Beijing Hiking - Yudu Mountain, the Altay of Beijing's Suburbs

🚗Transportation: ✔ Self-driving is more convenient, with free parking available. ✔ Location: Yudu Mountain Scenic Area. ✔ Note: From the south gate of Yudu Mountain Scenic Area to the mountain scenic area, there is a 9.5-kilometer winding mountain road with narrow paths and many sharp turns—drive slowly! Route: We followed a loop trail from the Two-Step Road app, approximately 8.25 km long. Due to some detours and repeated sections, we ended up hiking 10.25 km in total, taking about 4 hours. Difficulty: Beginner-friendly, perfect for a weekend leisure hike. Temperature: 22-27°C. 🏞 Recommended hiking-only route (no camping): ✔ Streams and Bridges Park your car at the innermost Parking Lot 1 🅿️. Walk along the asphalt road for less than 10 minutes to reach the Central Square. Turn left (north) into the dense forest, where you'll follow a clear, babbling stream—very refreshing! The main route includes Heyi Waterfall → Forest Bagua → Three-Spring Jade Falls. Kids can play in the water, catch fish, and enjoy chilled watermelon 🍉. Heyi Waterfall is a great photo spot—sit by the falls and enjoy the natural "air conditioning." Retrace your steps from Three-Spring Jade Falls back to the Central Square, then head south to the West Lakeside Trail sign to enter the forest again, leading to Forget-Worry Lake. ✔ Forget-Worry Lake A 20-minute walk brings you to the lakeshore. Stroll along the West Lakeside Boardwalk to the red pavilion at the end. The lake water is green and not very clean, but the flowers and trees along the boardwalk add charm. ✔ Alpine Meadow After exiting the red pavilion, you'll see three paths—take the middle uphill trail to reach the Alpine Meadow entrance. This spot is incredibly photogenic, almost surreal for Beijing, with great lighting for pictures (though it may be crowded on weekends, with some campers). From Parking Lot 2, it's a 5-minute walk back to Parking Lot 1 to wrap up your trip. 💴 Tickets: Adult ticket: 60 RMB | Student ticket: 30 RMB