In eastern Minas Gerais, ringed by the chimneys of the steel region that gives it its name, the Vale do Aço holds a monumental contrast: the Parque Estadual do Rio Doce (PERD) — almost 36,000 hectares of the largest continuous patch of Atlantic Forest in Minas Gerais, dotted with a system of dozens of natural lakes with no equal in the south-east.
How to visit
The main gate is at Marliéria, ~30 km from Ipatinga and Timóteo (regional airport in Ipatinga; Belo Horizonte ~220 km away). The park has a visitor center with exhibitions, a restaurant and camping — infrastructure that is rare among the parks of Minas. Best time to visit: April to September, with dry, mild weather.
What to do
- Lagoa Dom Helvécio — the jewel open to visitors: 6.7 km² of clean water (up to 32 m deep!) for swimming, boat trips and mirror-still sunsets.
- Trilha do Vinhático — 1 km of interpretive trail beneath giant jequitibás and vinháticos.
- Ponte Queimada — the historic 200 m crossing over the rio Doce, with stories of the settlement of the forest.
- Birdwatching — 300+ catalogued species: the PERD is one of the best birdwatching destinations in Minas.
- Caminho das Águas — round about, waterfalls such as Limeira (Coronel Fabriciano), Escorregador (Serra dos Cocais) and Jacuba round out the regional itinerary.
Why it matters
Created in 1944 as the first state park in Minas Gerais, the PERD is a survivor: while the valley industrialised, the forest held out as an ark for jaguars, muriquis and century-old ipês. Visiting it funds the living proof that industry and forest can — and must — coexist.
🥾 Who is it for?
Effort: easy — a lake with easy access, short trails and full infrastructure. Children: safe swimming at Dom Helvécio and educational trails (all ages). Older visitors and people with reduced mobility: one of the most comfortable parks in Minas Gerais — visitor center, restaurant and attractions close to the car; ideal for anyone’s first contact with deep Atlantic Forest.