Turvo State Park

Turvo State Park
Parque Estadual do Turvo
IUCN category II (national park)
Yucumã or Moconá Falls
Coordinates	27°12′07″S 53°53′53″W / 27.202077°S 53.897995°W / -27.202077; -53.897995Coordinates: 27°12′07″S 53°53′53″W / 27.202077°S 53.897995°W / -27.202077; -53.897995
Area	17,491 hectares (43,220 acres)
Designation	State park
Created	11 March 1947
Administrator	SEMA/RS

The Turvo State Park (Portuguese: Parque Estadual do Turvo) is a state park in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It protects the last large area of well-preserved Upper Uruguay forest in the state, which is home to several rare or endangered species. The park is best known for the dramatic Yucumã Falls on the Uruguay River, the second-widest in the world by some measures. The falls may be threatened by flooding from the planned Garabí-Panambi Hydroelectric Complex if a 2015 court ruling is overturned.

The Turvo State Park is in the Northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, covering almost half of the municipality of Derrubadas. It has an area of 17,491.40 hectares (43,222.2 acres). To the north Argentina and Santa Catarina are the other side of the Uruguay River. The park is bounded to the west by the Turvo River and to the east by the Parizinho River. There are rural properties to the south.

The park includes the Yucumã Falls (Portuguese: Salto do Yucumã, Spanish: Saltos del Moconá), a dramatic linear waterfall on the border with Argentina. These have been called one of the seven wonders of the state. The park is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, with a small admission fee. There are two trails in the park, Garcia and Yucumã, both accessible to vehicles, but only the Yucumã trail is open to the public.

Sketch map

Pets are not allowed in the park, and fishing and hunting are prohibited. There is no accommodation in the park, and camping is not allowed. There is a visitor center just inside the park entrance, with a biodiversity exhibition, environmental education space, auditorium and washrooms. The building also houses the park staff. There is a "trail of ponds" at the visitor center which may only be visited when accompanied by a guide. A 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) dirt trail for vehicles leads from the visitor center to the falls. In the leisure area by the falls there is a house used only by the park rangers. There are bathrooms, shelters and grills for use by visitors, but no electricity or drinking water.