historic heritage · Painel, SC
Corredor das Tropas
A preserved stretch of about 18 km of the old cattle-drive trail between Lages and Laguna, opened between the 18th and 19th centuries, with stone walls visible in the Boa Vista area. Access is through Fazenda Passo de Pedra and requires permission and booking.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Corredor das Tropas
The Corredor das Tropas (Drovers' Corridor) is a stretch of the old tropeiro (cattle drover) trail that crosses the countryside of Painel, in the Serra Catarinense. The best-known spot is the stone-wall corridor in the Boa Vista area, between Painel and Lages.
The cattle-drive trails were opened in the 18th century to take livestock from the ranching areas to the markets and trading centers. The taipas, walls of stones stacked by hand, were built by enslaved people, Indigenous people and farmhands to guide and hold the animals along the way.
Today what you see is a dirt road lined with stone walls, cutting through grasslands and patches of forest typical of the plateau. Researchers consider the region's stone walls some of the largest of their kind in Brazil, and the corridor is treated as an archaeological site.
It is an outing for people who enjoy history and rural landscapes. There are no tourist facilities on site, and the route follows dirt roads.
Before you go
Practical information
How much time to set aside
Allow half a day, counting the drive on dirt roads and stops along the stone walls.
Best time
On dry days, when the dirt roads are firm; in fall and winter, mornings with frost or fog over the grasslands make for beautiful scenery.
How to get there
It is in the countryside of Painel (SC), in the Boa Vista area, on the way between Painel and Lages. Access is by dirt roads; a higher-clearance vehicle helps on rainy days.
Tip
Check access with the Painel town hall beforehand and, if possible, go with a local guide. The stone walls are an archaeological heritage site: don't climb on them, don't remove stones and don't drive off the road.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Corredor das Tropas
What is the Corredor das Tropas in Painel?
It is a stretch of the old tropeiro (cattle drover) trail in the countryside of Painel, in the Serra Catarinense, lined with stone walls, the taipas, that guided the cattle along the way.
When was the cattle-drive trail in the Serra Catarinense opened?
The region's cattle-drive trails were opened in the 18th century, to take livestock from the ranching areas to the markets and trading centers.
Who built the stone walls of the Corredor das Tropas?
The stone walls were built by hand by enslaved people, Indigenous people and farmhands, to hold and guide the cattle.
Where are the Boa Vista stone walls?
In the Boa Vista area, in the countryside of Painel, on the way between Painel and Lages. Access is by dirt roads.
Can I visit the Corredor das Tropas on my own?
Check access with the Painel town hall beforehand. On site, don't climb on the walls, don't remove stones and don't drive off the road, because the stone walls are an archaeological heritage site.