PR1 FLO - Poço da Alagoinha Trail

The trail starts near the settlement of Fazenda outside Lajes das Flores, reached by car; there is no scheduled bus service to the trailhead and no permit is required. The out-and-back route covers 5 km with about 150 m of cumulative elevation gain, rated easy, following a waymarked path through laurissilva laurel forest to the waterfall and natural pool of Poço da Alagoinha. The surface is packed dirt and occasional stone steps, with some sections muddy given Flores' high rainfall; shade is near-continuous under the dense forest canopy, and exposure is minimal since the trail stays within the tree-lined valley rather than open cliffs. Landmarks include several smaller cascades passed on the way in, dense hydrangea growth lining the lower path in summer, and the main waterfall itself, which drops into a natural swimming pool at the trail's end. A turn-around point for a shorter walk is the first viewpoint over the falls, roughly 1.5 km in, without descending to the pool. There are no refuge huts on the trail, and while the stream itself is not a safe drinking source, hikers rarely need more than a litre given the short distance. Flores is known for its exceptionally high number of waterfalls relative to its size, and Poço da Alagoinha is one of the more accessible examples close to the island's main town.