Simbruini Plateau
The Simbruini plateau (the elevated calcareous plain above 1,400m that constitutes the core of the park, the Campo dell'Ospedale, the Piani di Campocolle) is accessible from Jenne via the park trail network: a 4-5 hour round-trip hike from the village gains the plateau edge and the panoramic view over the Liri and Aniene valleys, the Marsica mountains to the east, and (in clear conditions) the Rome plain to the west. The plateau is the primary wolf territory in the Simbruini, the extensive grassland created by centuries of sheep grazing provides the open hunting ground that the Italian wolf requires.
Q&A: Jenne Simbruini
Can I see wolves in the Simbruini on a day trip from Rome?
Possible but not reliable without specific preparation: the Italian wolf is present but crepuscular and naturally wary of human presence. The conditions that maximize sighting probability: dawn or dusk at the plateau edge (arrive at Jenne before 6am for a dawn approach to the plateau), solo or very small group (2-3 people maximum, larger groups eliminate the possibility of wolf sightings), and silence on the approach (no conversation, no music). The Simbruini wolf population is estimated at 8-15 individuals in the park territory. Photography at sighting distance requires 500mm+ telephoto at minimum.
