Zhangjiajie’s Heavenly Trails

3 min read

For sheer highlights and a chance to more fully take in the awesome splendor of Wulingyuan，few options surpass hiking along the numerous trails interlacing the mountains，gullies and forests.

The high plateau surrounding the reserve only serves to accentuate the dramatic pinnacles and crags of Zhangjiajie.It creates the illusion that the ground is opening up at the valley floor，shattering the earth into forested towers of rock.

For hiking and exploring Zhangjiajie，there are numerous trails waiting to be traversed.From Zhangjiajie Village，the road leads down to the park entrance where single and multi-day passes can be purchased.Sedan chairs can also be hired to carry you along the trails for around RMB100.

Branching left after the main gate，on the trail to Huangshi Village is a 4-hour circuit winding through a lush，forested valley.The crisp，clear Pipa Stream（pipa xi）gurgles along to the left of the path，crossed by several bridges.Along the way，there are numerous pagodas and viewing platforms ideal for a rest stop or a picnic lunch beneath the shadows of the mighty Double Pagoda Peak（shuangta feng）.

To the right of the entrance are several different paths.The shortest，also taking around 4 hours，follows the Golden Whipple Stream（jinbian xi）.Filled with colorful fish and the occasional turtle，this stream also makes a great bathing spot in the warmer summer months.Following a heavenly valley for a couple of miles，the path then branches off and returns to the entrance beneath the Yearning Couple（fuqi yan）.

These two rock pinnacles face each other in a longing gaze telling the story of forbidden lovers who chose to be frozen as rocks rather than face a life apart.

Another option，bearing left from the main trail，crosses the Bewitching Terrace（mihuntai），named after vistas so stunning that they are haunting to behold.The Shandao Valley is a lesser-visited section of the park and though it’s physically more challenging，it reveals Zhangjiajie in its scenic splendor and silence.Tracing the western edge of the plateau，the trail continues through marvelous scenery to the Black Dragon Village（heilong cun），a small mountain hamlet of wood and stone homes，before returning to the park gates.Possibly because it’s a full day’s walk，this route is less popular and you should have it more or less to yourself.

To explore the north and east of the Wulingyuan reserve，it’s best to base yourself at Suoxi Valley.Though it has many of the food and lodging options as Wulingyuan Village，being off the tourist track has helped to better preserve its idyllic feel.Although it’s only 6 miles（10 km）to the park entrance，the walk takes several hours.Set amidst river-filled gorges，there are opportunities here to raft in between the numerous rocky peaks.

It’s also possible to hike up a precipitous staircase to the mile-long Baofeng Lake（baofeng hu）where，in the early morning hours，giant salamanders occasionally bask on the lakeshore.