**Ponên – Lençóis Crossing: History, Nature, and Access to Chapada Diamantina National Park**

The Ponên trail in Lençóis reveals history, nature, and access to the Chapada Diamantina National Park, and is one of the routes that help understand the city's origin and its relationship with the territory.

Located at the entrance to Chapada Diamantina National Park, this trail dates back to the 18th century when miners and enslaved people carved out the first paths through the mountains in search of the diamonds that gave rise to Lençóis. Before the construction of roads, this route served as one of the main entryways to the region, connecting mineral exploration areas to the urban center that would later become the city of Lençóis. The film Ponên – Lençóis follows this route, revealing not only the landscape of the Chapada but also the historical layers present along the way. The hike traverses areas of vegetation typical of the biome, with species adapted to variations in altitude and climate. Along the route, it is still possible to recognize preserved sections of the original path, where human intervention has permanently integrated into the landscape. One of the most striking points on the trail is Ponên’s house.

For many years, she lived at the entrance of this path, becoming a familiar figure to travelers and locals alike. Her constant presence, along with her dogs West and East, led her to be recognized as a kind of informal guardian of the trail. Today, her house remains a symbolic landmark, a point of memory that helps us understand human occupation in the region before the development of tourism. Beyond its historical relevance, the trail also offers direct contact with the biodiversity of Chapada Diamantina.

Among the observed species is the Long-tailed Sylph (Augastes lumachella), a hummingbird endemic to the region and highly valued by birdwatchers. The Ponên trail is not just a hike within the Chapada Diamantina National Park.

She is one of the keys to understanding how Lençóis emerged, grew, and connected with its natural surroundings. Staying in Lençóis allows easy access to this and other trails within the National Park, many of them located just a few minutes' walk from the city center. At Hotel Canto das Águas, this proximity to nature and local history is part of the experience. Being in Chapada Diamantina means walking paths that still preserve the memory of the territory.