Hikes near Belo Horizonte
From cerrado half an hour from downtown to the peak above Ouro Preto and the waterfalls of Serra do Cipó and Conceição do Mato Dentro. Four hikes, from a short walk to a full day.
Serra do Rola-Moça: the closest
The Jardim Canadá gate is in Nova Lima, about 30 km from downtown via BR-040 toward Rio. Entry and parking are free. The Cerrado trail is self-guided and 2.4 km long per IEF; the lookouts and springs need a booked guided visit. Open 8:00 to 17:00, daytime only, no camping. There's no shade in the cerrado fields. To confirm hours and book, the park answers on (31) 3581-3523.
See my day at Rola-MoçaPico do Itacolomi, Ouro Preto (1,772 m)
About 110 km from BH, with the gate on BR-356 at km 98. Ticket R$ 28.75 (half price R$ 14.37) and parking R$ 20 with 50 spaces, reserved with the online ticket. Photo ID and a risk waiver at the gate. Open Tuesday to Sunday and holidays, 8:00 to 17:00, and the park itself asks you to start the trail by 11:00.
One source gives 12 km round trip in 5 to 6 hours; others give shorter distances. It's a long, steep climb over rock, and the park has no rescue service and no restaurant: bring food and water. In an emergency call 192 (SAMU) or 193 (fire brigade).
See my day on ItacolomiExample: a Saturday on Itacolomi, hour by hour
| 08:00 | Gate opens. ID, risk waiver, reserved parking. |
|---|---|
| 08:15 | Start of the trail. |
| ~11:15 | Summit, about 3 h up. |
| 11:45 | Start down, about 2h30. |
| ~14:15 | Back at the gate, well before 17:00 when the park closes. |
An example with 12 km round trip and a time split we estimated from the sources. The plan fits it to your group and the day's weather.
Cachoeira da Farofa, Serra do Cipó
About 100 km and 2 h on MG-010 to the national park's Portaria Areias. It's about 16 km round trip, with almost no shade, to a big, very cold pool. Sources disagree on the hours (access 8:00 to 16:00, or entry 8:00 to 14:00 and exit by 17:00). In January 2024 the park closed attractions because of flood risk. Best from May to September.
See my day at FarofaCachoeira do Tabuleiro, Conceição do Mato Dentro
The park is about 19 km from Conceição on a dirt road that gets hard in rain. Entry R$ 10. Open daily 8:00 to 17:00, only in good weather; pool access runs until 14:00. The pool was closed in November 2023 because of rockfall risk, with a reopening planned for 19 July 2026 under monitoring; we couldn't confirm it reopened. Check with the park before you go.
See my day at TabuleiroOutside the dry season (May to September) Minas gets more rain, and both waterfalls close attractions when there's a risk. Your free day shows the forecast rain and says SKIP IT when it isn't worth going.
Sources: IEF-MG, Itacolomi State Park, Ouro Preto town hall and reports from 2024 to 2026.
The trails in this guide (pages in Portuguese): Serra do Rola-Moça, Pico do Itacolomi, Cachoeira da Farofa, Cachoeira do Tabuleiro.