The Serra de Bocaina National Park was designed to protect Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo from an eventual nuclear accident in the power stations of Angra I and II.

The objective was to insert a defensive vegetal fortification on the outskirts of the Sierra del Mar, between the cities and the nuclear power stations. With this regard, in the early 1970s the authorities resolved to draw this conservation area which has now 11,0000 hectares and makes for the richest display of the Atlantic wood in the country.

The area is between the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo and comprehends lands from the councils of Parati, Angra dos Reis, Sao Jos do Barreiro, Arenas, Cua and Ubatuba.

The park holds places such as inlets with sandy beaches, as in the case of the Cachadao and Medio beaches, and an ocean island, like the Scissors (Tijeras) Island, up to cliffs, caves and deep valleys with mountains over 1800 m high in the region of Trinidad.

Likewise, it contains many rivers with cascades of nice, clean, cold and crystalline waters. The main river basin is the Mambucada River. The Paraitinga River, one of the main effluents of the Paraiba do Sul River, is born in this park.

Flora

A different vegetation with an ample biodiversity grows in the coastal and estuary zones, at the Atlantic pluvial tropical forest, and in the higher places of the sierra.

There are groups of pine trees of the Paran class and of the brave pine tree type. Some rare epiphytes exist in the area, especially close to the riverbanks, such are the micro orchids belonging to the Barbosella and the Capanemia species; and plenty of hard wood species, most of them endangered due to their commercial value.

Fauna

Here, the Atlantic fauna is predominant here: the carnivore and bearded monkeys, the sagui from the sierra, the jaguatirica, the wildcat, the lontra, the flag-tamanda, the macuco, the crested sparrow-hawk, the monkey catcher sparrow-hawk, the regal sparrow-hawk, the purple chest parrot, and the tiriba, amongst others.

Rides

You have to get a permit from the entity in charge of the park, the IBAMA, to get inside its area. There are excellent conditions for the practice of trekking through many and pleasant rural roads leading to the cascades.

Amongst the most desired waterfalls is the San Isidro, close to the main entry to the park, and the cascade of the Deer, at the Mombucaba River, between the sierra and the coastline.

The Track of Gold is an old colonial way built by enslaved hands from river stones. It cuts the park pointing in the direction of Sao Jose do Barreiro - Parati. It was trotted by workers transporting the gold coming from Minas Gerais to the ports of Mambucaba and Parati since the XVII century.

It is one of the best spots to take a soul lifting hike or a horseback ride. There are camping areas along the Track of Gold and they are not really worth that much.

How to get there

It is advisable to use a four by four truck and drive through the Presidente Dutra highway up to Qu luz / SP; then follow the road heading to Arenas and arrive to Sao Jose do Barreiro. You will reach the park's entry continuing through the SP-221 road for another 27 km. A sports utility vehicle is very utile during the rainy season.