Wenhai is a large area of wetland near Lijiang, it is located on the southern slope of Yulong (Jade Dragon) snow mountain and it is a part of the Lashihai provincial level Alpine Wetlands Nature Reserve.
The elevation at Wenhai is 3,100 meters. The Wenhai area is an ideal location for visitors to explore and learn about northwestern Yunnan's dramatic grological formations and rich biodiversity.
The unique climate and soil in the area nourished a variety of vegetative covers and plant species. Including old-growth forests, shrubs and meadows. There are also unique wild flowers that bloom all four seasons. Including over twenty species of rhododendrons.
Wenhai is also home to a variety of economically viable mushrooms and precious medicinal herbs.
Wenhai trekking trails
There are many route choices to reach Wenhai from the Lijiang old town ,the distance is between 20 to 25 kilometers long. On each of the route, you can ride in a car for some distance, and the rest of the distance you can hike or horse-back ride up to Wenhai are mostly uphills. The elevation rises fron 2,400 meters in Lijiang to 3,100 meters in Wenhai are meters im Wenhai. Beginning the hike from Yuhu or Longquan (a.k.a. Shuhe),most visitors take about 4 hours to get to Wenhai.
There is a variety of extraordinary scenery aling the hiking trail to Wenhai, and with the exception of a few places, the vegetative covers of the area are mostly intake. On a good day, you can view from the various scenic look-out points the widely-spread Lijiang basin below or the towering Jade Dragon snow Mountain above. The various rhododendron shrubs and plants around Wenhai provide great opportunities for visitors to relax, enjoy and learn in the area.
The trails from Yuhu and Longquan (Shuhe) to Wenhai have been improved to ensure basic safety along the trail, completed with simple signage. Therefore, these trails are suitable for independent hikers who have experience in wilderness treks. Other trails marked on this map have interpretive signs at the trailheads, however the trails have not been improved and lack signage along the way. For visitors who are interested in trekking these unmarked trails, we recommend that you hire local guides to ensure reaching Wenhai safely and timely.