The
Espinhaço Mountains (, ) are a mountain range in
Brazil. The range runs roughly north and south through the states of
Minas Gerais and
Bahia, extending for approximately . It forms the divide between the upper watershed of the
São Francisco River and those of the shorter rivers which flow east into the Atlantic, including the
Doce, the
Jequitinhonha, and the
Pardo rivers. Pico do Sol, its highest peak, rises to , in
Catas Altas town (Caraça National Park). The historical town of
Diamantina are located in the Espinhaço Mountains. The Espinhaço Mountains were a major via through which Minas Gerais was settled during the Gold Rush of the 18th century.