Best Hiking in São Miguel: Ultimate Guide to PRC02 SMI & Lagoa do Fogo

🌄 Want to check out the lake without hiking? Don’t miss a trip up the mountain for an amazing view of the lake!

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If you are looking for more things to do on São Miguel in the Azores, check out the full itinerary along with a map of what we did each day!

Azores Webcams

Check the weather forecast before heading out, as conditions on the island can change quickly. For the most accurate picture, use local webcams to view real-time weather in the area you plan to visit. You can find webcams at these links: here and here! The first link is our favorite as it’s overlaid on a map of the islands to help you plan.

PR02 SMI – Praia – Lagoa do Fogo

This is definitely a top trail for hiking in São Miguel! It’s a 7-mile out-and-back hike with an approximate 1,200-foot elevation gain. Along the trail, you’ll hike along a dirt road toward the forest. Be aware that there is ongoing construction here for a new hotel, so be careful. This section is not the most exciting, but it’s worth it in the end.

As you continue to hike, you’ll venture through a Japanese cedar forest and along a levada filled with water toward the valley of Ribeira da Praia. The trail ends at the banks of breathtaking Lagoa do Fogo, where you can enjoy the scenery, take a rest, and eat lunch.

Where To Park

Parking is located along the road, right here. When you arrive, there are a few spots up on the dirt, off the road, but most of the parking is on the road to the south. As noted, it can get fairly tight here, and your passengers may need to exit the car before you park so they can get out.

Parking Area to a View of Vila Franca and the Islet

Let’s hit the trail! First up, follow the dusty dirt road up the hill toward some farming buildings on your left. At this point, make a right and follow the dirt road and trail signs (they are yellow and red). There may be some water present here from the levada farther up the hill.

Keep hiking, and the forest will start to become denser as you make your way past the construction site on your right. Just past this point, you’ll reach an area where you can view Vila Franca from above. You’ll also see the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo.

The Islet of Vila Franca do Campo is a popular place to visit for swimming and snorkeling. However, during our visit in 2025, the inside of the crater was closed due to high bacteria. Continue along the trail. From the trailhead, it’s about 1 mile to this point.

💤 In the Azores, there are plenty of amazing accommodations that you can call home for the week. Check out VRBO for a unique stay on the island!

View of Vila Franca to the Valley of Ribeira da Praia

After enjoying the quick view here, continue on the trail into the forest. From here, the trail becomes steeper as you climb up some stairs and steep sections of trail. At this point, there is another great viewpoint, and the trail turns sharply into the Japanese cedar forest while following the levada. It’s about 0.5 more miles to this point.

Continue hiking along the levada, through the forest. This is where the hike really begins to turn fun and less boring and steep compared to what you have just hiked!

Parts of the trail along here might be muddy, so watch your footing as you hike along the levada. Be sure to stop and look inside when you can to see if you can spot some fish. The trail will become fairly narrow with tall brush on both sides, and you may have to step off to the side to let oncoming hikers pass.

🌳 Don’t miss a trip into the mountains to view the lake from above. Find out why you can’t miss it!

Eventually, the trees will part and you’ll reach the start of the Valley of Ribeira da Praia. At this point, you’ll have hiked about 3 miles.

Valley of Ribeira da Praia to Lagoa do Fogo

As you climb the mountain, you’ll reach the dam, and eventually the green valley will come into view! This valley is an open area with large mountains on both sides. Several water extraction points are seen here, along with smaller pump buildings that are closed to the public.

Construction of the water extraction points began here in 1984 and was concluded in 1998. As you work your way to the banks of Lagoa do Fogo, be aware of the seagulls above. During nesting season, they may not be too happy to see you, so please be aware as you hike.

This section of the trail is super cool and some of the best hiking in São Miguel! There are some spots here with spur trails that go up into the mountains and down into the smaller valleys. These are used by staff as access points to the water equipment. Please just enjoy the views and stay on the main trail. Hike about 0.7 more miles up the hills to reach Lagoa do Fogo!

Lagoa do Fogo

You have reached the Lagoa do Fogo, Lake of Fire! At this point, your hike is complete, but spend some time here enjoying the views. Sometimes the lake can be very cloudy and windy, so if you can’t see anything, stick around for a little bit because the sun and blue sky might just make an appearance.

There are some spur trails that go around the lake here, but technically, these are now closed to hiking to help protect the area. You can hike up a little bit farther to the right of the lake to get another view, but don’t continue too far on this trail.

There is also a small dock here if you head down to the edge of the lake. This is a nice spot to rest, enjoy some snacks, or eat lunch before making your way back down the trail that you hiked up on.

🌳 Don’t miss one of the other great hikes on the island! Add this amazing waterfall hike to your list of things to do!

Lagoa do Fogo to the Parking Area

Lastly, get ready to hike back to the parking lot using the trail that you used to reach the lake. Enjoy the views of the valley while you travel in a different direction. The green mountains and seagulls calling overhead will make you feel like you are in a fairy tale.

Continue hiking back along the levada and make your way back down the steep mountain as you head toward the dirt roads that will lead you right back to your car.

Things To Do After

After finishing up your hike, you can either head back to Ponta Delgada for the evening or you can check out Vila Franca do Campo to get a bite to eat or some sweet treats. While visiting the Azores, you HAVE to try the famous Queijadas from Vila Franca do Campo.

If you choose to head to Vila Franca do Campo, visit Queijadas do Morgado, where these delicious pastries are made. When comparing these to desserts in the United States, we sort of thought they were a bit like a gooey butter cake, but about 1,000 times better. These are so good, and you can’t miss trying them! 😋

🚗 Looking for something more leisurely? Visit the East Coast of São Miguel.

Final Thoughts

We did quite a lot of hiking in São Miguel, and this is one of our favorite hikes, by far! We will say that the trail leading up to the levada is not the most fun, but the hike through the forest along the levada and through the green valley is well worth powering through the first section of the trail.

As we reached Lagoa do Fogo, the Lake of Fire, it was super cloudy and extremely windy. We enjoyed some time here and watched the clouds roll in and out, and we were finally treated to a bit of blue sky, which really made the vibrant colors of the lake come alive.

You definitely need to add PRC02 SMI to your itinerary, because this is some of the best hiking in São Miguel!