Serra da Baitaca State Park

General Information

The Serra da Baitaca State Park (in Portuguese: Parque Estadual da Serra da Baitaca) was created in 2002. It covers a total area of 3,053.21 hectares in the municipalities of Quatro Barras (83%) and Piraquara (17%), in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, state of Paraná. The park is approximately 30 km away from the state capital.

The Park aims to conserve a sample of the Atlantic Rainforest biome, including the Dense Ombrophilous Forest (FOD) formations, such as the Dense Ombrophilous Forest Mountain (FODM) and Dense Ombrophilous Forest Highland (FODAM), as well as the fauna, soil, and inland waters. It also aims to promote activities that do not cause any alteration to the ecosystem, ensuring sustainability in conservation efforts.

The origin of its name is based on its location, in one of the precursor formations of mountainous elevations and the largest mountain range that makes up the Serra do Mar, the Serra da Baitaca. Its name originates from the Tupi-Guarani word “mbaetaca,” which refers to a species of parrot (Pionus maximilani), common in the region.

The origin of this mountain range is associated with the separation between the African and South American continents, similar to the Serra do Mar. Consisting of Anhangava Granite, it is intersected by diabase and microgranite dikes, visible in the natural faults that form valleys through which rivers flow.

How to get there

By car, access is via Quatro Barras. Starting from the Atuba junction, follow BR-116 towards São Paulo until you reach the Quatro Barras junction on the right, following signs indicating Borda do Campo and Morro do Anhangava. Upon reaching the city center, there is a square (reference to Avenida das Pedreiras), continue along the paved stretch until you reach the IAT trailer on the right. There are staff available 24 hours for reception and visitor registration.

By bus, take the Curitiba – Quatro Barras route from Guadalupe terminal (downtown Curitiba), get off at Quatro Barras terminal, and take the circular bus to Borda do Campo, getting off at the final stop.

Use google map to find best route to the location of entrance gate here.

When to visit

The Serra da Baitaca State Park can be visited year round. It is open everyday, around the clock!

Ticket and price

There is no entrance fee into the state park. However, registration must be completed upon arrival at the park entrance gate for visitor safety and for the Park management to compile statistics on activities, access, origin, age group, etc.

Main Attractions

The main attractions of the park are the Itupava Trail, the Anhangava Hill, and the Morro Pão de Loth (Loth Bread Hill).

Itupava Trail (Caminho do Itupava)

The Itupava Trail is one of the colonial paths that connects the coastal plains to the first plateau of Paraná. Probably originated from ancient indigenous trails, its use as a social and commercial route contributed to the economic development and the Luso-Brazilian colonization process since the 17th century in the region. Its abandonment occurred with the implementation of the Curitiba-Paranaguá Railway (1885). The use of the trail went through various phases, resulting in different forms of occupation of its surroundings (industrial, commercial, and service establishments), with changes in its layout and the paving itself carried out in the 19th century.

The original route extended from the Municipality of Curitiba, crossed the region of the Serra do Mar, and ended in the Municipality of Morretes. The portion of the trail covered by these Regulations comprises the stretch located between the district of Borda do Campo, in the Municipality of Quatro Barras (geographic coordinates: 25° 24’ 26” and 49° 01’ 39”), and the district of Porto de Cima, in the Municipality of Morretes (geographic coordinates: 25° 26’ 01” and 48° 52’ 26”), totaling 20,239.92 meters.

Almost all of this stretch is within the Serra do Mar Heritage Area, except for a small portion of 1729 meters in the locality called Prainhas in Porto de Cima, between the geographic coordinates: 25° 25’ 20” / 48° 53’ 02” and 25° 26’ 01” / 48° 52’ 26”. The Heritage Listing was ratified on July 25, 1986, by the State Council for Historical and Artistic Heritage, which provides for the historical, artistic, and natural heritage of the State of Paraná.

Anhangava Hill (Morro do Anhangava)

The Anhangava Hill, with its 1,420 meters of altitude, is the most important location for rock climbing in the State of Paraná, being considered a “training ground” for offering many quality climbs and being an important place for the training and development of climbers. From its summit, one can see Curitiba, the Iraí reservoir, and the Serra do Mar.

Trails

Trail Name	Distance	Difficulty
Anhangava Hill	~3.1 km	Significant
Loth Bread Hill (Morro Pão de Loth)	~5 km	Significant
Itupava Trail	~22 km	Intense
Casa do Ipiranga	~8 km	Significant
Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Padlock (Santuário Nossa Senhora do Cadeado)	~17 km	Intense

Biodiversity

The Baitaca Mountain Range is mostly covered by Dense Ombrophilous Forest transitioning to Mixed Ombrophilous Forest. The park is home to species such as the golden frog (Brachycephalus pernis), an endemic species listed in the Red Book of Endangered Fauna in Paraná, and a habitat for the swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus), a migratory bird that nests on the mountain.

Guidelines for visitors

Recommendations

• The park does not have parking facilities, but there are private parking lots nearby.
• No entrance fee is charged for access to the park.
• The park does not provide transportation for return to the base.
• Insect repellent, sunscreen, and comfortable clothing are essential.
• Wear closed and comfortable shoes at all times.
• Food and water are important (but remember to bring back all waste, including organic waste, such as fruit peels and seeds).
• Contribute to the conservation of Serra da Baitaca State Park by only walking on marked trails and using designated resting areas.
• Try to walk in small groups.
• Walk quietly, admire nature, take only photographs.

Prohibited Activities

• Entry of domestic animals.
• Smoking.
• Consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• Camping.
• Use of equipment that causes noise disturbances in the area.
• Any type of street vending in the Park area.
• Driving or riding motorcycles outside designated parking areas.
• Abandonment of garbage, debris of any kind, or other materials that tarnish the sanitary or scenic integrity of the area.
• Straying from previously marked and signaled trails.
• Engaging in activities that may cause fires in the area (such as bonfires and barbecues).
• Carrying knives, machetes, scythes, as well as any other cutting tools, firearms, chainsaws, and equipment that causes noise disturbances in the area.
• Collecting, damaging, carving, and pruning tree species maintained in various areas of the Park.
• Hunting, fishing, collecting, and picking pieces of the physical environment and specimens of flora and fauna in all management zones, except those for authorized scientific purposes.
• Entry of unauthorized individuals, vehicles, and equipment into the Park.
• Feeding and frightening animals.

Contact information

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: (41) 3213-3428