Lagoa do Fogo

This is the only authorised way to reach Lagoa do Fogo on foot, a Natural Reserve that ranks among the most valuable natural and scenic settings in São Miguel. The trail is a round trip, starting from beside the Parque Escutista dos Lagos, the same point where the PR39 SMI – Quatro Fábricas da Luz begins and ends, and heads towards the southern shore of the lake.

Water accompanies walkers from start to finish. Levadas, water intakes and other hydraulic structures linked to Ribeira da Praia mark the route and recall the importance this territory once had, and still has, in public water supply and in the island’s hydroelectric past.

The landscape changes along the way, as does land use. In the early sections, with an agroforestry character, you can still see patches of flax lily (Phormium tenax), a plant introduced to Açores and once linked to fibre production. Further on, you enter production forest, with Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and other exotic species, some of them invasive. Higher up, in the wetter elevations around the lake, natural vegetation takes over, where endemic species stand out such as Azores heather (Erica azorica) and bilberry (Vaccinium cylindraceum).

The trail cuts through the Ribeira da Praia valley, squeezed between steep slopes and rich in springs and water intakes; the system for harnessing these waters, set up from the 1980s onwards, is today one of the main sources of public water for the municipality of Ponta Delgada. Since the areas around the levada tend to be damp and muddy, it’s advisable to wear suitable footwear.

Upon reaching the lakeside, it’s worth being cautious and not disturbing the birds, especially in April and May, when gulls are nesting. The return journey follows the same route and opens up a wide view over the southern coast of São Miguel, with Vila Franca do Campo and its islet standing out. Throughout the entire walk, and especially in the final section near the lake, it’s important to stay on the marked trail, respect the fauna and flora, and carry all litter to an appropriate disposal point.