Currently, On SummitPost, Julian Alps are divided in 8 subgroups. The Kanin group (Monte Canin) includes also all the fore-hills down towards the South, where Julian Alps lower in Po river plane. But these fore-Alps are very different than Kanin mountains. The area is very broad, nice for hiking, skiing and also climbing, so it deserves to be separated from the higher regions of Julian Alps. And, finally, also Italians call these mountains Prealpi Giulie and the natural parc, established in 1996 has the same name.

Even if called prealps, these mountains are far from being all humble and hilly. As all Julian Alps they are steep, rocky and wild. The other characteristic of these mountains is, that they are formed in long ranges, stretching tens of kilometers, usually in the west-east direction. As they are lower than the central regions, they are covered also with dense vegetation which doesn't diminish the impact of wilderness they do on the observer. The southern part is of course more hilly, populated by people, who live there since ancient times. Especially fruitful is the SW border of the group, where on the edge of Po river plane many beautigul towns are flourishing - Venzone, Gemona di Friuli, Artegna, Tarcento, Cividale/Cedad, Cormons/Krmin and of course the both two big cities of Udine and Gorizia/Gorica. These towns and others are all worth visiting.

The area is inhabitated with Italians, with Furlani and with Slovenes. It is perhaps less known that Furlani people are speaking their own language, which differs considerably from the official Italian language. In many places tables with information are written in both languages, the same is more and more true also with places where Slovenian people live on Italian territory. A special linguistic and cultural case is Val Resia / Rezija. The valley lieas on Italian territory but has been for centuries inhabited by Slavic people. They are speaking a very distinct, archaic dialect, much different from other Slovenian dialcets (some even claim their Russian origin).

Borders

The map of Julian prealps

The only dilemma of bordering these mountains is delimiting them from the Kanin group. My recommendation is to make a border in Val Resia and Val Uccea / Ucja. This way the long ridge of Skutnik / Monte Guarda would still remain in Kanin group. Once done so, the eastern border is clearly formed by the valley of river Soca, dividing these mountains from Krn group and from North-West Dinarides and the western border are rivers Fella and Tagliamento, dividing these mountains from Carnic Alps. The southern border is of course the Po river plane.

Structuring Julian Prealps

Monte Plauris - Musi range

On the NW Julian Pre-Alps are the highest. They rise steeply from the banks of rivers Fella and Tagliamento, then they stretch towards the East with a serias of sharp and wild peaks. The northern borders are Resia and Uccea/Ucja creeks, the southern borders are Val Venzonassa and Torre valley.

Monte Plauris / Lopic, 1958m. A sharp peak with long, marked approaches. Very nice panorama.
Monte Lavara / Javor, 1906m. Once rarely, today a bit more often visited summit, close to Casera Confin. A weak marked path.
Monte Cadin, 1818m. Marked path (No. 740 and 703) crosses the summit from Torre valley to Resia.
Musi / Muzci, 1869m. A very sharp and wild mountain range, almost impossible to be crossed. Four marked paths ascend the ridge: 1 - from Sella Carnizza on point 1866, 2 - from Torre valley on point 1866, 3 - from S. Anna di Carnizza, below Sella Carnizza to M. Zaiavor, 1815 and 4 - from Passo Tannamea to M. Zaiavor, 1815.

M. Plauris / Lopic

M. Lavara / Javor

ganesh70 - Monte Musi / Muzci

Monte Chiampon group

It rises south of Plauris-Musi range, so it's northern border is Val Venzonassa. It's eastern border is the valley of Torre/Ter river. On the northern part this group consists of a long and, despite its low altitude, still a wild ridge of Monte Chiampon / Veliki Karman. Just south of the highest summit there's a nice, panoramic balcony of Monte Cuarnan / Mali Karman. The rest towards the south are only much lower hills.

Monte Chiampon / Veliki Karman, 1709m. A steep and still wild ridge summit. A medium hard marked path from the south, from Malga Cuarnan, 1075m and over Sella Foredor (pass). 2h. Another marked path from the north, from Val Venzonassa. The ridge towards the East has many summits of quite equal heigth, half of them are connected by a marked path.
Monte Cuarnan / Mali Karman, 1372m. A nice panoramic balcony over the Po river plane with a church on it. Many marked paths from all sides, the shortest one from Malga Cuarnan, 1075m and over Sella Foredor, 1089m. 45 min.

Monte Chiampon

M. Chiampon ridge

M. Chiampon from the SE

Kobariski Stol - Gran Monte range

For more details, see the existing SummitPost page of Kobariski Stol!

This range is stretching in the west-east direction south of Uccea/Ucja creek and south of the upper part of Torre/Ter river. It is still sharp and rocky on many places, but here Julian Pre-Alps are already losing its wilderness. Towards the South it is lowering with many side ridges, which are less important in the mountaineering sense, hosting many nice Friulan villages. Great area for biking!

Kobariski Stol, 1673m.
Gran Monte, 1636m.

Kobariski Stol

On Stol

On Gran Monte

Hills west of Natisone/Nadiza river

North of Cividale/Cedad there's a hilly area where only a few hills are more important for hiking. This is also a nice biking area. Still the altitude difference towards the river bed of Natisone/Nadiza is more than 1000 meters.

Monte Iauar / Javor, 1005m. A grassy summit offering some panorama.
Monte Joanaz / Ivanac, 1167m. A grassy summit offering nice panorama. Could be also an easy ski tour and bike tour.
Monte Vogu, 1124m.
Meja / Monte Mia, 1237m.

On Ivanac

Matajur and Kolovrat

Casting in literature, Matajur is a true symbol of Slovenian people, living beyond the present state border. It's a broad, quite powerful mountain, offering a lot to a mountaineering soul: hikes from all sides (also a 1200 m of altitude hike over the rocky and rugged west face), nice ski tours, mountain biking and more... As on its southern slopes it hosts a small ski resort, there's also a hut there: Rif. Pelizzo, 1320m. A road pass above Livek village divides Matajur from the long and panoramic Kolovrat ridge.

Matajur/Mataiur, 1641m. Fine hikes, great panorana, nice ski tours. Also mountain biking possible.
Kuk / Monte Cucco, 1242m. A panoramic, grassy summit on the western part of Kolovrat ridge. Over the whole Kolovrat a mountain road goes, offering nice, panoramic biking.

On Kolovrat

Soča

Korada

South of Solarje pass a long, predominantly grassy ridge begins, which is stretching in a NE-SW direction. It is all on the Slovenian side, as the border between Italy and Slovenia here goes by on its west side flowing Idrija/Iudrio river. Also atop this long ridge a decent road goes. So, you can combine in a biking tour the neighbouring Korada and Kolovrat ridges.

Korada, 812m. An open, grassy hill. Nice biking.

Sabotin and Brda

The last outpost of Julian Alps towards the South is the rocky, limestone Sabotin. Even if it is only 609 meters high, it offers some nice hikes from all sides and also a biking tour. The summit is very known from the World War I, when there were severe fightings. Otherwise, the frontline was running along Soca river, which forms here a true canyon. Still today you can see many rests from the war, some are arranged also for tourists visit. West of Sabotin there's a special area, which is different than the rest of Julian Pre-Alps. This is the hilly area of Goriska Brda. Very fruitful, landscape, made of flysh, reminds on the famous Toscana. All wineyards, orchards, nice villages on hills!

Sabotin, 609m. Nice hikes, mountin biking, nice panorama. Rests from the World War I.

Soca from Sabotin

Goriska Brda

Rivers Of Julian Pre-Alps

Soča

The most beautiful river of Julian Alps forms in its middle part the eastern border of our Pre-Alps group.

Soča

Nadiža

Nadiza river is sunny, warm and still very clear. Its sources are below Stol and Gran Monte, then it flows as a beautiful creek towards the south. Near Logje it turns eastwards and seemingly flows towards Soca river, but just before Kobarid it suddenly decides to turn southwards again carves a deep canyon between Mija and Matajur and finally gets out of Julian Alps at Cedad/Cividale.

While today's main road follows the river from Kobarid to Cedad/Cividale, in the past also paths along its upper flow towards the west were much used. Today still a romantic witness of those times stands - the 'Napoleon bridge' below Logje village.

Here are some attractions of this beautiful river and its valley:

Landarska jama / La grotta di san Giovanni d'Antro. High above the river, near Ponteacco, there's a cave with a nice church, arranged for tourist visit. It was built by early Christians and later modified by Langobard people. The cave behind the church was already used by stone age men.

Napoleonov most / Il ponte di Napoleone. The bridge has its name by Napoleon Bonaparte, whose army was supposed to cross it. But it was built far before - in times of ancient Romans. Its romantic arc reminds us on old paths, leading from Kobarid towards the west.

Nadiza/Natisone ponds. Near Kred village and further towards the west the river has some nice places, which are used for summer swimming.

The upper Nadiža canyon. West of Logje village the river enters a nice canyon, which can be passed, if water is not very high. All around are nice, picturesque places for swimming.

'Napoleon' bridge

S. Giovanni d'Antro

Nadiža

Torre/Ter

This is the central river of Julian Pre-Alps. Its sources are below the wild Musi/Muzci range, then it flows towards the south. The river also has a characteristic blue colour.

Tagliamento/Tilment

The river forms the western boundary of Julian Pre-Alps.

Creeks

On smaller creeks there are some nice waterfalls, worth of visiting. Sušec, on the northern slopes of Stol, is a popular canyoneering goal. Bončič, below Gran Monte, can be also reached by a marked path.

Sušec

Bončič

Getting There

Julian Pre-Alps can best be reached from the West by Italian highways (Udine - Tarvisio) or from the East through the valley of river Soca.

The following roads/passes are cutting the area:

- The road in Resia valley and over Sella Carnizza into Uccea/Ucja valley.
- The road through Torre/Ter valley and over Passo Tannamea / Tam na Meji into Uccea/Ucja valley.
- The road through Natisone/Nadiza valley to Kobarid (in Soca river valley).

In addition to these there are many local and mountain roads, connecting villages in the southern area and running over some passes and along mountain ridges. Some were already mentioned.

A good mountain map: Tabacco: Prealpi Giulie - Valli del Torre, 1:25000.

Gemona di Friuli

Red Tape

In 1996 the Julian Prealps Nature Parc was established. Its headquarters are in Prati do Resia. For more details see the its official web page at: http://www.parcoprealpigiulie.org/.

Nadiza river

By Nadiza

Huts And Camping

In the whole area there are no official huts of mountaineering organizations. But you can sleep and eat in some private huts and with shephards on mountain pastures. Camping is officially forbidden, except in high regions for emergency reasons. But some areas are so remote that it is very unlikely that you would be chased if setting up a tent over a night.

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