Serra da Canastra National Park, located in the Cerrado Biome in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, consolidates a conservation unit that includes the sources of several important Brazilian hydrographic basins. Given the significance of local and national water supply and regulation, this study aimed to analyze and understand the physical-hydraulic characteristics of the soil in the riparian zone within the park. Field data were collected using a rainfall simulator and a concentric ring infiltrometer. The results demonstrated an elevated infiltration capacity in the study área. Only 23.74% of the 57.4mm of artificially precipitated high-intensity rainfall was runoff. Basic infiltration velocity (BIV) values were considered very high (50.74 mm/h). Overall, these values were associated with the characteristics of the landscape, highlighting the importance of vegetation in the soil cover and the physical attributes of the soil. These factors influenced the modulation of the soil's capacity to retain, infiltrate, and store large volumes of water. In this regard, the importance of these riparian zones for the environment was emphasized as they play a crucial role in protecting watercourses. They act as barriers against erosive flow from upstream areas, incorporating water into the soil profile to store and release over time. These areas thus become important sites for water regulation.