A protected area on the high ridge above Ouro Preto, reached by a winding road through eucalyptus plantations. The main draw is the Cachoeira das Andorinhas — a 15-metre waterfall named for the swallows that nest in its rock faces — and a series of marked walking trails.
The Pico do Itacolomi, a distinctive stone obelisk visible from town, can also be climbed from here (about three hours return for fit walkers, with views across the colonial centre and out to the iron-mining country beyond). Take water, sun cream, and good shoes. Easier walks include the short loop to the source of the Rio das Velhas, the river that runs through Minas Gerais.