Mount Tai - Eighteen Bends

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai is the most dangerous section of the mountain climbing route, with a total of 1,827 stone steps. It is one of the main symbols of Mount Tai. There is a local saying: "Tight Eighteen, Slow Eighteen, Not Tight or Slow Another Eighteen".

I almost fainted on the top, haha. I walked too fast in the early stage, so it was difficult to move forward on the Eighteen Bends. I took a break every few dozen steps. I was able to climb up completely by persistence.

The Eighteen Bends is one kilometer long and has a vertical height of more than 400 meters. It is very steep. The Eighteen Bends has more than 1,800 steps. From a distance, it looks like a ladder of clouds dangling down and the Milky Way flowing backwards. It is known as the wonder of "Ladder of Clouds at the Gate of Heaven". The majesty of Mount Tai is all in the Eighteen Bends, and the magnificence of Mount Tai is all in the climbing!

In ancient times, the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai refers to the winding path from Shengxianfang to Nantianmen. This section of the path is steep and very difficult to climb. In order to facilitate tourists to go up the mountain, the ancients erected eighteen iron pillars on both sides of this section of the path and connected them with iron chains for tourists to climb. Therefore, the real Eighteen Bends is not the eighteen sections of the path, but the winding path with eighteen iron pillars is called "Eighteen Bends".

The Eighteen Bends are steep, with an inclination of 70 to 80 degrees, rising 400 meters in less than 1 kilometer. There are three "Eighteen Bends" in Mount Tai.



From Kaishan to Longmen, there are "slow 18 steps", then to Shengxianfang, there are "not too fast and slow 18 steps", and then to Nantianmen, there are "fast 18 steps", totaling more than 1,630 steps. There is a huge stone hanging in the air on the west cliff of "fast 18", with a silhouette of a Buddha head lying on his side, with a high nose and bald head, and a kind face smiling, named Welcoming Buddha.

The whole road is full of stairs. There are some places to buy drinks and pancakes in the middle, and the pancakes are quite delicious.

I didn't want to go a second time, but I went again

The first time I hiked up Mount Tai, I started from the most classic route, the Dai Temple, all the way to the Jade Emperor Summit, then walked to the Beitianmen, from the Beitianmen back to the Jade Emperor Summit, and finally from the Jade Emperor Summit back to the Dai Temple. The whole journey took 11 hours of hiking, sightseeing, and taking photos.

The mountain road from the bottom of Songshan Valley to Nantianmen is collectively called Eighteen Bends, with more than 1,600 steps in total. The first 393 steps are called the slow Eighteen Bends, the middle 767 steps are the unhurried Eighteen Bends, and the last 473 steps are the fast Eighteen Bends. From the moment I saw the Eighteen Bends from afar, I felt it was magnificent and couldn't help but sigh that it was so long.

I have heard about the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai for a long time. Just like the "three major dangers" of Mount Huashan, this is what I am most worried about during the entire hiking in the front mountain. Is it really that dangerous?

It seems that we were too worried. It is so wide and safe. As long as we don't look back and concentrate on climbing the stairs, there will be no problem at all! After the training of nine mountains, we can now handle the Eighteen Bends calmly.

There are more than 1,600 steps in the Eighteen Bends. Climbing this section will lead you to the South Gate of Heaven. Fortunately, there is a handrail on one side to hold on to and climb up, but it is quite steep.

You can only take the cable car here and then go up.

The Eighteen Bends is the most dangerous section of the Taishan Mountain climbing route. It is also one of the main symbols of Taishan Mountain and the most worthwhile scenic spot in Taishan Mountain.

One of the most famous attractions of Mount Tai is the long stone staircase leading to the Nantian Gate. It feels like there is no end in sight and it extends to the top! Don't look too much when climbing, it's easy to get discouraged, haha.

The Eighteen Bends is the most famous section of Mount Tai. It is both thrilling and dangerous, and many people dare not climb it during the day.

The mountain road from the bottom of Songshan Valley to Nantianmen is collectively called the Eighteen Bends, with a total of more than 1,600 steps. The first 393 steps are called the Slow Eighteen Bends, the middle 767 steps are called the Not-So-Slow Eighteen Bends, and the last 473 steps are called the Tight Eighteen Bends.

The Eighteen Bends is the highlight of Mount Tai. It gives people a shocking visual impact from a distance. It is simply a road to heaven.

It is said to be very difficult and tiring to climb. It is indeed very difficult and tiring, but I climbed the whole way from Hongmen, and I rested when I was tired. It took more than four hours to reach Nantianmen, and about four and a half hours to reach Yuhuangding. It is not as tiring as Huangshan. Confucius and Du Fu could climb it, so why can't modern people climb it?

Eighteen Bends is the essence of the entire Mount Tai, and it is also the most difficult to climb. I went to Mount Tai on October 6. It is said that there were relatively fewer tourists than in the first few days. In addition, I entered the scenic area at 7 o'clock earlier. I took the scenic bus from Tianwai Village to Zhongtianmen and then took the cable car to Nantianmen. My husband hiked Mount Tai from Zhongtianmen to Nantianmen, which took less than 2 hours. The breakfast in Tianjie was 10 yuan per person, and you can eat as much as you want. There are porridge, soy milk, fried dough sticks, Shandong pancakes, and small pickles. Let's talk about the Eighteen Bends. In the past, I read the guide and comments that the steps of the Eighteen Bends are very steep, and some people even say that they are almost vertical. After reading it, it really scared off a group of people who wanted to hike, and I was one of them. My husband climbed Mount Tai himself. After I asked about the situation again and again, I decided to go down the mountain and give up the cable car and walk down from the Eighteen Bends. After field investigation, it is true that there are many steps, but they are not as steep as the legend says. Only a few are relatively steep. Most of them are similar to the stairs at home, but the width of the steps is slightly narrower. As long as you persist, you can climb Mount Tai. But I went home with a lot of pain in my calves. I have a quick way to reduce the pain. Spray the Guyouling squeezed liquid on your calves, let it dry a little, and then apply a heat patch. It's best to bind it so that the heat patch doesn't fall off. I woke up one night and it didn't hurt to walk anymore.

The name of Eighteen Bends is a bit unworthy of its name. It makes me feel very disappointed. It is a little worse than One Line Sky.

The vertical elevation from Zhongtianmen to Nantianmen is very high, especially the last 18 bends (1600 steps). The steps are steeper and the flat ground is less, making the climbing more difficult. In fact, you can climb up in one go. There are not many places to rest in the middle. If you are really tired, you can sit on the steps halfway. Be careful not to fall.

To the north of Songting is the "Kaishan" (mountain opening). At the starting point of the "Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai", there is an "Eighteen Bends" monument. There is a saying about the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai: "fast eighteen, slow eighteen, and another eighteen neither fast nor slow". The section from here to the "Longmen" Archway is a slow eighteen-turn section with 393 steps; Longmen Archway is a double-pillar and single-door stone archway, and from here to the "Shengxian" Archway is another eighteen-turn section with 767 steps; the section from Shengxian Archway to the "Nantianmen" is a fast eighteen-turn section with 473 steps, which is the steepest section of the mountain climbing route of Mount Tai.

It is the most dangerous section of the climbing route of Mount Tai, with more than 1,630 stone steps. It is one of the main symbols of Mount Tai. From a distance, it looks like a ladder to heaven. The majesty of Mount Tai lies in the Eighteen Bends, and the beauty of Mount Tai lies in the climbing!

The famous Eighteen Bends, 1600 steps, are not winding, but steep, very steep. There are handrails on the stone steps. My son said that my walking posture in the last section was like a zombie.

One word: beautiful! Before the climb, I was not scared, but I was looking forward to it. It is worth the climb!

That's it. The last 400 meters to Nantianmen is just steeper. It's really difficult for people who are hiking this way for the first time. Especially when going down the mountain at night, you must be very careful.

There are so many textbook-like comments on China-TravelNote. Do you all think you are Baidu?

The Eighteen Bends is quite difficult, with a slope of 40 to 50 degrees and a rise of several hundred meters. It attracts countless tourists, many of whom sit under the pavilions to rest, and even more sit on the stone steps.

You can take the cable car at Shibapan, but we didn't take it! I was really scared when I saw Shibapan and didn't want to climb it. It was too scary at first glance. You can take a break and look at the scenery in the middle of Shibapan

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai is the most dangerous section of the mountain climbing route, with more than 1,630 stone steps, and is one of the main symbols of Mount Tai. The two cliffs here seem to have been cut off, with the steep winding road embedded in between, and from a distance it looks like a ladder to heaven.

Climb up in one breath, only you know the pleasure!

There are no more attractions after Bifeng Temple. You can end your walk here and take a tourist bus out of the scenic area. We didn't know how far ahead we were and thought we were about to reach the exit. In the end, we walked another 4 kilometers before we got out of Taohuayu.



At 1pm, we finally arrived at the bus stop. This time, we successfully completed our climb to Mount Tai. In summary, we must prepare enough food and water to complete the whole journey. We brought 7 bottles of water when we went up the mountain and 5 bottles of water when we went down the mountain, which was enough for two people. Accommodation on the mountain is not too expensive. The first time we climbed the mountain was on Friday, and the accommodation fee was 200 yuan. This time we climbed the mountain on Thursday, and the accommodation fee was 138 yuan, which should be said to be very cheap. Climbing slowly will not be very tiring. The time it took to walk down the mountain the next day was a bit long, and the children were easily upset.



At noon, we found a restaurant called "Pancake with Scallion" on Dongyue Street and had a meal. We ordered pancake with scallion, Taishan fried chicken, vegetable meatballs, etc. To be honest, the pancake is still very delicious, especially when you are hungry. ^_^. We learned from the locals and put a scallion, some pickles, noodle sauce, peanuts, etc. in it, and then rolled the pancake thinly. It was very fragrant when you took a bite. ^_^, looking forward to going to other places to climb mountains next time.

I shouted eight beats and moved forward step by step. In the end, I couldn't even lift my legs. I wanted to sit down and play dead. I had such poor physical strength... It was sad to see others surpass me easily and happily, but when I looked back at the road I had come, I felt that I could still hold on. It was a test of my will.

Mount Tai is the most unreliable place among the Five Mountains I have visited. If you like climbing stairs, you can go there. There are basically Chinese-style inscriptions along the way. There is basically no natural scenery. It is a good place for people to exercise, but be careful of your knees. It is recommended to climb up and take the cable car down.

I couldn’t find the most appropriate photo. It is still a bit difficult to look up at the Eighteen Bends from the bottom, especially when you are tired at the end of the climb.

The Eighteen Bends is 800 meters long and 400 meters high. There is a platform every time you walk out, and the actual slope is about 60 degrees. It is a challenge to yourself and a test of your will.

This is probably the most famous place in Mount Tai, and I have read about it in Chinese textbooks since I was a child. In fact, we can see the scenery of winding mountain roads in many places. What is so special about the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai? This is related to the topographical features of Mount Tai, which is three sides are gentle and one side is steep.

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai are located on the traditional mountaineering route on the south slope of Mount Tai, which is the vertical line in the first two pictures of this article. In the middle of that line is Zhongtianmen (with an altitude of more than 800m). Since the south slope is gentle, when you reach Zhongtianmen, you have actually walked just over half the horizontal and vertical distance. Therefore, although the Eighteen Bends from Zhongtianmen upwards look very steep, if we expand the scope of comparison beyond our usual visual perception, we will think that this steepness is actually a moderate level, just right.

On the one hand, it is steep enough that we need to look up to it.

On the other hand, it cannot be too steep. It is difficult to conquer a steep slope directly from the front, so we have to find other ways, such as going around the flanks, or even going around other peaks adjacent to it. At this time, the route we actually take is usually to ascend vertically along the ridge, then move horizontally along the mountainside, and so on. Because of the detour, the ascending route and the horizontal route cannot always appear on the same side elevation. Therefore, we cannot have a panoramic view of the Eighteen Bends like on Mount Tai, and get a visual impact.

The key point is the rocky beach on the right side of the mountain road, which is rarely seen in many mountains I have climbed before. The rocks come from the landslide or fall of the rocks on the top of the mountain, but it is difficult to fill a valley with these falls alone, so we can only guess that there is a solid rock layer with a not too steep slope under the rocky beach. Because if it is too steep, what you see here will be a valley instead of a hillside, and the mountain road in front of you will hang on the mountain wall on the left, instead of being able to lie comfortably on the hillside with the rocky beach.

In fact, the steepest part of the Eighteen Bends is mainly shown in the picture above, after passing Shengxianfang. But at this time, the mountain walls on both sides are very close, so there is no need to go around when paving the road. It is not too difficult to rush up in one breath. There is another local saying as evidence: "Tight Eighteen, Slow Eighteen, Not Tight or Slow and Another Eighteen". It can be seen that the really steep places do not exceed one-third, and this one-third must be inseparable from the other two-thirds. Because without it, the Eighteen Bends will only be steep. Can it compete with Huashan, the Western Peak? But with it, the Eighteen Bends can form an overall effect-let you see the whole Z at a glance, and it seems a little challenging. Even if there are larger and steeper bends in other places, they are not always visible at a glance. Therefore, the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai are famous for their beauty.

The symbol of Mount Tai is divided into slow 18 bends and fast 18 bends. The section from Shengxianfang to Nantianmen is the steepest!

You only know that the greatness of the ancients is written in books, but if you don’t experience it personally, you will never know that the ancients are more great than what is written in books?

The first time I climbed Mount Tai, I was just strolling below Zhongtianmen~~The real mountaineering started from the Eighteen Bends... I used my hands and feet together, and my legs were shaking~ Basically, I took a break every five steps and took a breath every ten steps~

I really wanted to give up here several times... I told my friends before climbing that I would not go if I took the cable car...

The last section of the climbing route is also the steepest section, which is a test of the tourists' physical strength and perseverance.

It is really tiring to walk through the Eighteen Bends, but the Nantianmen is at the end, so I still have the motivation. It’s just that there are more than eleven people, and some tourists take a rest in the middle of the road, which really delays everyone😅😅😅

The Eighteen Bends are the steepest and the last stone staircase before the summit. It is said that one of the reasons for climbing Mount Tai at night is that you can't see how steep it is at night, so you can only focus on climbing and not be scared by the steep steps. We started climbing the Eighteen Bends at 5 pm. I strongly recommend the zigzag climbing method, which can make your legs feel a lot easier. After the Eighteen Bends, you will reach the South Gate of Heaven. We hiked all the way from Hongmen and rested on the roadside when we were tired. It took us 5 hours to climb the South Gate of Heaven.

This is the steepest part of the climb, but it is worth it. Only in this way can you experience the majesty of Mount Tai and the joy of climbing.

After hiking up the steepest, most dangerous and difficult section of the mountain, you will reach Nantianmen.

The Eighteen Bends, seen from afar, are imposing and aggressive. After passing Duisong Mountain, you will reach the most dangerous section of the Taishan Mountain climbing route - the Eighteen Bends, which has a total of 1,827 stone steps and is one of the main symbols of Taishan Mountain. The cliffs of the two mountains here seem to have been cut off, with the steep winding road embedded in between. From a distance, it looks like a ladder to heaven, no wonder the end of the Eighteen Bends is called the South Gate of Heaven.

A great place! The terrain is dangerous, and there is basically no place to rest after climbing the 18 bends! Everyone, please pay attention, someone told you not to look back 😂

There is a saying that there are three Eighteen Bends in Mount Tai. From Kaishan to Longmen is "slow Eighteen", from Shengxianfang is "neither fast nor slow and Eighteen", and from Nantianmen is "fast Eighteen".

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai is the most dangerous section of the mountain climbing route, with a total of 1,827 stone steps, and is one of the main symbols of Mount Tai. The two cliffs here seem to have been cut off, with the steep winding road embedded in between, and from a distance it looks like a ladder to heaven.

The grandeur of Mount Tai lies in the Eighteen Bends, and the beauty of Mount Tai lies in the climbing!

It took six hours to climb from Hongmen to Zhongtianmen, Shibapan, and Nantianmen with two children, the youngest of whom was five years old. Considering that there were still some things to do next, we couldn't climb too much on Mount Tai, so we climbed up slowly.

The Eighteen Bends are the symbol of Mount Tai, and from bottom to top they are the Slow Eighteen Bends, the Not-so-Fast Eighteen Bends, and the Fast Eighteen Bends. The higher you go, the harder it is to climb. When you feel tired, just take a break and keep a good pace without rushing.

The 1,827 stone steps of the Eighteen Bends are the most precipitous section on Mount Tai. They are as majestic and magnificent as a green dragon passing through the valley.

The Eighteen Bends is the most difficult section of climbing Mount Tai, with a total of 1,827 stone steps. The end of the Eighteen Bends is the Nantianmen.

My favorite song is "Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai"

Motivating people to make progress

Give people strength

I don’t know what to say, the routine is so complicated.

The ten yuan noodles were not cooked with water and soy sauce.



It's better to bring your own food when you go out.

Just thinking about it makes my legs weak (shaking), it feels like it's almost straight up and down. I can see it from a distance, but it always feels so far away. The road to Zen cultivation is long and arduous/(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ I finally arrived, but my energy is exhausted. One push, then another o(>﹏<)o

The essence of Mount Tai, the scenery is very good, there are many rocks on both sides, don't climb in hot weather, shoes must be sports shoes, don't wear flat shoes, really don't recommend taking the cable car up, seven or eight-year-old children and 70-year-old grandmas and grandpas can climb by themselves, let alone us young people, the scenery is very good, climbing up is very fulfilling, it's best to bring some fruits, chocolate and water, water is two yuan a bottle at the bottom of the mountain, five yuan a bottle on the mountain, souvenirs can be bargained

The biggest feeling is that there are so many steps and they are so steep. It's so tiring!!

The stairs are all very good, fast 18 slow 18 not fast not slow 18

When I was climbing at night I only felt that the road was long and there were many steps. When I came down the mountain during the day and looked back I felt my legs were weak. I actually reached the summit last night!

The Eighteen Bends are the essence of Mount Tai, but the weather was bad when we visited, so we could only take the cable car up to the South Gate of Heaven. This is the view of the Eighteen Bends from the top of the Eighteen Bends, which is the South Gate of Heaven. You can't see anything in the fog.

The climb was really hard~~~~ My legs were sore, shaking, and cramped, but after I finished it, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Ah~ So this is how I got through it~

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai are in a dangerous terrain, with a vertical height of 600 meters and a horizontal distance of 800 meters, with more than 1,600 steps in total. Climbing the mountain is very tiring. It is best to bring a walking stick! It still depends on perseverance!

The most difficult part of the climb is near the top of Mount Tai. It is long and steep, and it is difficult to climb to the top in one breath.

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai is the most dangerous and frustrating section of the mountain climbing route. It has more than 1,600 stone steps. The steep winding road is embedded in the cliffs of the two mountains. From a distance, it looks like a ladder to heaven. There is a local saying: "Tight Eighteen, Slow Eighteen, Not Tight or Slow and Another Eighteen". When you climb the Eighteen Bends, you will reach the South Gate of Heaven.

There are stairs everywhere. It's okay when going up, but it's scary when going down. I went there in late autumn and it feels more beautiful in summer.

Shibapen is the steepest and most difficult road on Mount Tai, but it is much easier than Mount Huangshan.

The most difficult section of Mount Tai to climb is also the most memorable section. After climbing the Eighteen Bends, you will reach the Nantianmen at the top of Mount Tai.

The scary thing about the Eighteen Bends is that when you climb for the first time, you think the road ahead is already very steep and you are already on the Eighteen Bends. But when you really get to the foot of the Eighteen Bends, everyone will say, "How can there be more? How can it be so high? How can it be so steep?" If you don't climb the Eighteen Bends, is it like going to Mount Tai for nothing? After the Eighteen Bends, you will reach the South Heaven Gate, and you will reach the end of the climb by climbing the steps. The sanitary conditions and climbing conditions are a bit worse.

This section is particularly difficult to climb. It is very cold outside in winter, but very hot inside.

Fast 18, slow 18, neither fast nor slow and still 18. When climbing a mountain, don’t ask where the destination is, just keep going.

The Eighteen Bends is a famous scenic spot in Mount Tai. The terrain is steep and the steps are stacked up, which is a test of physical strength.

When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a man, it will first test his mind and spirit, starve his body, make him poor and destitute, and make his plans frustrated.

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai is the most dangerous section of the mountain climbing route. It has a total of 1,827 stone steps and is one of the main symbols of Mount Tai.

The essence of Mount Tai, seeing the sign of Eighteen Bends, I have a determination to go up. The steps are a little steep, but not as difficult as imagined. With perseverance, I can go up in half an hour~~

The Eighteen Bends are indeed worthy of their name. The higher you climb, the steeper it gets. You dare not look behind you, as you feel like you will fall. When you go down the mountain, you take two steps at a time. There are many people, and many people stop to rest. But after climbing down, you will reach the South Gate of Heaven, which makes you feel very happy.

Only after you have been there will you know whether it is steep or not.