Serra São José Traverse

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This trail is a great run with approximately 21 km crossing the Serra de São José mountains, starting from the District of Pinheiro Chagas in Prados, ascending by the Old Quarry, crossing the summit all the mountains in the range, and finishing in Tiradentes.

Located in the transition area, the landscape of the Serra de São José is characterized by Atlantic forest in the foothills, and cerrado and rupestrian fields at the higher altitudes.

The trail is full of climbs and descents ranging from mild to moderate, with quite a few sections with rocks and gravel along the path. The run along the hilltops offers little shade, and the undergrowth at the lower elevations can be a bit overgrown in some spots.

There is water in some spots (the camp in Cruzeiro, after the descent of Cruzeiro, and in the region of Gamelão). In times of intense drought, they can be dry so be sure to plan accordingly. In the region of Quedinhas do Mangue, in the final part of the crossing there is a good amount of water.

Most of the traverse treats runners to wide view of the valleys, and you'll be able to observe several cities of the region, with the closest being Prados, Tiradentes, Santa Cruz de Minas, and São João Del Rei.