[1] The remains of the first human inhabitants of Brazil were found in the park area in the early 19th century, along with bones of now-extinct megafauna.

The Sumidouro State Park is in the municipalities of Lagoa Santa (56%) and Pedro Leopoldo (44%) to the north of the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.

[1] The Danish naturalist Peter Wilhelm Lund conducted research in the area now covered by the park in the first half of the 19th century.

[4] Little was done to implement the park until 2006, when environmental compensation funding became available from the green line between Belo Horizonte and the Tancredo Neves International Airport in Confins.

[3] In October 2007 it was reported that the Sumidouro State Park was in the final stages of implementation, and since August 2007 had a temporary headquarters at the Casa Fernão Dias.

[5] The consultative council held its first meeting in October 2007 after an inauguration ceremony in the Gruta da Lapinha attended by councilors and representatives of the local community.

[6] Residents said they had not been consulted in the park creation process, did not see the need for so many rules, and if they had more information could help maintain the natural heritage while enjoying it as in the past.

Around the Gruta da Lapinha the predominant trees are semi-deciduous, losing about half their leaves in the dry season, and growing to 15 to 20 metres (49 to 66 ft).

Fauna include jaguar (Panthera onca), cougar (Puma concolor), gray brocket (Mazama gouazoubira), tayra (Eira barbara), coatis, crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), black-tufted marmoset (Callithrix penicillata), gray four-eyed opossum (Philander opossum), opossums, Brazilian squirrel (Sciurus aestuans), South American water rat (Nectomys squamipes), capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) pacas, common agoutis, Brazilian guinea pig (Cavia aperea) and tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis).

[1] These include pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), snowy egret (Egretta thula), black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), southern lapwing (Vanellus chilensis), whistling heron (Syrigma sibilatrix), black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) and osprey (Pandion haliaetus).

[8] The park has two visitor bases, one with the Peter Lund Museum and the Gruta de Lapinha, and the other with the Casa Fernão Dias.

[9] There are rock faces from 550 to 750 metres (1,800 to 2,460 ft) height near the Peter Lund Museum that may be scaled by experienced climbers who bring their own equipment.

The exhibits tell the history of Fernão Dias, a bandeirante who spent several years in the region with his followers in search of gold and precious stones.

[2] The Gruta da Lapinha is a cave within a limestone massif formed around 600 million years ago in the bed of the sea that once covered the whole region.

[2] The 90-minute Sumidouro trail starts at the Casa Fernão Dias and passes through the historical landmark "Cruz do Pai Mané".

[2] The 3 hours and 30 minutes Travessia trail starts from the Gruta da Lapinha and crosses the park to the Sumidouro lake.