Horseback Adventure on the Grassland Sky Road: Riding Through Lavender Fields and Wind Farms with Heroic Spirit

🌄 1. Core Information of the Grassland Sky Road

- **Geographic Scope**: Stretching across Zhangbei, Guyuan, and Fengning counties, totaling over 300 km, divided into the East Route (Zhangbei-Huapiling), West Route (Zhangbei-Bailong Cave), Guyuan Section (Huapiling-Lightning Lake), and Fengning Section (Datan Town-Yudaokou).

- **Best Season**: Mid-July to late August (golden lotus/lavender in full bloom), mid-to-late September (layered autumn foliage).

- **Essentials to Bring**: Windproof jacket, sunscreen, telephoto lens, power bank (no charging stations along the way).

🚗 2. Transportation Guide & Route Planning

1. **Zhangbei Grassland Sky Road (Wild East Route + Untouched West Route)**

- **Starting Point**: Yehuling Toll Station (navigate to "Yehuling Tourist Distribution Center").

- **Route Options**:
- **East Route (Yehuling → Huapiling)**: 100 km, highlights include wind turbine clusters and terraced flower fields, well-developed for tourism (horseback riding at ¥50 per lap).
- **West Route (Yehuling → Bailong Cave)**: 32.7 km, a hidden gem perfect for capturing pristine grasslands and wind farms.

- **Tips**:
- No gas stations along the route—fill up/charge before departure.
- Exercise caution when taking photos on the road, as some curves have limited visibility.

2. **Guyuan Section (Huapiling → Lightning Lake)**

- **Highlights**: 110 km of lakes and mountains, recommended for cycling around Lightning Lake (¥30 entrance fee), with overnight stays in Guyuan town (standard rooms ¥150-200).

3. **Fengning Section (Northern Beijing's First Grassland Sky Road)**

- **Route**: South entrance of Datan Town → North entrance of Yudaokou Town (100 km), passing through Qiansongba Forest Park (¥120 entrance fee), featuring spruce forests and autumn birch landscapes.
- **Unique Experience**: Rent an off-road vehicle to explore remote areas (¥200/hour); stargazing camping requires reservations 3 days in advance.

🌿 3. Key Attractions & Unique Experiences

1. **Zhangbei Section**
- **Yanpian Mountain**: Volcanic rock formations, offering panoramic views of the winding Sky Road.
- **Wind Farms**: Industrial aesthetics of white turbines against the grasslands; drone photography requires prior approval.
- **Lavender Fields (July-August)**: Free photo ops at the "Grassland Sky Road Flower Sea" near Yehuling.

2. **Guyuan Section**
- **Lightning Lake**: The largest inland lake on the plateau, with speedboat rides (¥80/person) or grassland ATVs (¥100/hour).
- **Five-Flower Meadow**: 5 km south of Guyuan town, covered in wildflowers like a rainbow carpet in July.

3. **Fengning Section**
- **Qiansongba Forest Park**: Hike birch forest trails, watch sunrise over sea of clouds from Camel Peak.
- **Cloud Prairie**: Sunset at East Mountain + stargazing camping; golden lotus picking during bloom season (¥50/person).
- **Beauty Valley**: Wooden boardwalk hike to "Sleeping Beauty Peak," with picnic/BBQ gear rentals (¥150/set).

🏨 4. Accommodation & Food Recommendations

**Unique Stays**
- **Zhangbei**: Grassland Sky Road Inn (standard room ¥260/night), with bonfire parties.
- **Guyuan**: Swan Lake Mongolian Yurt (¥400/night), featuring whole roasted lamb feasts (from ¥880).
- **Fengning**: White Horse Hotel (¥800/night), floor-to-ceiling windows + grassland afternoon tea.

**Must-Try Foods**
- **Roasted Whole Lamb**: Black-headed lamb roasted fresh at Zhangbei's "Great Khan's Palace," served with ceremonial welcome wine.
- **Oat Noodle Dumplings**: At Fengning's "Plateau Homestead," ¥28/serving with lamb sauce.
- **Golden Lotus Tea**: Brewed fresh at Cloud Prairie Inn, detoxifying (¥15/cup).
- **Plateau Milk Tea**: Salty version with fried rice and milk curd, recommended at "Grassland Ballad" restaurant.

📅 5. Itinerary Suggestions

**3-Day Highlights Tour**
Day 1: Zhangbei East Route (Yehuling → Huapiling) → Lightning Lake sunset → overnight in Guyuan.
Day 2: Guyuan Five-Flower Meadow → Fengning Qiansongba Forest Park → Cloud Prairie stargazing camping.
Day 3: Beauty Valley hike → wind turbine-birch photo ops → return.

**4-Day In-Depth Tour**
Add National Scenic Route No. 1 (Datan Town → Yudaokou), exploring Saihanba National Forest Park (¥130 entrance fee).

⚠️ 6. Pro Tips

1. **Weather**: Check real-time updates for Zhangbei County; summer showers are common, with post-rain temperature drops up to 15°C.
2. **Spending**: Negotiate prices for activities (horseback riding, off-roading) in advance to avoid scams.
3. **Eco Rules**: Picking wildflowers is prohibited; Beauty Valley has eco-cameras—fines up to ¥2,000 for violations.
4. **Kids**: Children under 6 should take shuttle buses (¥50/person) due to steep sections.

🌟 7. Exclusive Experiences

- **Sunrise Chase**: Arrive at Qiansongba’s Camel Peak by 6 AM for mirror-like cloud seas.
- **Wind Farm Drone Shots**: Fly drones at Fengning’s "Wind Turbine & Birch" section, avoiding no-fly zones (register online in advance).
- **Cultural Workshops**: Learn dairy-making at Guyuan’s "Grassland Heritage Studio" (2-hour class, ¥120/person).