Sugarloaf Mountain and Urca Hill Natural Monument Mountain, then an island, on 1 March 1565. The site was chosen to guard the entrance to Guanabara Bay, and the mountain was important as a signalling point. A landfill connected the island to the mainland in 1697, and various buildings were erected to defend the territory, but the Urca urban neighborhood was only built 300 years after the city was founded. The Sugarloaf Mountain and Urca Hill Natural Monument was created by the city of Rio de Janeiro by municipal decree 26578 of 1 June 2006. The objectives are to guarantee green spaces for leisure in a natural area,
Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation an automobile road and an observation tower on South Sugarloaf, open from late spring through the fall foliage season. The reservation is accessible via Route 116. Parking for a fee is available at the base of the mountain and at the summit of the auto road. The reservation is open for hiking, picnicking, and scenic viewing. Hiking trails include a section of the 20-mile Pocumtuck Ridge Trail. Canoe and kayak camping is allowed on the islands. Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation is a state-owned, public recreation area managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation located