Serra da Canastra National Park

Serra da Canastra National Park is a federally protected area in Minas Gerais, Brazil, established to conserve the Canastra plateau and the headwaters of the São Francisco River. It preserves cerrado grasslands, plateaus and river systems that are important for regional water supply.

The park is noted for its plateaus, canyons and waterfalls, including a prominent fall where the São Francisco River drops off the plateau. Trails and viewpoints give access to river gorges and lookout points across the Canastra landscape. Wildlife viewing and birdwatching are common attractions across the park’s mosaic of grassland, gallery forest and rocky outcrops.

The area was designated as a national park by the Brazilian federal government to protect the region’s water sources and cerrado ecosystems. Management has focused on conserving river headwaters and limiting land-use pressures from surrounding agricultural areas.

The park sits on the Canastra plateau in western Minas Gerais. Access is through several small municipalities on the plateau that serve as gateways to different sectors of the park.

• Access and seasonality: Access is commonly from small gateway towns on the Canastra plateau; many park roads are unpaved so the dry season improves trail and road access.

What to See #

• Casca d'Anta waterfall: Protects the headwaters of the São Francisco River and contains the park's best-known waterfall, a major drop where the river leaves the Canastra plateau.
• São Francisco headwaters and plateaus: Area of highland plateaus, canyons and cerrado vegetation that supports a range of birds and mammals native to Brazil's central highlands.