Aparados da Serra is the oldest national park in southern Brazil, established in 1959 to protect the dramatic escarpment where the Serra Gaúcha plateau meets the Atlantic coastal plain. Its centrepiece is the Itaimbezinho canyon — a 700-metre-deep, 5.8-kilometre-long gorge that cuts through the basalt plateau in sheer vertical walls. The river Perdiz threads along the floor far below; from the rim it is barely visible. The view is as good as anything in the Serra Gaúcha.
The park sits on the border of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, about three hours from Gramado and 230 kilometres from Porto Alegre. The nearest base is the village of Cambará do Sul, from which two marked trails access the canyon: the Trilha do Cotovelo runs along the rim and takes around two hours; the Trilha do Vértice descends to the canyon floor on a longer, more demanding route that requires good fitness and sturdy footwear. Conditions below the rim are humid and cool even in summer. Bring waterproof gear regardless of the forecast.
Adjoining the park to the east is the Serra Geral National Park, which contains the Fortaleza canyon — usually described as broader and more dramatic than Itaimbezinho, with a spectacular 420-metre waterfall. Many visitors combine both in a single day from Cambará do Sul. Entry to Serra Geral is through a private gate with its own admission.
The park protects one of the largest remaining areas of Araucária Atlantic Forest in the state. The umbrella-shaped araucária (Paraná pine) trees are an endangered species, massively reduced by logging through the 20th century, and the stands here are some of the most impressive surviving. Birdwatching is excellent; the Vinaceous Amazon parrot, a threatened species, has been recorded in the forest.