This Serra Dourada (Golden Mountain Range) was named after the gold pioneers found with the Indians in one mount born river, in 1725, where today is the City of Goias, involved by part of its counter forts. Serra Dourada is a sort of a sequence of connected mountains, with many kilometers of huge cut-like rock formations, from one side (seen from away as natural barriers reflecting red-tones light at sunsets). And plain lands on the other side, with rivers running east and north to Tocantins river and others going down west and north to Araguaia basin. Serra Dourada used to gift people with a natural logo for the former Province of Goyaz, during the period Brazil was an Empire, and then to the State of Goyaz, when it became a Republic in 1821. But this natural logo - actually a huge stone (see picture) with fine, perfect equilibrium over three small ones, which would allow groups of people go up on it and even make it to swing a bit. Now government is working to bring it back with the help of some cement, because in the ´60s a few middle-class youngster delinquents just bombed down the Stone of Goias (Pedra Goiana), as it was know all over. But there is a lot more to see for ecotourists in Serra Dourada, as daylong tracks, medium effort trails, camping and exploring its fauna and flora. And its unique beautiful color sands - thousand of tones, as the artists (following the master Goiandira do Couto) will show you soon. Most of the rivers around the region are born in the slopes of the Serra Dourada, where live almost-extinct large felines like the Brazilian panthers, of different sizes, endangered by farmers supported hunters. The Federal University of Goias has an Ecological Station in Serra Dourada for fauna and flora research and protection. Better take guides; talk first with tourism services in town.