Pedra da Mina, Mountain summit in Serra Fina range, Brazil.
Pedra da Mina is a mountain summit in the Serra Fina range, located between São Paulo and Minas Gerais states. Rising to 2,798 meters, it marks the highest point of the Mantiqueira Mountains.
The summit was first documented climbed in 1955 by German immigrants and local residents who measured its elevation. This expedition marked an important milestone in mapping the region's highest peaks.
The name means "Water Spring Rock", because four small creeks rise near the summit; "mina" can mean spring as well as mine. The mountain lies outside any national or state park, within the Mantiqueira Mountains Environmental Protection Area, and the São Paulo side is part of a private natural heritage reserve. Its summit marks the triple border of Passa Quatro, Lavrinhas and Queluz.
Reaching the summit requires a full-day hike starting from Passa Quatro town and demands good physical fitness. The months from May to September offer the most stable weather and favorable conditions.
Pedra da Mina is made of nepheline syenite, an alkaline rock that erodes easily and is rarely found at such high elevations. It is thought to be the highest mountain of this rock type in the Americas, and possibly in the world.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,789 contributors worldwide.