Lake Carnino nature Reserve covers an area of 510 hectares on the extreme south-west border of the Carnia pre-alps and is surrounded by a splendid landscape. Its severe rock faces and its screes act as a backdrop to the wide bed of the Tagliamento river.
Besides the mountains and the river, the Reserve also boasts a crystal-clear lake rich in flora and fauna, encouraged by its mild climate. In this specific area, the Tagliamento river is over a kilometre wide. The karst morphology appears severe and wild, with evident contrasts in the landscape. The Mount Prat plateau stretches out on top of the rocky slopes, and it is interspersed with woodland, meadows and grazing lands that overlook the Arzino valley to the west. Lake Cornino lies in a vast hollow carved out by landslides which occurred after the retreat of the glacier. The Lake is 8,500 square metres wide and 8 metres deep, it has a green-azure colour and is fed by subterranean karst currents.