Shenzhen opens first pet-friendly wild trail in Luohu

Pet owners who also love hiking have a new escape: the Luofang Park Mountain Trail (罗芳公园郊野径) in Luohu District. The roughly 2-kilometer trail links Shenzhen and Hong Hong, is easily accessible by public transport, and most importantly, welcomes “fur children” to roam and explore nature alongside their owners.

A young couple checks out a route map at the entrance to the Luofang Park Mountain Trail. Photos from WeChat account “罗湖发布"

The trail runs south to north from Luofang Road near the Zhongzhen Building to the Liantang Checkpoint area, offering panoramic views across Luohu District and sightlines to three Shenzhen–Hong Kong border crossings: Luohu, Wenjindu and Liantang checkpoints. Situated at the confluence of the Shawan River and the Liantang River, two major upstream tributaries of the Shenzhen River, the park lets hikers encounter the Shenzhen River from multiple angles as they walk.

Views of the hiking routes of the Luofang Park Mountain Trail. 

As part of a larger green network, Luofang Park Mountain Trail faces the south entrance of the Donghu Park trail — Liantang Checkpoint line across Luosha Road and connects to the Ring Shenzhen Reservoir greenway and the Shenzhen–Hong Kong cycling greenway in the north. These routes form a contiguous ecological and recreational corridor linking mountains, sea and city across Luohu.

The trail is designed as a nature education route, with explanatory panels and interactive installations highlighting Lingnan woodlands along the path. Themes such as “animal–plant coexistence,” ecological engineering practices that illustrate “people–nature coexistence,” and geographic features that reflect “Shenzhen–Hong Kong coexistence” are highlighted along the trail.

Visitors take a break at one of the park’s viewing platforms.

Luofang Park Mountain Trail is Shenzhen’s first experiment in a pet-friendly wild trail. A range of pet-oriented measures: on-trail natural science outreach about animals and ecosystems, risk and behavior notices for pet owners, designated pet-friendly rest areas, and collaborative projects such as a community “dog library” have been introduced. These features are intended to help pet owners enjoy nature responsibly with their animals.

A visitor walks the trail with his pet dog on the Luofang Park Mountain Trail. 

Travel information

Luosha Road entrance (north):

Metro: Line 2/8 to Liantang Checkpoint Station, Exit D, then walk west about 380 meters;

Bus: Get off at the Luohu Stadium bus stop and walk east about 200 meters.

Luofang Road entrance (south):

Metro: Line 2/8 to Xinxiu Station, Exit B and walk about 900 meters;

Bus: Alight at the Luofang Water Treatment Plant stop and walk about 300 meters.

Pet owners are advised to follow posted guidance, keep dogs under control, carry waste bags, and observe on-site safety notices. The trail’s pet-friendly rest zones and interpretive materials are intended to encourage safe, considerate co-use of the space by hikers, cyclists and animal companions.