Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China's first national forest park, is located in Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, boasting fantastic natural scenery and abundant ecological resources. Spanning a total area of 4,810 hectares, this park is renowned for its unique quartz sandstone peak forest landscape, which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. It captivates visitors with its amazing peaks, serene valleys, and elegant forests.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Inside the park, over 3,000 unique peaks rise from the ground, resembling humans, animals, utensils, and various objects, with lifelike appearances and spectacular grandeur. Streams gurgle through the valleys between the peaks, with dense foliage blocking out the sun. These peak forests exhibit diverse shapes, some steep and towering, some graceful and charming, and some seemingly carved by knife and axe, creating stunning scenes. The forest coverage in the park is as high as 98%, boasting a rich array of plant resources, including rare tree species such as ginkgo and fragrant fruit trees, earning it the reputation of a "natural museum and botanical garden." At the same time, it is also a home to numerous rare animals, forming a perfect natural ecosystem alongside the plants.
The major attractions of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park include the Golden Whip Stream Scenic Area, Huangshi Zhai Scenic Area, and Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. The Golden Whip Stream Scenic Area stretches across the north-central part of the park, featuring scenic spots like the Golden Whip Rock. The stream is crystal-clear, and the scenery along its banks is picturesque. The Huangshizhai Scenic Area is located in the west-central part of the park, with an elevation of 1,080 meters. It boasts attractions such as Five Fingers Peak and Star-picking Terrace, leaving visitors in awe and reluctant to leave. Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, the filming location of the Avatar movie, attracts countless tourists with its unique peak forest landscape, including the pillar-like Hallelujah Mountain and its exquisite natural scenery.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is not just a place to visit; it's an experience that touches the soul. It reminds us of the majesty and beauty of our natural world, and inspires us to protect and cherish it for generations to come.
Best Attractions You Can't Miss
Golden Whip Stream
Golden Whip Stream
Named after the "Golden Whip Rock" that it flows through, the Golden Whip Stream is renowned as "the most beautiful canyon in the world" and "the most poetic stream". Amidst the serene and refreshing forest, there is the melody of the stream, the fragrant mountain flowers, the joyful singing of birds, and the gentle breeze. The soft light of the setting sun filters through the gap between the leaves, scattering mottled shadows on the water surface. The peculiar peaks and magnificent rocks refract a tender light, interplaying with the gloss reflected by the reefs in the stream, creating a poetic and dreamlike scene that offers a serene and peaceful experience. Both your body and mind are relaxed.
When mentioning Golden Whip Stream, you cannot overlook the Golden Whip Stream Fitness Trail. It is 5,710 meters long and composed of a feet bathing path, a Chinese herbal fitness path, a plum blossom pile path, a separate stone bridge path, etc. Along the Golden Whip Stream Fitness Trail is the area with the most beautiful landscape in Wulingyuan, where there are numerous peaks towering into the sky and gurgling streams. It is known as a fitness trail in "the most beautiful gorge in the world" and with "a natural oxygen bar".
Tianzi Mountain
Tianzi Mountain
The Tianzi Mountain is located in the northern part of Wulingyuan, which has a maximum elevation of 1262.5 meters and derives its name from the ancient Tujia tribal leader who proclaimed themselves as the "Son of Heaven." The Mountain is renowned as the "King of Peaks," surrounded by an array of jagged rock formations on the east, west, and south sides, their valleys stretching out in every direction.
The beauty of Tianzi Mountain transforms with each season. Under the glow of dawn, it resembles a resplendent oil painting, its hues vibrant and rich. Beneath the silvery moon, the jagged peaks take on a hazy, yet elegant silhouette, forming an ink-wash landscape of tranquility. Spring brings a riot of mountain flowers, while winter cocoons the landscape in a mantle of pristine snow, turning it into a wonderland. During fleeting moments of changing weather, Tianzi Mountain is enveloped in a misty veil of clouds, sometimes still and ethereal, like a gossamer shroud, and sometimes dynamic, with clouds billowing in a majestic dance.
the Imperial Writing Brush Peaks
Nestled in the valley to the west of the Tianzishan Pavilion, the Imperial Writing Brush Peaks are one of the most captivating scenic spots that enchant photographers and painters alike. Standing on the observation deck and gazing southwest, you are attracted by a stunning sight of dozens of gracefully arranged peaks rising skyward, as if reaching out to the blue heavens. The peak to the right resembles an upside-down imperial writing brush, while the one to the left appears like a "landscape" upon which the brush has been placed.
Yuanjiajie - Avatar Hallelujah Mountain - Bailong Elevator
Yuanjiajie
Passing by the Golden Whip Stream and tracing the water upstream, you embark on a journey to Yuanjiajie. If you're unfamiliar with it, you must have heard of the movie "Avatar" and still remember those floating mountain peaks in the air. Yuanjiajie, located in the northern part of Wulingyuan Scenic Area within Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, is the actual filming location of the "Hallelujah Mountains" in the movie.
Qiankun Stone Column, one of the "Three Thousand Magical Peaks" in Zhangjiajie, serves as the prototype of Hallelujah Mountain in the movie "Avatar". With its unique shape and distinct vertical joints, the peak stands tall and majestic, as if carved by the sharp blade of a knife.
Here, you can also experience the world's fastest elevator—the Bailong Elevator. As you step into the Elevator, the outside scenery is initially obscured. However, as the elevator rapidly ascends, within seconds, you'll suddenly be greeted by towering peaks that rise straight from the ground, resembling soldiers standing in line. As the elevator continues to ascend swiftly, the scenery before your eyes opens up bit by bit. The moving mountain vistas are so amazing that you'll find it hard to blink. Although 88 seconds seem like a fleeting moment, it takes you more than 300 meters straight up, giving you the sense of flying into the sky and entering a utopian paradise.
Ten-mile Natural Gallery
Ten-mile Natural Gallery
The Ten-mile Natural Gallery is located in the Suoxiyu Scenic Area. Along the sides of this valley, you can find an abundance of natural landscapes, making the journey feel like wandering through a painting. The dark green peaks line the valley, and the rocks on the mountains have formed over 200 stone sculptures resembling humans, objects, birds, and beasts. Among them, the most famous include the Old Man Gathering Herbs and the Roaring Tiger. Alongside the floating mountains in the movie "Avatar" (Qiankun Stone Column in Yuanjiajie), the King of Peaks in Tianzishan—the Imperial Writing Brush Peaks, and the unique Stone Wall wonders in Yangjiajie, the Ten-mile Natural Gallery is hailed as one of the ten most wonderful sights in Zhangjiajie.
Here, you can also take a ride on the Zodiac Sightseeing Train to admire the scenery flanking the Gallery. As the train traverses through the primitive peaks, you feel like wandering through a fairyland, saving time and energy so that you can maintain vigor and continue exploring more in Zhangjiajie.
Yangjiajie (Yang Family Territory)
The Wonder of Stone Walls
Many attractions in Yangjiajie are related to the Yang Family, as the descendants of the generals still reside there, preserving multiple ancestral tombs. The Wonder of Stone Walls, located in the Yangjiajie Scenic Area, boasts dozens of relatively parallel stone walls. Viewed from the side, they appear as peaks, while seen horizontally, they resemble walls. Most have flat tops, adorned with lush Wuling Pines, creating a typical stone-wall wonder in Zhangjiajie. Foreign scholars have praised it as magnificent as the Great Wall. When clouds and mist envelope the walls, it creates a spectacular sight of waterfalls plunging downward, making you gasp in awe and forget to capture the beauty with a camera.
Yangjiajie
Standing atop the mountain and gazing far into the distance, you can see an array of peculiar peaks, each with its unique shape. Up close, you can notice numerous unique pines emerging from the crevices of the cliffs, growing lush and sturdy. Despite their perilous location, they remain resilient in drought and winds, exhibiting a powerful vitality that inspires you to strive forward.
Yellow Stone Village(Huangshi Zhai)
Yellow Stone Village
It is said that one who visits Zhangjiajie without Yellow Stone Village has missed out on the true essence. Nestled deep in the heart of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park lies the mighty peak of Huangshi Zhai. This towering mountain, resembling a valiant general standing proudly on the earth, soars into the clouds with a magnificent aura. The summit is flat and expansive, surrounded by sheer cliffs and precipices. Standing on top, you can overlook the scenery of the entire forest park, feeling the marvelous charm of nature.
The Star-picking Terrace
The Star-picking Terrace is the best aerial observation deck in Huangshi Zhai. Standing on the terrace, with the skyline as a backdrop and myriad peaks standing proudly around, you feel like being in a poetic realm. On rainy days, the misty clouds shroud the surrounding peaks, creating an ever-changing landscape. And when the moon shines bright, the stars seem within reach, as if you could pick them from the sky.
Old House Area (Laowu Chang)
Sky Field Garden
Old House Area (Laowu Chang老屋场) is situated next to the Tujia village on the left side of Tianzi Mountain, with an altitude of over 1,000 meters. Below it lies a deep and serene valley, atop which are verdant terraced fields. If you have enough time to explore Zhangjiajie, then a visit to the Sky Field Garden in Laowu Chang is a must. Some say that this is a place where the gods reside. The scenery here is unlike that of Yuanjiajie or Huangshizhai. Directly opposite the Sky Field Garden stands the Bailong Elevator.
Sky Field Garden
Unlike the perspective from the observation deck, here you can overlook the view, which is even more breathtaking from afar. When the sun shines again after rain, the Sky Field Garden becomes even more quiet, with occasional bird tweets echoing through the mountains, making you feel as if you've stepped into an idyllic countryside described in ancient writings, with an urge to retreat from the city and lead a secluded life.
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