The country’s network of footpaths is growing – with hopes they will develop local economies and better preserve the environment
F
ollow the yellow footprints along Brazil’s newest long-distance trail, and they will take you through lush green forests and sandy shrubland, past sweeping vistas and bizarre rock formations, into grottos and rural communities.
Spanning 186km (115 miles) of paths once used by 19th-century merchants, the Caminhos da Ibiapaba is the first waymarked long-distance footpath in Brazil’s north-east region, adding to a growing network of hiking trails in the country.
Unlike the US or European countries, which have networks of hiking paths dating back more than 50 years, Brazil only recently established a system of trails with standardised markings – black and yellow footprints – with the aim of increasing access to national parks, developing local economies, and better preserving the environment.
