Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, set up in 1982, is located 32 kilometers (19 miles) from urban Zhangjiajie. With an area of 130 square km, this lustrous scenic pearl consists of several main tourist routes: Huangshi Village, Jinbian Stream, Yaozi Village, Pipa Stream, Shadao Valley, Yuanjiajie and so on.
What about the weather
It belongs to the sub-tropical climate of Central Asia. Splendid mountains and luxuriant trees help form a favorable climate: warm in winter and cool in summer. The charm of the park varies with the alternation of seasons; therefore, it attracts visitors all year round.
The fresh air
Besides its pleasant climate, the environment and air quality also provide visitors a chance to breathe healthy air which is believed to be rich in negative oxygen. It is also believed that hypertension patient may have their blood pressure lowered if they stay in the park for a period of time. This is due to the fact that dust particles in the park are 88% lower and the air 10% mistier than outside.
The crags
Zhangjiajie is peculiar with its crags. 3000 crags rise in various shapes. They are like whips or pillars propping up the sky; or immense eggs piled on an unsteady board; or miniature rockery or curios... Fantastic but actual, dreamy but real! They are not artistic works, but more exquisite than artistic works. One can not help marveling at the acme of perfection of Nature's creation.
The waters
Zhangjiajie is tranquil with its waters. Springs gush out of crevices and brooks flow through the valleys to converge into five streams, four white sand pools, and two tumbling falls. The streams meandering down eastward between reddish rocks and green trees form long scrolls of landscape painting.
The forests
Zhangjiajie is beautiful with its forests. 97.7% of the area is covered with trees. There are tracts of primeval secondary forests, where are reserved a number of rare and valuable trees, flowers, and herbs. The xylophyta alone amounts to 517 species in 93 families, twice as many as that in the whole Europe. Ancient and rare trees are mostly found in the primeval secondary forests, such as ginkgoes, dove trees, Chinese yews, and tulip trees.
The animals
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park also boasts a variety of animals. Exuberant forests offer them ideal habitats to live in and procreate their own species. There are more than 149 kinds of chordate animals inhabitants in this park. Among them, 28 kinds are under national protection, amongst which, are the Golden Pheasant, Rhesus Monkey, Giant Salamander and Musk Deer. Visitors will be able to hear birds singing and see monkeys playing in the tree.
Beauty in rain
It is mysterious and profound when the Park is in misty rain. After rain, the skies clear up and the cloud rolls up and mist rushes down, the peaks seem like losing in the cloud. Yet when the sunshine comes out the sky is high and the clouds are pale. In distance the mountain forest is spotlessly clean. It likes a water and color painting in front of the visitors.
Highlights
The park is known for its unique quartzite formation of hills and its forests, which bring together all the natural wonders of grandeur, strangeness, quiet, wildness and elegance. It really deserves the laudatory title of "Three Thousand Hills and Eight Hundred Ethereal Waters" and "Shrunken Fairyland and Overgrown Bonsai." It consists of the following parts.
Huangshi Village
There's a saying: You'll spoil your trip to Zhangjiajie if you fail to visit Huangshi Village. It is situated in the center part of the park and gets its name from a story that Huang Shi, the master of Zhang Liang, a marquis of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.), once made tablets of immortality here.
It is a great platform of hills, with an altitude of 1,080 meters (3,543 feet) and an area of 0.2 square kilometers (41 acres). It is a good choice of viewpoint to survey the surrounding scenery of the park. The morning sunrise, the hanging clouds and mists and groups of strange hills with evocative names make it seem quite mysterious and bewitching. There are two footpaths in the front and rear as well as a ropeway leading to the top. Huangshi Village is seen as one of the two international golden tourist routes. The other is Jinbian Stream.
Jinbian Stream
Jinbian Stream, situated in the east of the park, gets its name from the eponymous rock. It is a very deep and quiet winding stream where can be seen many green hills and colorful flora and the song of birds can be heard. The 5.7 kilometer (3.5 miles) long stream is one of the most charming features of the scenery of Zhangjiajie. It has been called "the Most Beautiful Valley in the World."
Yaozi Village (Yaozizhai)
Covering around 12 square kilometers (2,965 acres), Yaozizhai is a viewing platform among the central scenic spots of the park that has the greatest area, the longest routes and most attractions. The steep cliffs in the west, east and north of the hills are deep over 300 meters (984 feet). There are also many odd-shaped rocks, trees and valleys, resembling lovers, weapons, snakes, pagodas and others, each having an imaginative striking name. Yaozizhai is always highlighted for its hazards and strangeness and is considered the best choice for exploration, health exercise and relaxation.
Yuanjiajie
Another central viewing platform, Yuanjiajie boasts grand rock hills, deep valleys and verdant forests. The "First Bridge under Heaven," one of the best scenic spots here, is a marvelous place well worth a visit. The bridge, crossing between two hills, is 25 meters (27 yards) long, 2 meters (2.2 yards) wide and 5 meters (5.5 yards) thick. At a height of 357 meters(1,171 feet), it is actually the highest naturally-formed rock bridge in the world.
"Bailong Tianti"
Yuanjiajie is now equipped with an elevator named "Bailong Tianti," which takes less than 2 minutes to climb to the summit. It is 335 meters (1,099 feet) high and is said to be the highest and, quickest sightseeing elevator in the world, with the greatest capacity.