Explore the most popular forest trails in China with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you.
Went on a camping trip with Beijing hikers. Highly recommend as the whole trip was excellent start to finish.
This was a very informative and beautiful experience. It has heavy traffic in areas but opened up on to eating, drinks and craft sales along the way. Learned a lot about Taoism there the guild.
Qingcheng is actually a very heavily trafficked climb up a wide footpath that has manmade stairs. It is a moderate climb that takes you past Daoist and Buddhist shrines and temples. It is one of China's sacred Daoist mountains so it is worth the climb just in light of that, but it is DEFINITELY not for those seeking the solitude and beauty of a virgin forest mountain hike. It is a protected park that will cost you 110 RMB just to enter. Does not mean a person should not go. It is a valued site for its Daoist history. Just be aware, this no backcountry "hike"
Beautiful walk around Changhu! Did this hike with two groups of students--ages 8-18. All of them loved it and did very well throughout the walk.
For a hike in the city more or less it was fantastic. It was snowing the whole time I was there so there were very few people and we felt like it was a different place all together because of that. Very easy hike but nice to get out of the throng.
BEST TRAIL EVER!!!!!!
A hard uphill climb with steps in the park that inspired the scenery for the movie 'Avatar'.
The Great Wall workout.
There is a cable car up to the wall, which is why it is more crowded than other parts of the wall. We chose to walk rather than take the cable car, which saved some money. Regardless, it's a great experience. Bring plenty of water if you plan on going in the summer and wear proper shoes.
Really fun climb, but very tough in the heat, take lots of water! Also the map here says the route is 10km but the route I take is more like 16km. I think thats because whoever made the map took the cable car half way up.
Interesting historic church on the hill and certainly worth a look. A relatively easy hike to the top but very crowded on the weekends. Views over Songjiang district are hampered by pollution. Visit the Observatory on the hill...gives an insight into how the Chinese contributed to astromomy and the information is in English. Well worth a visit
I had a free morning, while in Minhang District of Shanghai. Rather than wait around in my hotel for my colleagues to pick me up for afternoon meetings, I decided to find someplace with a bit of green. The area of Minhang where this trail network is located, is truly an unsightly, urban area of soulless light industrial complexes and streets full of heavy traffic. I found this green zone by looking at local maps. It was a considerable walk in the sweltering humidity of this Shanghai summer morning, but it was well worth the effort.
At first, I was truly amazed that I had been frequently visiting Minhang for a decade, and had never heard of this wetland area. But then some locals explained to me that it was a new nature development area that has not been open very long. In any case, the water flowers in the lake gardens are AWESOME! They were impossibly beautiful! The trails surrounding the lake are also topnotch. They are spotless, with full-time caretakers managing them. There is a nice balance between lakeside paths, wooden walkways, and forest paths that meander through lush forests and across streams and bridges.
There is an interesting network of trails that weave through this lovely green area, so that one could spend the better part of an afternoon walking them. I would guess that there are probably 3 miles or so of linear trails in the network. Although this is probably not a destination for a serious hiker looking for intercourse with primal nature, it is certainly a nice walk for anyone in the area, and worth a visit.
I clocked 7.9 miles on my pedometer roundtrip to my hotel, and dripping wet with sweat and humidity by the time I got back. I smiled for the rest of the day, and kept thinking about the beautiful flowers during my boring afternoon meetings.
I was visiting Beijing for work, and decided to take some friends to visit the Great Wall. Badaling is almost always filled with tourists, so we went to Mutianyu. Our visit was timed for the finish of three days of solid rain. The sky was incredibly clear, impossibly clear for those who are familiar with the typical pollution levels in north China. We went early in the morning, so there were very few people. We had an outstanding hike along the wall, and I must confess, the steep stairs utterly tortured my legs. I am standing in the airport as I write this review, and days later, my thighs and calves are still stiff. This is a great place to visit, if you are in north China, and a great place for a hike in China.
I have hiked Mutianyu a few times over the years, and it never gets boring.
Nice walk in the bamboo words but I would rate this trail as super easy. If you're looking for a workout, then you will need to go up and down a few times.
Also, if you're coming from Shanghai, it really is out in the middle of nowhere. There is 郊区, but this area was full fledged 农村。 So be prepared to get your taxi driver to wait for you so you have a ride back. Otherwise, you will likely need to take a "black car" or potentially a bus to the subway station to get back into town. If you do see a legitimate taxi, it will be a local 松江 taxi and they wont take you out of town. By car, it is about 1-1.5 hrs outside of Shanghai. I didn't go the train option, but google estimated that at around 2-2.5 hours which sounds about right. You will need to change lines from #9 line coming back into town. This is not a long distance to travel for a great hike, but this was by no means a great hike.
Temple was ok. Nothing spectacular here.
Sheshan Forest Park is a nice place for a quick escape from the city. The trail / path is paved. There are stairs in many places. Expect an invigorating walk up the hill and back. It can get a bit crowded on weekends, but relative to the rest of Shanghai, it is peaceful on the busiest of days. There are some forests, flowers, relatively fresh air, nice views, and a historical church at the top of the hill.
Firstly, let me say up front, that this is not a hiking / adventure destination that you should go too far out of your way to see. Before you hop on an airplane to fly around the world, make sure to line up a more significant target destination. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Tianmashan, why not climb up the mountain to see what you can see?
If you are tired of being in the big city, here is a place in the greater Shanghai area, where you can commune with nature. There is a paved trail, with stairs in places, that goes up to the top of the hill, where there is an ancient leaning tower. I would estimate that there are at least 3-4 miles of trails that meander about. There are lovely forests and nice views of the surrounding countryside. At the base of the hill, in the surrounding villages, there are lots of small, country restaurants where you can get some tasty local food. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, this is a perfect place to go for a day trip.
This is one of the best hiking in Shenzhen. It is close to the city and offers unbeatable view to Shenzhen and Hongkong.
This trail is rather easy. One can say there is nothing spetacular about it. However, the waterfalls and the ponds in the area make the trip worthwhile. Beijing lacks wather and waterfalls.
The road is paved. Be sure to have sun block if you hike during the day. It gets cooler at the top of the mountain. Take thicker coat if you stay over night. Camp is allowed near Tianci area.
This route is the classical route in huizhou peninsula. Natural elements,marine life,long sandy beaches,historical relics,and great seafood.