At the southern end of the Espinhaço range, the long backbone of rock that runs through Minas Gerais and Bahia, the Serra do Cipó is a country of bare quartzite ridges, clear streams and waterfalls that glow amber from the tannins in the water. The national park protects a landscape of campos rupestres, rocky fields where wildflowers and strange plants have adapted to thin, acid soil, and where you find species that exist nowhere else on Earth. Among them are the canelas-de-ema, tall, shaggy-trunked plants that look like something from a children's book.
The highway MG-010 runs through the range and is the reason to be here on a bike. Heading north from the Belo Horizonte area toward Conceição do Mato Dentro, and on toward Diamantina, it climbs and dips over ridges in long, open bends, with views of rock outcrops and grasslands stretching to the horizon. Traffic is moderate, though lorries and tourist vehicles slow things on weekends, and the weather can bring sudden fog and heavy summer storms, so stay alert. The surface is mostly paved but varies, and it is worth watching for loose gravel near the edges.
The route belongs to the old Estrada Real, along which gold and later diamonds were carried to the coast in colonial times, and Diamantina, at the north end, is a colonial town built on the diamond trade, with a historic centre listed by UNESCO. The cultural ties are strong here: fine silverwork, folk music and the Vesperata, a tradition of musicians playing from balconies in the evening, are all part of the region's character.
Cachoeira Véu da Noiva and Cachoeira da Farofa, among others, are reached on short paths, and clear pools invite a quick swim after a hot ride. Conceição do Mato Dentro, about thirty-eight kilometres away with over ten thousand people, is the nearest town of size, and the best bet for fuel, so fill up before the park. Carry water and sun protection, because the open ridges have little shade, and keep a layer for cool evenings at altitude.