8. Serra Devassa
The Serra Devassa is an area of great natural beauty on São Miguel Island. This area, part of the Mata do Canario Forest Park, is of volcanic origin and is located at an altitude between 750 and 900 meters above sea level.
The main attraction of the Serra Devassa is its lagoons. In this area, you'll find the largest number of lagoons on São Miguel Island, such as the Lagoa do Canario (Canario Lagoon), the most well-known in this area for its accessibility. In fact, from the parking lot of the Lagoa do Canario, there's a highly recommended trail that runs through the Serra Devassa, the PRC05 SMI trail.
The PRC05 SMI trail is one of our favorites on São Miguel Island. It's a circular route of 4.9 km that offers breathtaking views of several lagoons and viewpoints, taking around 2 hours to complete.
The highest point of the trail is the Pico da Éguas, from where you can obtain stunning views. Additionally, along the way, there are beautiful viewpoints like the Lagoa da Éguas and the Lagoa Rasa. It's also possible to reach the Lagoa das Empadadas with a highly recommended detour of about 15 minutes.
If you enjoy hiking, we recommend prioritizing this trail as one of your must-dos; we assure you that you'll enjoy it. Furthermore, although it's in a fairly touristy area of the island and is easily accessible, it's not a very crowded trail, and you can enjoy the tranquility.
