Morro da Guarita
A cliff over the sea.
Liu Idárraga Orozco — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eugenio Hansen, OFS — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Andrea Hilgert — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sergio Garcia — CC BY-SA 3.0
Guarita State Park, officially José Lutzenberger State Park, protects a rocky headland at Torres on the Atlantic, the only place in Rio Grande do Sul where the mountains come down to the sea. The town takes its name from the «towers», the cliffs of volcanic origin along its shore. Three large rock formations line the coast: Morro do Farol to the north, then Morro das Furnas and Morro da Guarita, the last two inside the park. The rocks are 180 to 200 million years old, formed before South America split from Africa, with a lower layer of pink sandstone capped by basalt, matched by similar rocks in Namibia. The park was created in 1971 to protect this geology and its scenery. Entry on foot is free; cars pay about R$20 and motorbikes R$10, with Torres-registered vehicles exempt. In summer it opens daily 7:00-19:00. Walk carefully near the cliff edges, especially in wind.
A cliff over the sea.
Layers of time.
Between the rocks.
Torres headland, northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul
Yes on foot; cars pay about R$20 and motorbikes R$10, with Torres-registered vehicles exempt.