Where to go for a self-driving trip in autumn? I think a two-day trip to Daocheng is perfect

Golden poplars + red grassland create a unique autumn scenery that’s worth stepping on the gas pedal right now and heading straight to Daocheng.
The following two-day itinerary is summarized based on our travel experience. Some spots are relatively off the beaten path, so please choose according to your own needs.

Day ❶ Morning Daocheng White Pagoda 1-2 hours
Also called Zunsheng Pagoda Forest. Early in the morning, join the locals to walk around the pagoda forest and experience the Daocheng landmark composed of one main pagoda and 108 small pagodas. Don’t forget to check out the panoramic view of Daocheng from the mountain behind.

Day ❶ Late Morning Longgu Village 2-3 hours
Navigate to "Longgu Black Sea," where the route is filled with Daocheng’s pristine pastoral scenery. The Daocheng River connects golden fields and colorful wetlands.
Then navigate to "Lower Longgu," follow the busy autumn harvest scenes of local residents to an undeveloped secret red grassland. Nearby, the golden poplar forest complements it perfectly, creating a highlight memory of your trip.

Day ❶ Afternoon Sangdui Red Grassland 1-2 hours
Navigate as above. Every autumn, only for a brief half-month in October, the red grassland dances like flames on the water, while the poplar trees behind don golden coats, lighting up Daocheng’s autumn together. Encountering this is a stroke of luck.

Day ❶ Afternoon Ten Thousand Mu Poplar Forest 1 hour
Two key points to remember:
▪ Be sure to arrive before sunset!
▪ From Daocheng County, navigate to "Banghe and Sela," but don’t park at the end. On the left side of the road, there is a high viewing platform. Park your car opposite and hike up (overcoming altitude sickness is a must). Then you will see the magnificent and romantic autumn sunset of Daocheng.
Afterwards, arrange dinner and accommodation in Daocheng County.

Day ❷ Morning Glacier Stone River Park 1-2 hours
We visited Yading long ago, so we skip it this time. On the second day, we head towards Litang. The main itinerary is crossing Haizi Mountain, which is over 4,000 meters in elevation.
Haizi Mountain is a relic of ancient glaciers, known for its endless chaotic rocks resembling an alien planet. Our first stop is Stone River Park on the way up the mountain, where ancient ice cap relics, chaotic rocks, and forest landscapes intertwine to form a unique scene, perfect for photos.
Nearby, the Benbo Monastery and rock painting relics are also worth a visit.

Day ❷ Late Morning Haizi Mountain Half a day to a full day
Our sightseeing order: Xu’edié Lake → High-altitude Cosmic Ray Observatory ✅ key point → Qiancuo → Xingyicuo ✅ key point
The reason for the half-day to full-day time frame is that Xingyicuo has about 6 kilometers of rough road. If you are not experienced in driving or are in a sedan, you need to drive slowly and carefully, which will take more time on the road.
But! At the end of the rough road is the ultimate snowy mountain sacred lake scenery. Unforgettable is following animal tracks to the lakeside. At that moment, the world is silent except for the gentle lapping of water on the shore.
Our Daocheng trip is complete at Xingyicuo.

▶️ The above content is summarized based on personal travel experience. Please forgive any omissions.
▶️ Due to timing, some scenes may have changed; please refer to the current situation.
▶️ Address and location information are provided by the website. For more detailed information, please leave a message.
▶️ All the scenic spots visited by Caicai Juan’er and Mr. Dog are accessible by sedan.

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If you love self-driving trips and want to take the road less traveled, please listen to Caicai Juan’er’s detailed narration.