The park is in the Atlantic Forest biome and consists of dense submontane rainforest in various stages of succession. Vegetation includes many clearings for agriculture or pasture and fragments of forest in different stages of regeneration. The vegetation is always green, and includes trees up to 40 metres (130 ft) in height as well as dense shrub growth of ferns, arborescents, bromeliads, palms, vines, orchids and cactuses. The wetlands that have not been disturbed by people hold fig trees, palm trees and palmettos. There are as many as 458 tree species per hectare, a very high rate of biodiversity. About 72% of species are typical of the Amazon Forest.
175 bird species have been identified, including 27 that are endemic and six that are threatened. They include red-billed curassow (Crax blumenbachii), red-browed amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha) and ochre-marked parakeet (Pyrrhura cruentata). 9 species of small mammals have been recorded and 30 species of medium or large mammals. These include golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas), golden-bellied capuchin (Sapajus xanthosternos), cougar (Puma concolor), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and coastal black-handed titi (Callicebus melanochir). At least 45 species of endemic amphibians with limited distribution have been identified, including Hylomantis áspera, Eleutherodactylus bilineatus, Cycloramphus migueli and Hyla sibilata.