Waterfalls in Passa Quatro, Minas Gerais

Whenever we head to Passa Quatro, MG, we share tips on something new up in the mountains — this time, we’re covering the region’s waterfalls.

There are several waterfalls scattered across town, and we’d recommend splitting the visit into two days, given the distances involved, if you want to see them all.

As we’ve mentioned before, the town is part of the Terras Altas da Mantiqueira circuit and the Caminho Velho stretch of the Estrada Real, which is why tourism here keeps growing, bringing more restaurants and shops to town — it’s also recognized as a natural health resort thanks to its mineral water springs.

Passa Quatro belongs to the São Lourenço microregion, the first town across the border from Cruzeiro, São Paulo, close to Penedo, Rio de Janeiro, and set within the mountains of the Serra da Mantiqueira. For anyone into trails, the closest Minas Gerais town is Itamonte, also genuinely fantastic for exploring the mountains.

Cachoeira do Andorinhão

Cachoeira do Andorinhão sits on private property, with a well-kept trail, reasonably worn and marked by foot traffic, though not officially signed — it’s 700 meters to the waterfall, depending on where you park, and rain can make the path quite slippery.

The spot is absolutely beautiful, since the waterfall forms a natural pool with crystal-clear green water, surrounded by a grotto. This was, without question, the most beautiful waterfall we visited in Passa Quatro, MG.

Along the same path, at one turnoff, there’s also a small pool, also beautiful and worth a stop, though it doesn’t have a name.

On the same property, there’s a third waterfall, located behind the house, called Poço Esmeralda, with a smaller drop.

This one forms a green-tinted pool that’s, without a doubt, genuinely beautiful.

Every waterfall here has really cold water, meaning it’s genuinely refreshing on a hot day. Price per person: R$10.

Cachoeira Encruza

Located at Rancho do Zé, known for its trout dishes, though we ended up having lunch elsewhere — this is the entrance to the waterfalls and a pool that’s great for anyone bringing kids.

This beautiful waterfall, and its large green-tinted, genuinely cold lake, come from the meeting of the Rio Verde, with the larger of the two drops, and an arm of the Rio Paiolinho. The trail is short and easy to reach.

Poço da Marina sits right next to Rancho do Zé, with small waterfalls surrounded by rocks, forming a shallow pool.

Cachoeira de Iporã, in FLONA

Located inside the Floresta Nacional (FLONA) of Passa Quatro, run by the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação de Biodiversidade.

Created in the 1940s through the former Instituto Nacional do Pinho (INP), the forest spans 3.5 million m², part of the Atlantic Forest biome. It’s part of both the Serra da Mantiqueira Ecological Corridor and the Serra da Mantiqueira Mosaic of Conservation Units.

The main draw is Cachoeira de Iporã, where you can enjoy a refreshing dip, though when we visited, the water was really cold. The park is also charming for the beauty of its landscaping, the organization, and how clean the areas open to the public are.

There are spots here for picnicking, meditating, hiking, resting, and praying.

Cachoeira da Gomeira

Cachoeira da Gomeira is known by locals as Cachoeira do Saint Clair, and it’s one of the better-known waterfalls in Passa Quatro, MG. It’s made up of several drops, the tallest reaching 40 meters. Its water once powered the turbines of Passa Quatro’s first hydroelectric plant, one of the earliest in Brazil, built in 1911 and no longer in operation today.

Located in the Fazenda Velha district, on the way out of Passa Quatro toward Cruzeiro, SP, in the Pinheirinhos district. There are several signs leading up to the entrance, and once you’re on the property, you’ll cross a wooden bridge and follow the trail — from there, the waterfall is already visible, and you can walk toward it.

The path itself has no signage and is poorly marked, a 1.2 km round trip. No admission fee. Always open, though we wouldn’t recommend going after dark, given how hard the waterfall is to find.

Cachoeira e Poço do Quilombo

The Rio do Quilombo is one of the tributaries of the Rio Passa Quatro. It has two pools with small drops, well worth visiting, with the pool being ideal for swimming. The trail is steep with no signage and a few obstacles along the way, making access a bit tricky. No admission fee. Always open, though we wouldn’t recommend going after dark, given the risk of venomous animals.

Poço do Manacá

Access is via the road — after crossing the train tracks, you’ll find the trail on your left, easy to access, with a 3-meter drop and a deep pool for swimming.

Learn more about our trips in Where to Eat in Passa Quatro.