Serra da Bocaina National Park National Park

Website: https://www.icmbio.gov.br/parnaserradabocaina/

Admission: Park entrance fees apply; check ICMBio or park office for current rates

Serra da Bocaina National Park is a protected area in southeastern Brazil that spans parts of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states and conserves Atlantic Forest and mountainous terrain. The park covers rugged relief including steep slopes, valleys, and remnants of native forest.

Visitors use walking trails and mountain roads to reach viewpoints, waterfalls, and forested valleys; the park is valued for biodiversity conservation and for protecting watersheds that drain to both the Atlantic coast and interior basins. Wildlife and forest habitats are principal attractions rather than built visitor infrastructure.

The park was established to protect the Bocaina mountain range and its Atlantic Forest ecosystems and to maintain regional water resources and biodiversity. Over time conservation efforts have aimed to reduce deforestation and preserve remaining forest fragments.

Geographically the park straddles the border zone between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states in southeastern Brazil, in a coastal mountain complex that rises above lowland coastal plains and interior valleys.

• Habitats and access: Park habitats include Atlantic Forest remnants, highland cloud forest, and steep escarpments; access is often by marked trails and mountain roads linking small towns in the region.

The park can be approached from Paraty (RJ) on the coast or from São José do Barreiro (SP) inland; road conditions vary and local transport is limited. Use regional buses to Paraty or São José do Barreiro and arrange local guides or transfers for trailheads.

• Hire local guides for trails that cross remote sections of the park-the terrain is rugged and trails may be poorly marked.
• If planning to traverse between São José do Barreiro and Paraty sectors, allow extra time-the park is large and roads are slow.
• Bring a map from the park office; some gorge and mountain trails are less signposted than popular tourist sections.