Graciosa Historical Trail

Overview

A little about Paraná's history

This is not a history page, but it is necessary to understand the historical meaning of this trail.
The colonization of Paraná state, as the most parts of Brazil, has started from the coast. The first village was Paranaguá, on the middle of the 16th. century. Before the Portuguese explorers arrived this region, there were already indian trails that took from the coast to the plateau, after the steep walls and the deep valleys of the Serra do Mar range and one of these was the Graciosa's. The first explorers, looking for nature resources like gold, silver or wood, have walked through this trail till the plateau, where they found a pleasant place with colder weather as at the coast, and have built a village there, that originated the city of Curitiba, actual state's capital. On the 17th. century was the Graciosa's trail abandoned and the transport was done through the Itupava's trail, because the distance was smaller. But on this way there are more difficulties like the cross of deep gorges, and it is steeper as the other. With the time, the village of Curitiba has grown and was already the main location of the state. But all its relationships with the rest of Brazil and with Portugal were dependents of the Paranaguá haven, and the Itupava's trail hadn't more conditions for the increasing traffic between both regions. Then in the beginning of the 19th. century, the government of Curitiba has started to study the reopening of the Graciosa's trail, in spite of the longer distance. In 1807 the transport was already done by this one again. In 1820 was covered with stones, the same that till today are there. Its route has originated the Graciosa's Road, built between 1854 and 1873.
Source:
POMBO, José Francisco da Rocha, 1857-1933. O Paraná no centenário: 1500-1900. 2ª ed - Editora J. Olympio (just on Portuguese)

Plants and Animals

This trail crosses one of the most preserved wild regions of Brazil, the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Rain Forest). Before the 16th. century, this forest has covered the great part of Brazil's coast, from Rio Grande do Sul state (extreme South) to Rio Grande do Norte state (at North). Today remains just 5% from this incredible ecosystem.
On this forest live many species of animals like parrots, toucans, humming-birds, monkeys, wild pigs, tatus (armadillos), wild dogs, jaguatirica (wild cat) and two meters long jaguars; there are also countless species of insects like mosquitoes (lots of them!), spiders, beetles and other; reptiles like lizards and snakes (poisonous or no) and many species of amphibian.
The species of vegetables are also too variable and there are many big and old trees like figueiras, jequitibás, ipês, jacarandás, guapuruvus and other, all very imponents. The number of small plants is really great, with eminence to orchids and bromeliae. This one is very interesting, because it is an ecosystem itself. It stores water on its leafs, and the small insects and pererecas (frogs) live or put their eggs on the water, and the birds and frogs eat these insects. Orchids and bromeliae grow at other plants, but they are not parasites. They just use the trunk of trees as base, and take their water from the humidity of air and their nutrients from the organic material that falls from the tree, like leafs.
It's very important that we take care of this delicate ecosystem, then don't let your waste on the trail, don't take flowers or plants and don't take or buy wild animals, including parrots.

Getting There

Like other trips to the Serra do Mar range of Paraná state, the start point to this one is the city of Curitiba. There are daily flights from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and other cities of Brazil.

When you want to walk down (I recommend):

With car: you must drive to North by the BR-116 highway, in direction São Paulo. After 38 km you will find the access to the Estrada da Graciosa (Graciosa's Road). Take this one and drive till Recanto Lacerda, where is a beautiful belvedere. Let your car near the little shop of Mr. Zé de Paula, which is near the beginning of the trail.
With bus: at the bus station in Curitiba, you can find buses from Viação Graciosa, which goes to the coastline towns of Antonina, Morretes and Paranauá, but pay attention: it must to go through the Estrada da Graciosa. Ask the driver for the first belvedere and go down there.
Coming back: there is everyday a bus from Viação Graciosa to Curitiba. It passes by Mãe Catira Park (the end of the trail) between 4:00 and 4:30 pm, and goes till the bus station. If you are coming with car, go down on Recanto Lacerda.

When you want to walk up:

The best way is go with bus, in this case go down at . To come back to Curitiba you can take the bus on the top of the range, at Recanto Lacerda, it passes there between 4:30 and 5:00 pm.

Time-shedule from Curitiba's bus station:
Antonina everyday 5:30 pm
Morretes everyday 7:45 am
Paranaguá everyday 7:45 am

Viação Graciosa: +55 (41) 3223 0873

Route Description

The trail begins on Graciosa's Road, 300 m after Recanto Lacerda. There is a plate where is write "Caminho da Graciosa" signing the beginning. Wald few meters and you will see a stair on the right side of the road. Go downstairs into the jungle and then starts the the trail, a small way covered with sleek stones. Because the great humidity, the trail is every sleek, mainly on the top of the range.
It goes down and down, in some passages it turns plain, but the most time is steep. Forward it crosses the road, the continuation is few meters to left.

The next passage is the most beautiful, but is also the steepest of all, with almost 100m high diference in a little more than one kilometer. Many creeks cross the trail, in their way into the deep valley.
The trail comes back to the road, at Recanto Grota Funda, near the river with the same name. Then you must go through the road, around 1 km. Few curves after the Recanto you can see on the left side the Twin Falls on the depth of Mãe Catira river's valley.
The entrance of the next passage is hard to find, because it is almost hide on the jungle, at the left side of the road. But there is a blue tape on a tree, which marks this entrance. Forward the trail is clear again, and there are more creeks crossing the trail. As depth the trail goes, as exuberant is the green od the forest. And the animal life is more exuberant, too. Many spider webs are in the middle of the trail, then be careful, because many of them are poisonous.
The trail comes back to the road again, and you must go through this, passing by Recanto Bela Vista. Take time here to drink a caldo-de-cana (sugar-cane juice, non-alcoholic) at the little shop of Mr. Osvaldo and enjoy the wonderful of Morro do Sete, almost 1000 m above this place. After take breathe, walk the road down, and on the first left elbow curve, look at the right side of the road, where is a little stone wall. The trail continues behind this wall. Here is more hot as at the top of the range. Because of this, there are more bids like toucans and parrots here. With luck you can see some of them.
This passage goes till Recanto Ferradura, a horseshoe curve on the road. At this place you find another trail, behind the bathrooms, that goes down to a small creek that flows on the rock. It's a beautiful place to take pictures, but the water is very cold, because it comes direct from the height of Morro do Sete. Coming back to the Recanto, the continuation of the trail is just there where the road goes to the left side, behind another little stone wall. This is the last remaining passage, because the originael route has gone till Antonina town. And this is also the less steep passage, here is already the foot of the range. Near the end of the trail is a bifurcation on the right side, which goes to the same beautiful creek as in Recanto Ferradura, but a couple of kilometers below.

The end of the trail is on Mãe Catira Park, near the river with the same name. While you wait for the bus to come back to Curitiba,you can walk on the park and enjoy the great view of Graciosa Range, with Morro do Sete on front. But the best way to enjoy your time and relax after the trail is swim on Mãe Catira River (the water is nor so cold as in the other creeks).
You can do this trail in more or less three hours, but I recommend to do it slowly, enjoying the beautiful views and paying attention to the details of the jungle.
Attention: it is not allowed to camp on Mãe Catira Park, and on the trail isn't good camping places. The best option to camp is walk 3 km till São João da Graciosa village, where are camping places, hostels and restaurants.

Essential Gear

You don't need any climb gears, but I recommend good impermeable boots and a raincoat,too.

Images

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