Itaimbezinho, Canyon in Cambara do Sul, Brazil

Itaimbezinho is a canyon in Aparados da Serra National Park, on the border of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. Its vertical walls drop almost 600 meters, reaching 750 meters at the highest point, and it runs 5,800 meters long and 600 to 2,000 meters wide. The Perdizes stream flows through the gorge, and the upper plateau lies in Rio Grande do Sul while the walls and valley floor are in Santa Catarina.

Aparados da Serra National Park was created by Decree 47,446 on 17 December 1959, initially covering about 13,000 ha, to protect the Itaimbezinho canyon. Decree 70,296 of 17 March 1972 cut the area to 10,250 ha after a boundary review. In 1992 the adjoining Serra Geral National Park added 17,300 ha, and ICMBio has administered the park since 2007.

The name Itaimbezinho comes from Tupi-Guarani: ita, stone, and aí'be, sharpened, referring to the cliff edges. The upper plateau lies in Rio Grande do Sul, while the walls, the Cachoeira das Andorinhas, the Cascata Véu de Noiva and the Rio do Boi valley floor are in Santa Catarina, so the canyon rim marks the state border.

Marked trails allow visitors to explore the canyon, with one path about 1.4 kilometers long and suitable for most fitness levels. Bring adequate water and sun protection, as the exposed edges can be exposed to strong sun and wind.

The canyon's name comes from Tupi-Guarani: ita (stone) and aí'be (sharp), referring to the sheer rock walls. The Cachoeira das Andorinhas, the waterfall the old text mistranslated, drops inside the gorge on the Santa Catarina side, as do the Cascata Véu de Noiva and the Rio do Boi at the valley floor.