06. Casa Amarela x Pau da Fome

Section: Casa Amarela x Pau da Fome

Orientation

Technical Information

Attractions

Section Map

Interactive Map

Route Description

(West x East Direction / Barra de Guaratiba x Morro da Urca)
Starting at the end of the Rio da Prata x Casa Amarela section, turn right at a small fence next to Casa Amarela (Yellow footprints/black base). From this point, go up the trail through a grassy area (660 m) until you find the first shack. At this point, be careful to turn left (do not enter the shack trail!). Now walk another (800 m) and then a good stretch of (1.4 km) until the end of the banana plantation.

The trail continues through the forest in a gentle slope until reaching (1.7 km) Estrada do Sacarrão, turning left. From this point, walk another (1.9 km) between streams and houses as the trail narrows through the forest until reaching the Gêmeas trees. From here, descend towards the Camorim dam for (700 m) until a fork to the left to Camorim's little beach. (If you choose to go right, the trail will go (3.7 km) to the Camorim park headquarters). Following the Main Trail to the left, walk another (200 m) to Camorim's little beach where you can rest by the Camorim dam.

It is important to remember that swimming is not allowed and the water is unfit for consumption. Ok, we are now in Camorim and will hike another (1.3 km) past some ruins and then another (1.6 km) to the entrance option for Pedra do Quilombo. Continuing on the Main Trail, we will now descend considerably (2.5 km) to the park headquarters area, turning left to see the old Pau da Fome aqueduct, where we will walk only (660 m) to the park headquarters where the current section ends.

Leaving through the park gate, there is a public transportation stop in front of Mr. João's kiosk, which serves sugarcane juice, cassava cake and other treats, unmissable!

How to Get There

This section of the Transcarioca Trail can be reached by continuing from the Rio da Prata x Casa Amarela section or from Piraquara x Pau da Fome. It can also be accessed from the Pau da Fome headquarters of the Pedra Branca State Park.

Infographic

Attractions

Açude do Camorim dam, Estrada do Sacarrão road, forest, viewpoints, Pedra do Quilombo, ruins of the old aqueduct.

Commerce/Lodging

Upon arriving at the Pau da Fome headquarters of the Pedra Branca State Park, just a few meters away is the excellent kiosk of Mr. João, serving sugarcane juice, cassava cake and other snacks.

Water Points

There are several water points along the trail.

Photos

Historical Facts

Deep within the forest, in a basin enclosed by mountains, lies the surprising Açude do Camorim, with an area of 210,000 m² and a depth of 18 meters, 435 meters above sea level. The dam is about a quarter the size of Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. Incredibly, it is not natural but was planned by Sampaio Corrêa and built by Henrique de Novaes in 1908, forming one of the most beautiful corners of the entire Marvelous City.

Camorim is a name derived from the Tupi "CAMURY", CA (Forest) and MURY (fly or mosquitoes), "forest with many mosquitoes". This name designates the neighborhood, its main access road, the dam and a waterfall. This entire region belonged to Gonçalo Correia de Sá and was known as Pirapitingui (white-scaled fish). There, Correia de Sá owned the old Camorim farm, where, in 1625, he had the chapel of São Gonçalo de Amarante built, the patron saint of the place, which still exists today.

The dam is located between the Serras do Quilombo, do Nogueira and Pico do Sacarrão, in a valley surrounded by lush greenery. Further below we find the Camorim and Véu-da-Noiva waterfalls, the latter next to the catchment dam and water tank, built in 1908. Unfortunately, swimming in the dam's waters is not allowed, as they still supply part of Rio de Janeiro's West Zone, not to mention the dangerous sinkholes in the dam.

Most of the Camorim and Vargem Grande neighborhoods are occupied by the mountains of the Pedra Branca massif, encompassing Pedra Rosilha and Serra do Nogueira. The heir of Correia de Sá, Dona Vitória de Sá, had a primitive mill that was divided into three large farms. This enormous mill was called Engenho do Camorim, including the current neighborhoods of Camorim, Vargem Pequena, Vargem Grande, part of Barra da Tijuca and part of Recreio dos Bandeirantes. Dona Vitória bequeathed the Engenho do Camorim to the Benedictine monks, who occupied the region for about 200 years.

Source: www.vamostrilhar.com.br

The name Pau da Fome originates from the habit some drovers had: eating meals under a fig tree. They used to say "We are at the hunger tree".

The water supply in the city of Rio de Janeiro around 1817 was precarious, forcing the Court Government to adopt measures to protect water sources due to forest devastation. The areas of the Rio Grande springs, belonging to the farm of Barão da Taquara, were acquired in 1908 by the Federal Government, which carried out important improvements at the Pau da Fome Dam. At the time, the Union also expropriated the Camorim spring area for the establishment of a forest reserve and expansion of the dam and water treatment and distribution systems.

Aiming at preserving water sources, historian Magalhães Corrêa in the early 1930s expressed in his articles published in the Correio da Manhã newspaper the need to protect the forests of the Pedra Branca Massif. In 1972, a working group was created by ordinance "P" SPG nº 20 of July 18 to propose the necessary measures for the creation of the Park. The report, quite complete for its time, covered socioeconomic aspects, climate, occupation, vegetation cover, historical, artistic and archaeological heritage of the Massif region, suggesting delimitation, naming, administrative and financial aspects, state and federal responsibilities, possibility of agreements, and indicating measures for developing the master plan.

Source: www.parquepedrabranca.com

Adopting Group

Agência Café na Trilha
Alessandro Oliveira - (21)96827-3044
Ana Revoredo - (21)98144-5325