Altamiro de Moura Pacheco State Park, State park in Goiás, Brazil
Altamiro de Moura Pacheco State Park covers 2,132 hectares split between Goianápolis, Nerópolis and Goiânia, crossed by Highway BR-153. Its seasonal semi-deciduous and gallery forests, among the most devastated forest types in the world, hold 485 recorded plant species, with perobas (Aspidosperma) and ipês (Tabebuia) predominating. Trails range from the 700-metre Peba Trail to the 17-kilometre Lago Trail, and the visitor centre has restrooms and drinking water.
The park was created by Goiás law 11.878 of 30 December 1992, after law 11.471 of 3 July 1991 authorised the purchase of the land, a former cattle and agriculture estate called Fazenda Dois Irmãos. First named for Ulysses Guimarães, it was renamed Altamiro de Moura Pacheco in 2001 and took its current name in 2007. In May 1994 part of its area was cut away for the Ribeirão João Leite Reservoir, leaving 2,132 hectares; a 2010 fire closed the park until January 2012.
A pre-colonial village site in the park was probably occupied from 500 to 1500 AD by southern Kayapó or Aratu-tradition peoples, who farmed and made ceramics. Relics found there include a funeral urn and a ritual mask woven from vegetable fibers. The site was abandoned after the Portuguese arrived, and the land later became the Fazenda Dois Irmãos.
The park opens Wednesday to Sunday, 8am to 4pm, with free admission; the Lago Trail is only open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The 17 km Lago Trail suits cyclists, while the 700 m Peba and 1,400 m Coati trails are short easy walks; the longer Eucalyptus Trail is harder. The visitor centre has restrooms and drinking water but no restaurant, and groups wanting guided tours must book ahead.
Archaeological discoveries reveal that the region was inhabited by precolumbian communities long before its modern protection as a park. These findings suggest early settlements with established farming practices.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,011 contributors worldwide.