São Joaquim National Park (Brazil)

São Joaquim National Park (Brazil)

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São Joaquim National Park is located in Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. Located within the Serra Geral, the National Park is known for its alpine meadows and cloud forests. The terrain is very rugged and includes canyons, large caves, and mountain slopes covered in native forests.

São Joaquim National Park

São Joaquim National Park is located within the state of Santa Catarina in the south of Brazil, approximately 230 km (143 mi) southwest of Florianopolis, within the municipalities of Bom Jardim da Serra, Grão-Pará, Lauro Müller, Orléans, and Urubici at the junction of the Serra Catarinense and the Serra do Mar.

Established in 1961, the National Park has an area of 48,300 ha (119,000 acres) and was created to preserve the exceptional remnant forests of the Paraná pine (Araucaria angustifolia). Today it is popular for alpinism and offers numerous hiking trails.

Located within the Serra Geral, the National Park is known for its alpine meadows and cloud forests. It has, more recently, become famous for mountain climbing. The area of the park is the source for the principal rivers of the state, containing the basins of the Canoas, Tubarão, and Pelotas rivers. The National Park adjoins Serra Furada State Park, created in 1980.

The terrain is very rugged and includes canyons, large caves, and mountain slopes covered in native forests. Altitudes range from 300 - 1,826 m (984 - 5,991 ft). The geological structure, dated 133 million years ago, comprises volcanic rocks (basalt) and sandstone formations.

São Joaquim National Park is home to the Pedra Furada, a naturally formed rock arch. It can be spotted from the summit of Morro da Igreja at an elevation of 1,822 m (5,977 ft).

Temperatures range from 0 - 28 °C (32 - 82 °F), with an average of 12 °C (54 °F). The cold climate does not support a large amount of wildlife. However, there are several endangered species living in and around the park.

Protected species in the park include maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), cougar (Puma concolor), red-spectacled amazon (Amazona pretrei), and Chaco eagle (Buteogallus coronatus).