Located in Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province, Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, a UNESCO Global Geopark, and a national forest park. The scenic area covers a total area of about 240 square kilometers, including main attractions such as Hongshi Gorge, Tanpu Gorge, Quanpu Gorge, Zhuyu Peak, Diecai Caves, and Wanshan Temple, with a core visiting area of about 50 square kilometers. It is characterized by the unique "northern karst landform" and possesses 3.4 billion years of geological heritage. The intersection of cliff waterfalls and canyon streams forms a natural landscape of "a spring every three steps, a waterfall every five steps, and a pool every ten steps". The Yuntai Tianpu Waterfall with a drop of 314 meters in the scenic area is the waterfall with the largest single drop in Asia. There is also Hongshi Gorge composed of 1.4 billion-year-old Mesoproterozoic quartz sandstone, a rare Danxia landform landscape in northern China.
History and Culture
The history of Yuntai Mountain can be traced back to the Wei and Jin dynasties, named for "seventy-two peaks in the mountain, each peak producing clouds". Wang Wei, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty, once wrote the eternal famous sentence "Alone in a foreign land as a stranger, I miss my family more on festive days" here. The "Zhuyu Peak" in the poem is located in the core scenic area of Yuntai Mountain, and the relics of Tang Dynasty dogwood planting are still preserved.
The Yuntai Mountain area has a profound religious culture. Wanshan Temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty as a royal monastery and was rebuilt during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. The temple preserves cultural relics such as Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha statues and Qing Dynasty stele inscriptions. Diecai Caves are mountain roads excavated by local villagers in the 1970s, taking 10 years. There are 14 tunnels with a total length of 4,831 meters. The project is steep and is known as the "artificial Tianhe", reflecting the contemporary Yugong's spirit of moving mountains.
Yuntai Mountain was also the seclusion site of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" in the Wei and Jin dynasties. Ji Kang, Ruan Ji and others once lived and activities in the Baijiayan area. The existing relics such as Ji Kang's Sword Quenching Pool and Liu Ling's Sobering-up Platform are important places for the study of Wei and Jin culture.
Main Attractions
Hongshi Gorge
Hongshi Gorge is the iconic attraction of Yuntai Mountain, about 2,000 meters long and 68 meters deep, composed of 1.4 billion-year-old quartz sandstone. The Danxia rock walls and clear water in the canyon form landscapes such as "One-Line Sky", "Yellow Dragon Waterfall", and "Shoulong Pool". Among them, the Yellow Dragon Waterfall has a drop of 34 meters and flows continuously throughout the year. The valley has a constant temperature of 15°C, known as the "natural air conditioner", and is a rare Danxia landform canyon in northern China.
Tanpu Gorge
Tanpu Gorge is 2.5 kilometers in total length, named for the saying "a spring every three steps, a waterfall every five steps, and a pool every ten steps". Its main landscapes include the Dragon Snake Pool, Ya Waterfall Pool, and Lover's Waterfall. The Lover's Waterfall features two waterfalls embracing each other with a drop of over 10 meters, while the Water Curtain Cave is more than 10 meters wide, where water flows down like a bead curtain, making it a popular summer resort for escaping the heat.
Quanpu Gorge
Quanpu Gorge is 3 kilometers long, also known as the "Yuntai Tianpu Scenic Area". The terminal Yuntai Tianpu Waterfall has a drop of 314 meters, the largest single-drop waterfall in Asia. The "Tianpu Pool" below the waterfall is 6 meters deep, with water mist in summer and ice waterfalls hanging in winter. Along the way, there are also landscapes such as "Whispering Spring" and "Whale Bay".
Zhuyu Peak
Zhuyu Peak, with an altitude of 1,308 meters, is famous for the poems of Wang Wei in the Tang Dynasty. At the peak, there are landscapes such as Zhenwu Great Emperor Temple and Tianqiao (Sky Bridge). The hiking trail consists of 1,667 steps, with natural karst caves like "Medicine King Cave" and "Kitchen Cave" along the way. From the mountaintop, visitors can overlook surrounding peaks, making it one of the main summits of Yuntai Mountain.
Diecai Caves
Diecai Caves are winding mountain tunnels connecting Zhuyu Peak, consisting of 14 caves with a total length of 4,831 meters and a drop of nearly 1,000 meters. The caves feature designs such as U-shaped turns and 180-degree hairpin turns. Taking a vehicle through them allows visitors to admire mountain landscapes like "Sanxiu Stone" and "Xiying View", making it an engineering marvel combining geological wonders and human craftsmanship.
Wanshan Temple
Wanshan Temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, covering an area of 3,600 square meters. The temple has buildings such as the Mahavira Hall and Heavenly King Hall. The existing Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha is 1.6 meters tall, and the Qing Dynasty "Wanshan Temple Stele" records the temple's history. Surrounded by bamboo forests, it is an attraction combining Buddhist culture and natural landscapes.
Local Cuisine
Xiuwu Black Goat
Xiuwu Black Goat is a featured delicacy of Yuntai Mountain, made from locally free-range black goats with tender meat and no muttony odor. Common cooking methods include clear stewed mutton and whole roasted lamb. The clear stewed mutton has a milky white soup and is rich in nutrition; the whole roasted lamb is crispy outside and tender inside, paired with seasonings like cumin, serving as the signature dish in restaurants around the scenic area.
Naotang Donkey Meat
Naotang Donkey Meat, a traditional cuisine in Jiaozuo with a history of over 100 years, is made from high-quality donkey meat braised in aged soup. The meat is tender and succulent, while the soup boasts a rich flavor. Named "Naotang" (literally "noisy soup") for the rolling soup surface during braising, it is typically served with local Huoshao (baked buns) and stands as a must-try snack for visitors.
Jiaozuo Oil Tea
Jiaozuo Oil Tea is a traditional breakfast food, made by frying flour, peanuts, sesame, etc., and boiling with beef bone soup. It has a thick texture and fragrant smell, and can be added with cilantro and chili oil according to taste. It has the effect of dispelling cold and warming the stomach, commonly seen in breakfast stalls around the scenic area.
Mountain Chives Fried with Free-range Chicken Eggs
Mountain Chives Fried with Free-range Chicken Eggs is a representative farmhouse dish of Yuntai Mountain. Mountain chives are picked from the mountain area, with a pungent and rich taste. Fried with local free-range chicken eggs, it is golden in color and rich in nutrition, a characteristic dish in the scenic area's farmhouses.
Admission Tickets
The admission ticket (including sightseeing bus) is 180 yuan per person. The glass skywalk charges an additional 20 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "云台山景区" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area is open year-round. Opening hours are:
Peak season (March 1 - November 30): 07:30 - 18:30 (admission stops at 17:30)
Off-season (December 1 - February 28 of the following year): 08:00 - 17:30 (admission stops at 16:30)
Opening hours may be extended during legal holidays and the summer vacation (July-August). Please refer to the scenic area's announcement for details. Some attractions like Yuntai Tianpu Waterfall may be closed due to icing in winter. It is recommended to check the scenic area's official website before traveling.
Tour Routes
Classic One-day Tour Route: Take the sightseeing car to Hongshi Gorge in the morning, visit for 1.5 hours, then go to Tanpu Gorge (1 hour) and Quanpu Gorge (1.5 hours), and have lunch at the service area; in the afternoon, take the sightseeing car to Zhuyu Peak, climb Zhuyu Peak (2 hours), pass through Diecai Caves on the return trip, and finally visit Wanshan Temple (0.5 hours) to end the journey.
In-depth Two-day Tour Route: Visit Hongshi Gorge and Tanpu Gorge in the morning of the first day, and visit Quanpu Gorge and Wanshan Temple in the afternoon; take the sightseeing car through Diecai Caves to Zhuyu Peak in the morning of the second day, climb the mountain and visit the glass skywalk (3 hours), then go to Baijia Rock in the afternoon to visit relics such as Ji Kang's Sword Quenching Pool (1.5 hours) and experience Wei and Jin culture.
Transportation
- Self-driving: From Zhengzhou and Luoyang, take Zheng-Yun Expressway and Jin-Xin Expressway to reach the scenic area directly. The parking fee for small cars in the scenic area is 20 yuan/day, and 30 yuan/day for large vehicles.
- High-speed Railway: Take the Zheng-Jiao intercity railway from Zhengzhou East Station to Xiuwu West Station, then transfer to the scenic area's direct bus (15 yuan/person, every 30 minutes).
- Long-distance Bus: There are direct buses to Yuntai Mountain from Zhengzhou Passenger Transport Terminal and Jiaozuo Tourism Bus Station. The journey from Zhengzhou to Yuntai Mountain is about 2 hours, fare 40 yuan; from Jiaozuo to Yuntai Mountain is 1 hour, fare 15 yuan.
- Internal Transportation: Sightseeing cars must be taken within the scenic area, fare 60 yuan, covering all attractions, with departures every 5-10 minutes.
Must-visit Attractions
- Hongshi Gorge: A 1.4-billion-year geological wonder, representing the Danxia landform in northern China, 2,000 meters long, 68 meters deep, with Yellow Dragon Waterfall dropping 34 meters, constant temperature 15°C.
- Quanpu Gorge: Yuntai Tianpu Waterfall (314 meters), the waterfall with the largest single drop in Asia, 3-kilometer canyon, abundant water in summer, spectacular ice waterfalls in winter.
- Zhuyu Peak: With an altitude of 1,308 meters, this scenic spot is mentioned in Wang Wei's poems of the Tang Dynasty. The hiking trail has 1,667 steps, and the peak offers a panoramic view of surrounding mountains. A glass skywalk hangs on a 1,080-meter cliff.
- Diecai Caves: 14 winding mountain tunnels, 4,831 meters in total length, nearly 1,000 meters drop, admiring mountain wonders by vehicle, feeling the miracle of artificial engineering.
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to spend 1-2 days visiting. One-day tour can choose Hongshi Gorge, Tanpu Gorge, Quanpu Gorge, Zhuyu Peak; two-day tour can deeply experience cultural attractions such as Baijia Rock and Wanshan Temple.
- Summer (July-August) is the period with the largest water volume of Yuntai Tianpu Waterfall. Some attractions may be closed in winter. It is recommended to pay attention to the scenic area's official website.
- The hiking trail to Zhuyu Peak is relatively steep. It is recommended to wear non-slip shoes and carry drinking water. The climbing takes about 2 hours. Those with insufficient physical strength can choose to take the cable car (one-way 70 yuan, round-trip 120 yuan).
- The last sightseeing car time in the scenic area is adjusted according to the season, about 18:00 in the peak season. It is recommended to arrange the return time reasonably to avoid missing the vehicle.
- The glass skywalk requires a separate ticket. Visitors with acrophobia can detour. The skywalk floor is made of transparent glass. It is recommended to wear non-slip shoes.
Notes
- Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area. Protect the natural environment, and swimming is forbidden in canyons such as Hongshi Gorge.
- The trails in Quanpu Gorge and Tanpu Gorge are slippery. It is recommended to wear non-slip shoes. Be extra careful in rainy days, and some sections may freeze in winter, so pay attention to safety.
- Sharp items are prohibited on the glass skywalk of Zhuyu Peak. Running and jumping are forbidden. Visitors with heart disease and hypertension should experience it with caution.
- Sightseeing cars are taken with tickets. Keep the admission ticket and car ticket well, and ticket inspection is required at the entrance of each attraction.
- Catering prices in the scenic area are relatively high. You can bring your own snacks and drinking water. Fast food and snacks are available in the service area.
- Wanshan Temple is a religious site. Keep quiet when visiting, respect Buddhist customs, and comply with regulations in areas where photography is prohibited.