Nanhuang Ancient Trail Hike: Who tricked me into going?

**🍂 Nanhuang Ancient Trail | Step on millennia of fallen leaves to discover the most touching autumn colors of eastern Zhejiang** **——An ancient trail paved with gold, a hiking trip through the Tang and Song dynasties.** --- ### **🌄 Morning Light · The Ancient Trail Awakens** When the first ray of sunlight penetrates the branches of the ancient maple trees, the Nanhuang Ancient Trail awakens. The morning mist still lingers in the curves of the **Huangtan Terraces**. Climbing up the steps, you'll find **12 kilometers** of soft fallen leaves under your feet, and a symphony of streams and birdsong in your ears. Choose a **century-old maple** branch as a walking stick, and imitate the ancients' "autumn stroll," with each step making a crisp autumn sound. **📸 Recommended Experiences** ✔ Drink wild tea boiled with mountain spring water at the old site of **Jigong Temple** ✔ Wait at **Longtan Waterfall** to watch the sunlight turn the water droplets into gold leaf --- ### **🛤 Afternoon · Wrinkles of Time** When you reach **Tonghai Gate**, you'll step into a post station from the Tang and Song dynasties. The remaining stone gate still bears the marks worn by salt porters in those years. Sit on the gnarled roots of the **Maple King** and nibble on a wheat cake. When a gust of wind passes, the red and yellow leaves flutter like colorful butterflies all over your shoulders. When passing **Lantian Lake**, remember to shout at the mirror-like lake surface—the echo will startle the egrets in the reed bushes. **📸 Recommended Experiences** ✔ Find the **cliff carvings** among the moss and guess the messages left by the ancients ✔ Take a break at **Tianchi Tea House** and drink a cup of freshly roasted cloud tea --- ### **🌇 Dusk · Whispers of the Mountain Spirits** When the setting sun gilds the rammed earth walls of **Dafan Village**, red peppers and corn cobs hold a colorful feast in the bamboo sieves for drying crops. Follow the old people carrying firewood home into the **courtyard homestay**, where the potatoes simmering in the stove are mixed with the fragrance of firewood. After nightfall, if you hear rustling in the forest—don't be afraid, it's the mountain wind turning the millennia-old ledger of fallen leaves. **📸 Recommended Experiences** ✔ Stay in the **Cloud Abode**, where you can see the galaxy falling into the terraces when you open the window ✔ Come before the Frost's Descent to encounter the visual impact of the "**Ten Miles of Red Maples**" --- **🎒 Travel Tips** 📍 **Coordinates**: Nanping Township, Tiantai County, Taizhou City (2.5 hrs drive from Hangzhou) 📅 **Best Time**: Late October to early December (short period for red leaves!) 🥾 **Equipment**: Non-slip hiking shoes, thermos (few supply points along the way) 📜 **Hidden Story**: Bring a copy of "The Travels of Xu Xiake" and find the contrast between the past and present of "Twenty Li Cloud Pass" --- **"Every red leaf here, is a postmark stamped by the years. Every step you take, is opening a letter sent from the Tang Dynasty."** ——The ancient trail is warm-hearted, waiting for those who know autumn