Live Your Best Lives
Remember the most beautiful scenery of the year: the time when maples turn red and apricots turn yellow... Perhaps no season in western Sichuan is more beautiful than autumn. From the pristine white of the towering snow-capped mountains to the vibrant crimson of the forests below, the vibrant colors of autumn offer a breathtaking contrast to the monotonous green and white of summer and winter. However, popular destinations like Jiuzhaigou, Dangling, Xinduqiao, and Daocheng Yading are far away, and the peak autumn colors typically only last for about two weeks, making it difficult to find time to visit and miss out. So, are there places within a 2-3 hour drive around Chengdu that offer a chance to see the vibrant colors of autumn?
With this question in mind, starting from 2018, over the course of more than three years, I went deep into the Wolong Nature Reserve dozens of times and finally discovered this little-known secret place of autumn colors!
Let's leave the highway, delve into the valleys, and ascend to the alpine meadows to discover the hundreds of miles of colorful red foliage forests hidden in the high mountains along Wolong's China Panda Avenue! Starting from Gengda Town and ending in Dengshenggou at the foot of Balan Mountain, we've discovered more than a dozen excellent autumn viewing spots within a 50km radius, all within easy reach. The farthest is only 130km from Chengdu, a drive of about 2-2.5 hours. The Chengguan Expressway and G350 National Highway are both in good condition and accessible by car. While most of the viewpoints require hiking, the hikes are short and moderate, making a round trip from Chengdu a breeze!
Laoya Mountain is located in Gengda Village, Gengda Town, within the Wolong National Nature Reserve, just over 90 kilometers from Chengdu, a drive of less than two hours. From Chengdu, navigate directly to "Laoya Mountain," take the Chengguan Expressway and the Duwen Expressway, exit at Yingxiu Town, and follow the G350 China Panda Highway to Gengda Town. From the small bridge diagonally opposite the Gengda Town People's Government, cross Yuzi Creek and enter the Laoya Mountain rural cement road. Continue about 5 kilometers to reach the Red Leaf Colorful Forest Viewing Area.
Laoya Mountain is probably the closest place to Chengdu in the Wolong River Valley, and it is accessible directly by car without having to hike to enjoy the excellent red leaves and colorful forests.
About 2 kilometers from the rural cement road, the road begins with a line of planted larch trees. Every autumn, the pine needles on the trees turn a golden yellow. The autumn wind blows, and the pine needles fall to the ground, piling up in a thick layer. Stepping on them feels soft and comfortable, like marshmallows, completely relaxing and relaxing. The golden larch forest is just the starter; the more beautiful scenery is yet to come...
As the cement road winds down, vast expanses of crimson forest slowly come into view. The crimson forests of Laoya Mountain are primarily concentrated on the Yinshan Mountains south of the village and the hills of Lanmozigou to the west. The end of the cement road in Gengda Village offers an excellent viewing spot.
There are three alpine meadows on the hill behind the village. Hikers can also take a 6km loop around meadows 1-3. Standing on the meadows, you can admire the beauty of cattle and sheep grazing nearby and eagles soaring freely above the colorful forests in the distance.
Zoumaling is located near Longtan Village in Gengda Town, about a 5km drive from the town. Navigate to "Zomalin Health and Wellness Village," cross the river, park, and hike up the mountain via the mechanized farming path behind the farmhouse. Along the way, you'll see colorful red-leafed forests. About 2km away, you'll reach a stunning larch forest. The golden larch trees, interspersed with other colorful trees, look like a panda from above.
Continuing up the Panda Forest, at an altitude of approximately 2,500 meters, we reach a mountaintop meadow, once used by local villagers for grazing. We inquired with local villagers, who informed us that no livestock had been grazing there for many years, and the path was abandoned. We had originally planned to walk to the summit, but were blocked by a vast thorn forest. Despite being pricked and bruised, we still couldn't make it through, so we had to turn back. Google Earth simulations suggested a vast expanse of view, theoretically allowing us to see not only the vibrant red leaves of the surrounding mountains but also the snow-capped mountains in the distance. The scenery should have been breathtaking. It was a shame we failed to reach the summit!
Located in Longtan Village, Gengda Town, Panda Ping is an alpine meadow that has been popular in Chengdu's outdoor community for years. Panda Ping boasts stunning scenery year-round, attracting numerous visitors weekly, though autumn is of course the most beautiful season. Navigate directly to "Gengda Longtan Village," park at the village entrance, and take a local villager's minivan up the mountain. The transfer bus only goes to the larch forest, where you'll hike 2-3 kilometers along a mechanized farming trail to reach Panda Ping Alpine Pasture. A 20 yuan per person sanitation fee is charged upon entering the mountain. The round-trip transfer bus costs 30 yuan per person.
The terminus of the Panda Ping transfer bus is in this larch forest. In autumn, the ground is covered with a thick layer of pine needles. The sunlight shines through the treetops, illuminating the golden ground. Walking in it is like walking into the world of oil painting, which is very pleasant.
In fact, Zoumaling is just opposite Panda Ping, across the river from Panda Ping. Looking at Zoumaling from the road up the mountain from Panda Ping, the larch forest looks more like a panda head.
The meadow above Panda Ping is very large. Local villagers graze many cows and horses on it. They are not afraid of people at all and may even surround you to beg for food. They are very cute.
Continuing up from Panda Terrace, there's a long-abandoned wooden plank road that leads to a tranquil black pine forest. The road continues down to Xingfugou in Gengda Town. Hikers with good stamina can try crossing from Xingfugou to Panda Terrace, but this route is not recommended in summer due to the abundance of leeches on the plank road.
(Photo taken on November 2, 2019 at Panda Terrace)
Hongqibao is also located in Longtan Village. Turn right from the village entrance to reach Panda Ping, and turn left up the mountain to reach Hongqibao. Compared to the bustling bustle of Panda Ping, Hongqibao is much quieter and rarely visited. The three meadows above Hongqibao are relatively small, similar in size to those on Laoya Mountain. While the scenery at Hongqibao is unremarkable in other seasons, the autumn colors are quite stunning. Looking out over Panda Ping from Hongqibao, you can see the vast golden larch forests on Panda Ping, a more spectacular and expansive view than the one seen from the mountaintop route up Panda Ping.
Ganhaizi is located in the mountains behind Wolong Zhuanjinglou Village, about 120km from Chengdu, a 2.5-hour drive. Navigate to "Wenchuan Xueyuan Hotel," park your car here, take a local van up the mountain, and then hike 2-3km to Ganhaizi Meadow. Local villagers charge visitors a sanitation fee for entering the mountains.
Tips:
Sanitation fee (14 yuan/person for groups, 20 yuan/person for individual travelers), transfer fare 30 yuan/person round trip.
If you were to ask what the most popular attraction in Wolong is, it would undoubtedly be Ganhaizi! Can you imagine this small alpine pasture welcoming 100,000 visitors annually, generating over a million yuan in health revenue for the village? At its peak last year, it saw an average of 2,000-3,000 people per day, Saturdays, and Sundays. The sheer volume was truly impressive! Many internet celebrities have visited Ganhaizi, and even celebrities, like Deng Jiajia, the aunt from the TV series "iPartment," have visited.
To facilitate the climb, local villagers have built a plank road from the village directly to the mountaintop pasture. The road is approximately 3 kilometers long and takes about an hour to hike. The road passes through a forest of red leaves. While other places only allow you to admire the colorful trees from a distance, at Ganhaizi you can stroll directly beneath them and enjoy the autumn scenery up close.
If you are lucky, you may even meet a cute little squirrel.
Most tourists hang out near the water pool above Ganhaizi, around 2,600 meters above sea level. Weekends and holidays are incredibly crowded, resulting in messy photos. However, the pastures above Ganhaizi are actually quite vast, stretching from the water pool all the way up to around 2,800 meters above sea level. The higher you go, the fewer people there are. If you prefer clean photos without the clutter of strange people, continue up until you reach a deserted area.
Yunzhong Ranch is also in Zhuanjinglou Village, just opposite Ganhaizi. The large alpine meadow on the opposite mountain seen from Ganhaizi is Yunzhong Ranch. Take a transfer bus from the village entrance, turn right up the mountain to reach Ganhaizi, and turn left up the mountain to reach Yunzhong Ranch. The transfer journey and the altitude of the ranch are about the same. Starting from Chengdu, navigate to "Wenchuan Xueyuan Hotel", park the car in the parking lot at the village entrance, take a local van up the mountain, and then walk 2-3km to arrive. Like Ganhaizi, local villagers will charge tourists a sanitation fee for entering the mountain.
Tips:
Sanitation fee (14 yuan/person for groups, 20 yuan/person for individual travelers), transfer fare 30 yuan/person round trip.
Circling the Yusi Cave in Lou Village, you will see alpine pastures reaching into the clouds, meadows with shrubs and larch trees. The scenery changes greatly with each season.
In 2018, Ganhaizi was already quite popular. Standing on the summit of Ganhaizi, I spotted a vast alpine pasture and larch forest on the opposite mountain. I wondered if it would be equally beautiful up there, and wondered if a new route could be developed to avoid the crush of two or three thousand people at Ganhaizi. I consulted a local villager named Da Huzi, who told me there was a small trail leading up to it, with even more beautiful scenery than Ganhaizi, and it wasn't often visited. So, in June 2019, I took the time to hike up again and found it to be just as beautiful, rivaling Ganhaizi on the other side. Unlike the flat meadows of Ganhaizi, the meadows here were more three-dimensional with their uneven terrain, reminiscent of the human grasslands of Xinjiang. So, the first group on June 22, 2019, was named "Wolong Little Xinjiang," later changed to "Dingguohai" and "Yusidong Pasture."
Later, more and more outdoor clubs started to come here, each with a different name. I'm not sure who picked the name "Cloud Ranch." When the weather settled down in the fall, everyone noticed the spectacular Cloud Falls, which often appeared on the hills near the ranch. The name "Cloud Ranch" seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Gradually, everyone unified the name "Cloud Ranch," and the Cloud Falls became a major attraction of the ranch.
A classic check-in spot at Cloud Ranch.
Because of the large number of people, the local villagers no longer graze their cattle on Ganhaizi. All the cattle, sheep, and horses in the village have been driven to Yunzhong Ranch. However, they are very docile and there is no need to worry about them attacking humans. If you are eating, they may come around, just asking for a bite.
Baoshan Ranch is located in Zumushan Village, Wolong Town, across the river from Ganhaizi. It's about 120km from Chengdu, a 2.5-hour drive. Use the navigation system to find "Wolong Town People's Government," then enter from Jiaomugou, next to the town government, and hike 3-4km to reach Baoshan Ranch.
Baoshan Ranch overlooks Ganhaizi.
Compared to the bustling Ganhaizi and Yunzhong Ranches across the way, Baoshan Ranch remains relatively unvisited. The meadows above Baoshan Ranch are relatively small, interspersed with shrubs, and the scenery doesn't quite rival that of the other side in other seasons. However, autumn is still a worthwhile visit for the vibrant crimson leaves of Zumu Mountain and the breathtaking Cloud Waterfall between Ganhaizi and Yunzhong Ranch – both are truly exceptional sights.
On the way up the mountain you will pass through a large larch forest.
Colorful forest with red leaves on the pasture.
The kids selling pumpkins in Zumushan Village are so cute.
Songlinwan Lama Temple is located mid-mountain beside the Tanjiahe Dam between Wolong Town and Wolongguan Village. It's an ancient Bon religion temple. You can search for "Lama Temple" in your navigation (make sure it's the Lama Temple in Wolong, Wenchuan). You can drive directly to the Lama Temple on the mountain, or you can hike about 2km along the plank path from the base of the mountain. Both are easy.
Tips:
About 130km from Chengdu, about 2.5 hours drive
From the foot of the mountain, it's only 1.8km to the Lama Temple along the right plank road, and 2.5km up the mountain on the left road. It's recommended to take the plank road up the mountain and the road down, taking your time and enjoying the scenery. The entire journey is less than 5km. It's not recommended to drive directly up the mountain and rush through the scenery. You won't be able to appreciate the beauty of the autumn breeze and pine waves if you drive too fast.
The road going up the mountain.
The colorful forest on the opposite mountain.
A lama temple hidden deep in the larch forest.
Risijia Ranch and Lalahu Forest are located in the mountains near Wolongguan Village. Use the "Chuanbeiying" navigation system. Turn right near Wolongguan Village and hike up the mountain. Follow the red trail in the map below for about 2 km to reach Risijia Ranch. Risijia Ranch is a pasture used by locals for grazing. To the right of the ranch is a vibrant forest of red leaves, which is truly stunning in autumn. Risijia Ranch is approximately 2,500 meters above sea level. Continuing up, you'll reach Lalahu Forest, which is approximately 3,250 meters above sea level.
Tips:
It is about 130km away from Chengdu, about 2.5 hours’ drive.
If you are lucky, you may encounter red pandas and golden monkeys in the mountains.
Zhuoxi Pasture is located in Wolongguan Village, between Guangou and Wulidungou. It is also a high mountain pasture where local people graze.
The ten most popular red foliage viewing spots mentioned above are all located within Gengda and Wolong Towns, within a crow's-eye distance of 30 kilometers, and within a 2.5-hour drive from Chengdu. The hike is less than 5 kilometers, making the climb relatively easy. A round trip from Chengdu is easily possible, and the autumn scenery rivals that of Miyaluo in Li County and Naizigou in Heishui. Chengdu residents are truly blessed! Enjoying such stunning red foliage in a single day, without spending the night, would surely leave coastal residents weeping in the bathroom. There are likely still undiscovered autumn wonderlands between Wolongguan Village and Balan Mountain. I hope to explore more Wolong autumn scenery routes this year...
