Lesser-known places to see fall foliage in China (II)

As every traveler knows, autumn is the best season for traveling. People with traveling experience will know that after the National Day holiday comes the stunning fall foliage season.

When talking about colorful autumn leaves, people usually think of Tokyo. However, the largest place for appreciating red leaves in Asia is not in Tokyo, but in China. In this article, we continue to introduce several routes for appreciating bright red leaves in China.

Guangwu Mountain

Guangwu Mountain in Sichuan Province. File photos

The largest place for appreciating red leaves in Asia is actually located in Sichuan Province. But where in Sichuan? Maybe you have already heard of the colorful Jiuzhaigou National Park, the Bipenggou Scenic Area, the picturesque Xinduqiao Town, or Emei Mountain in Leshan City and Dongla Mountain in Ya’an City. However, don’t miss the Guangwu Mountain in Nanjiang County.

Though located in Sichuan Province, the Guangwu Mountain is close to Xi’an. So it’s very convenient to reach. The best time to visit Guangwu Mountain is autumn, when leaves turn crimson. Named after the clouds and mist that envelope it, Guangwu Mountain is densely wooded, with valleys and streams snaking away. The leaves of the trees covering the mountain gradually redden from the peak to the valley, with colors ranging from green and yellow to orange and red.

Covering 830 square kilometers, the Guangwu Mountain Scenic Area boasts extraordinary landforms of ridges and peaks, lush vegetation, enchanting waterfalls and stunning canyon landscapes. Known as a “biological gene bank and a natural oxygen bar,” the area is endowed with rich tourism resources and diverse ecological environments. With an annual average temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius, its forest coverage reaches 97 percent, and its good air quality rate tops 90 percent.

The Guangwu Mountain is also home to geological and geomorphic landscapes. It’s the world’s most special, complete, and original distribution center of the origins of Cyclobalanopsis, along with 46 rare plant species and 25 rare animals that are under first- or second-class national protection. The vegetation of the Guangwu Mountain also enjoys the reputation as “the longest red carpet in Asia,” while the mountain is dubbed China’s No. 1 mountain with colorful leaves.

The Natural Gallery scenic spot is home to a large stretch of a tall and lush forest of Chinese beech. As you walk along a wooden path in the forest filled with red and golden leaves, you will be hugged by colors as if in a dreamy painting.

The Heixiong Valley and Daxiaolan Valley both share the beauty of Guangwu Mountain. Along the valleys are scattered gray rocks covered by moss. The clear creek water flows through the winding watercourses together with red leaves. Fallen Chinese chestnuts and unique wild fruits scatter around the ground.

Walking deep into the forest, you will encounter the Shiba Yuetan Ponds (18 Crescent-Moon Shaped Ponds). Along the 3.5-kilometer-long Pearl Valley dot 18 ponds in the shape of a crescent moon. The creek water flows through the mountains, carrying with it the red leaves turning and dancing around.

The Guangwu Mountain is also home to the unique historical Ba culture that influenced regions throughout Southwest China, as well as the culture of the Micang Ancient Road (a road connecting southwestern Shaanxi Province to Sichuan Province) and the culture of the Three Kingdoms (220-280).

Liping National Forest Park

Liping National Forest Park

Nicknamed China’s “forest oxygen bar,” Liping National Forest Park, located in Hanzhong City in Shaanxi Province, is home to lush primitive forests, rivers, ponds, waterfalls, stone forests, mountains and grasslands. It’s definitely an ideal summer resort. Covering an area of 9,400 hectares, the park has an average altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level.

In autumn, the leaves of trees on the mountains in the park turn red and yellow, and together with grassland, waterfalls and stone forests, form stunning scenes for photography.

Once you are here, don’t forget to appreciate the sea of clouds on the top of Xianglu Mountain. Colorful forests, the cloud sea in the distance, and magnificent mountains together form a spectacular view.

You can also visit the Zhuge Ancient Town to experience the ancient Huaxia culture. The town features the life story of Zhuge Liang, a Chinese statesman and military strategist during the Three Kingdoms period, and the culture of the Three Kingdoms.