Trails provide environmental interpretation, and lead to lookouts that give panoramic views, to rivers and waterfalls, and to archaeological sites with rock paintings.

A section of a 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) colonial-era Estrada Real (Royal Road) passed through the park, and traces still remain.

The abundant watercourses form waterfalls, natural pools, rapids, sinkholes, canyons and fluvial beaches with white sands.

[3] In April 2013, the Public Ministry and Justice department of Minas Gerais charged that the State Forestry Institute had been failing to comply with environmental legislation.

There were serious problems such as lack of a management plan, physical structures and personnel, and land tenure issues with the ecological stations of Mata do Acauã and Mata dos Ausentes and the state parks of Biribiri, Alto Cariri, Rio Preto and Serra Negra.

[2] Vegetation is characteristic of the cerrado, including leaning, twisted trees with irregular, distorted branches from 3 to 6 metres (9.8 to 19.7 ft) high.

[1] Endemic birds include the hyacinth visorbearer (Augastes scutatus), Cipo canastero (Asthenes luizae) and serra finch (Embernagra longicauda).

[2] The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), masked water tyrant (Fluvicola nengeta) and grassland sparrow (Ammodramus humeralis) are also found.