Rio Triste (Fazenda Água Branca)

The Rio Triste runs through Fazenda Água Branca, a private property with about 3,000 hectares of preserved land. The stretch visited lies in a permanent preservation area, on a working cattle ranch. The river is formed by springs on the ranch itself, which keeps the water at an average temperature of 26 °C to 28 °C throughout the year.

Along the way arraias appear, and there is a stop at a spot where the dourados gather. The river has more than 30 fish species, as well as aquatic plants and natural formations.

There are several local legends behind the name. In one of them, the tropeiros said the river "became sad" after the death of the healer Antônio, who lived on the riverbank and welcomed them. This legend mentions the tree at Ponto da Mangueira. Another legend tells of a girl who, prevented from living a forbidden love, is said to have thrown herself into the river. There is also the one about the forbidden love between a mermaid and a young fisherman, in which the mermaid vanished into the waters and the river was named in memory of that love.