Wuyuezhai Scenic Area is located in the mountainous area of northwestern Lingshou County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, at the eastern foot of the Taihang Mountains. It is a national forest park and a national 4A-level tourist attraction. The total area of the scenic area is 120 square kilometers, with the main peak at an altitude of 2281 meters, making it one of the high peaks in Hebei Province. Wuyuezhai is famous for its unique mountain landforms, rich forest resources and beautiful natural scenery, integrating grandeur, danger, strangeness, seclusion and elegance. The vegetation coverage rate here is over 98%, with large areas of primary secondary forests, making it a rare natural oxygen bar in North China. There are more than 30 waterfalls of various sizes in the scenic area, with gurgling streams and clear pools. In addition, the average temperature in summer is only about 22℃, making it an ideal place for summer vacation. Most of the main buildings in the scenic area are rest facilities and viewing platforms integrated with natural landscapes. Among them, the total length of the walking paths in the core scenic area is about 20 kilometers, facilitating tourists to visit various main attractions.
History and Culture
Lingshou County, where Wuyuezhai is located, has a long history. It was established as a county as early as the Warring States Period and belonged to the territory of the Zhongshan State. Its profound historical and cultural heritage has also added a unique humanistic atmosphere to the scenic area. Although there are relatively few historical relics in Wuyuezhai Scenic Area itself, many folk legends and historical stories related to the Taihang Mountains have been passed down in the surrounding areas.
According to legend, Wuyuezhai got its name because its five peaks are shaped like China's Five Great Mountains. To commemorate this unique landform, local people have passed down many legends about mountain gods protecting the area and immortals living here. In addition, the villages around the scenic area retain many traditional folk cultures, such as the unique paper-cutting and embroidery crafts in the Taihang Mountain area, as well as local characteristic folk activities. These all reflect the wisdom of the local people in living in harmony with nature for a long time from the side.
Main Attractions
Yinhe Gorge
Yinhe Gorge is one of the core scenic areas of Wuyuezhai, with a total length of about 5 kilometers. There are gurgling streams and groups of waterfalls in the gorge, which is a concentrated display area of the water scenery in the scenic area. There are more than 20 waterfalls of various sizes in the gorge, among which the most famous is the "Yanzhao First Waterfall" with a drop of 108 meters. The waterfall pours down from the cliff, with great momentum and splashing water. Under the sunlight, it often forms a gorgeous rainbow. There are also attractions such as "Tongyue Gorge" and "Guanyin Cave" in the gorge. The mountains on both sides are steep, with jagged rocks and dense forests. Walking through it is like being in a natural gallery.
Tuoliang
Tuoliang is located in the northeastern part of Wuyuezhai Scenic Area, bordering Wutai County, Shanxi Province. It gets its name because the top of the mountain is shaped like a camel's hump. The main peak is 2281 meters above sea level, making it one of the five highest peaks in Hebei Province. It is mainly characterized by alpine meadows, primeval forests and a cool climate. The meadow on the top of the mountain covers an area of more than 1,000 mu. In summer, the grass is green and wild flowers are everywhere, making it an excellent place to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds. There is a 5-kilometer-long ridge line from the main peak of Wuyuezhai to the top of Tuoliang, with beautiful scenery along the way, which is a popular route for hikers.
Wuyue Peaks
Wuyue Peaks are the iconic landscape of Wuyuezhai Scenic Area. They consist of five peaks, each with an altitude of more than 1900 meters, which are respectively shaped like Mount Tai (East Yue), Mount Hua (West Yue), Mount Heng (South Yue), Mount Heng (North Yue) and Mount Song (Central Yue), hence the name "Wuyuezhai". The highest peak is 2281 meters above sea level. Climbing to the top, you can overlook the rolling mountains around and feel the magnificent scene of "When you reach the top, you can see all the other mountains are small". The peaks are surrounded by clouds and mist, with different scenery in four seasons: blooming flowers in spring, lush trees in summer, colorful forests in autumn and snow-covered scenery in winter.
Yuanyang Stones
Yuanyang Stones are a unique natural landscape in Wuyuezhai, located on the hillside in the middle of the scenic area. Two huge stones lean against each other, shaped like a pair of cuddling mandarin ducks, hence the name. Each of the two stones is about 3 meters high, similar in size and lifelike in shape, surrounded by green trees and in a quiet environment. There is a beautiful love legend about Yuanyang Stones among the local people, which adds a romantic color to this natural landscape and makes it a popular place for many couples to take photos as a souvenir.
Birch Forest
The birch forest is located in the area of Wuyuezhai at an altitude of about 1800 meters, covering an area of about several hundred mu. Every autumn, the leaves of the birch trees turn golden, shining brightly in the sunlight, contrasting with the surrounding green trees and red leaves, forming a colorful picture. There are wooden plank roads in the forest, where tourists can walk and feel the tranquility and beauty of the birch forest, making it a paradise for photographers.
Delicacies
Guotie Bingzi (Pot-stuck Cakes)
Guotie Bingzi is a local traditional pasta. It is made with cornmeal or millet flour as the main raw material, mixed with water into a paste, pasted on the inner wall of an iron pot, and simmered over low heat. The baked cakes have a crispy bottom and a soft top, with the fragrance of corn or millet. They are often eaten with local farm dishes such as stews and fried wild vegetables, with a unique taste and rich nutrition. This delicacy can be tasted in almost all the farm stays around Wuyuezhai Scenic Area.
Braised Free-range Chicken with Mushrooms
Braised free-range chicken with mushrooms is a classic farm dish in the Taihang Mountain area. It is made by selecting locally raised free-range chickens, matching with wild shiitake mushrooms or oyster mushrooms, adding seasonings such as ginger slices and green onion segments, and stewing over low heat for a long time. The braised chicken is tender and delicious, the mushrooms absorb the soup of the chicken, the taste is delicious, and the soup is rich, which has the effect of nourishing and health care. This dish is loved by tourists in the restaurants near Wuyuezhai Scenic Area and is one of the must-try dishes to experience the local flavor.
Stir-fried Wild Vegetables with Meat
Wuyuezhai mountainous area is rich in various wild vegetables, such as shepherd's purse, purslane, bitter vegetables, ferns, etc. These wild vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals and have rich nutrition. Stir-fried wild vegetables with meat are made by selecting fresh wild vegetables, matching with shredded pork or sliced pork, and stir-frying over high heat. They have a refreshing taste and a unique fragrance of wild vegetables, which is a healthy and delicious farm dish. In the farm stays around the scenic area, tourists can choose different wild vegetables to taste according to the season.
Lingshou Salted Meat Noodles
Lingshou salted meat noodles are a characteristic delicacy of Lingshou County, Shijiazhuang, and are also common around Wuyuezhai. It is characterized by using locally marinated bacon (salted meat) with noodles, supplemented with seasonings such as chopped green onions and coriander. The salted meat has a strong fragrance, the noodles are chewy and smooth, the soup is mellow, and it is full of flavor when eaten. It is a favorite homemade pasta of local people and a good choice for tourists to experience local characteristics.
Tickets
As of August 7, 2025, the ticket price is 65 yuan. You can search for the official WeChat public account "五岳寨风景区" to get the latest updates. This official WeChat public account does not provide online ticket purchasing function.
Opening Hours
The opening hours will be adjusted according to the season. The opening hours in the peak season (April 1 - October 31) are 7:30 - 18:00; the opening hours in the off-season (November 1 - March 31 of the next year) are 8:00 - 17:00. It is recommended that tourists enter the scenic area 1.5 hours before the closing time to ensure that they have enough time to visit the main attractions and return safely.
Tour Route
Here is a recommended classic one-day tour route: enter the scenic area at around 8:00 a.m., first go to Yinhe Gorge Scenic Area, visit attractions such as Yanzhao First Waterfall, Tongyue Gorge and Guanyin Cave along the walking path, which takes about 3 hours in total; have lunch at the rest area near Yinhe Gorge or have a picnic with your own food at around 11:30 a.m.; go to Wuyue Peaks at 13:00 p.m., climb to the main peak to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the peaks, which takes about 2.5 hours round trip; go to Yuanyang Stones at 15:30 p.m., take photos as a souvenir, with a visiting time of about 1 hour; go to the birch forest at 16:30 p.m., feel the scenery in the forest in autumn (or other seasons), with a visiting time of about 1 hour; finish the tour and return at around 17:30 p.m. If you have enough time, you can arrange a two-day tour. On the second day, go to Tuoliang Scenic Area to experience the alpine meadow scenery, which takes about 5-6 hours round trip.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from downtown Shijiazhuang, take Xibaipo Expressway and transfer to Beijing-Kunming Expressway, get off at Lingshou Exit, then drive north along S201 Provincial Road, pass through Chenzhuang Town and Nanying Township, and you can reach Wuyuezhai Scenic Area. The total distance is about 140 kilometers, and the driving time is about 3 hours.
- Public transportation: Take a bus from Shijiazhuang Yunheqiao Bus Station to Lingshou County. After arriving in Lingshou County, transfer to a bus to Nanying Township, get off at the intersection of Wuyuezhai Scenic Area, then walk or take a local taxi to the scenic area. The whole journey takes about 3.5 hours. The number of bus trips is relatively small, so it is recommended to check the departure time in advance.
- Tourist special line: In the peak tourist season (April - October), a tourist special line from downtown Shijiazhuang to Wuyuezhai Scenic Area will be opened. Tourists can take the bus at designated places. For specific departure times and places, please pay attention to the information of local tourism departments or travel agencies.
Must-visit Attractions
- Yanzhao First Waterfall: With a drop of 108 meters, it is the most spectacular waterfall landscape in Wuyuezhai. The waterfall has abundant water flow and great momentum, especially in the rainy season, the scenery is more shocking, and it is one of the iconic attractions of the scenic area.
- Main Peak of Wuyue Peaks: At an altitude of 2281 meters, climbing to the main peak allows you to overlook the magnificent scenery of the Taihang Mountains. On clear days, you can also overlook the surrounding counties and cities, making it an excellent place to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds.
- Tuoliang Alpine Meadow: Covering an area of more than 1,000 mu, it is covered with green grass and wild flowers in summer. It is a rare alpine meadow landscape in North China, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding forest landscape, with unique scenery.
- Yinhe Gorge: With a total length of 5 kilometers, it integrates streams, waterfalls, strange rocks and forests. It is the essence of the water scenery and canyon landscape in the scenic area. The walking path is built along the canyon, providing an excellent visiting experience.
Travel Suggestions
- Best travel season: Wuyuezhai is suitable for traveling in all seasons. In spring (April - May), you can enjoy blooming flowers; in summer (June - August), it is the best time for summer vacation; in autumn (September - October), you can enjoy red leaves and golden birch forests; in winter (November - March), you can experience snow scenery. Among them, summer and autumn are the best travel seasons.
- Travel duration: It is recommended to travel for 1-2 days. A one-day tour can cover the core attractions, while a two-day tour can allow you to experience the natural scenery of the scenic area more deeply, especially to visit Tuoliang Scenic Area.
- Equipment preparation: There are many mountain roads in the scenic area, so it is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes or hiking shoes; in summer, you need to bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent, and because of the large temperature difference between morning and evening, you need to bring a thin coat; in winter, you need to bring warm clothes and non-slip shoes.
- Dining suggestions: There are relatively few catering facilities in the scenic area, and the prices are relatively high. It is recommended to bring some dry food and drinking water by yourself, or you can eat at the farm stays around the scenic area to taste local characteristic delicacies.
- Physical preparation: Most of the attractions in the scenic area are distributed in mountainous areas, so traveling requires a certain amount of physical strength. It is recommended to reasonably arrange the travel route and time according to your own physical condition to avoid overwork.
Notes
- The mountain roads in the scenic area are steep, and some sections are relatively slippery. When visiting, you need to pay attention to safety, abide by the regulations of the scenic area, and do not leave the designated walking paths without permission.
- Take good care of the environment of the scenic area, do not litter, do not pick flowers and trees, and protect the natural ecology.
- The mobile phone signal in the scenic area may be unstable, especially in the deep mountainous areas. It is recommended to communicate with family and friends in advance or travel with companions.
- There may be thunderstorms in the mountainous areas in summer. When encountering thunderstorms, you should take shelter in a room or a safe shelter in time, and avoid staying in dangerous areas such as the top of the mountain and under trees.
- Abide by the fire prevention regulations of the scenic area. Smoking and using open fire are strictly prohibited in the scenic area to prevent forest fires.
- Check the weather forecast in advance, arrange your travel time reasonably, and avoid visiting the scenic area in severe weather conditions.
- Some areas in the scenic area are at a relatively high altitude, which may cause altitude sickness. Those who are unwell should prepare in advance and seek medical treatment in time if necessary.