[2025 Chongqing Attraction] Travel Guide for Dayuandong National Forest Park (Updated Mar)

This is definitely the most comfortable hiking route I've taken this year! Mountain waterfalls, ancient hanging coffin trails, dense pine forests, and Danxia landform lakes... The whole journey is a breath of fresh air, and it's free with few crowds. It's a perfect choice for gatherings with friends, family outings, or simply taking the kids out for some fun. **📍Address:** Dayuandong National Forest Park, Jiangjin District, Chongqing. It's about a 2-hour drive from downtown Chongqing. The road conditions are excellent, mostly highways. **🌳Unspoiled Hiking Experience:** The park retains a strong sense of natural beauty. The stone-paved roads and plank walkways make hiking easy even for beginners. The Danxia landforms and forest waterfalls complement each other perfectly. As soon as you enter the mountains, you'll be surrounded by lush greenery. Towering ancient trees block out the sun, and the sunlight filters through the leaves, creating a scene straight out of the movie *Twilight*! You might even encounter small squirrels and golden pheasants along the way. The ecosystem is excellent, and the area is rarely visited. **🌲Recommended Hiking Route:** Parking lot → Dayuandong Waterfall → Swan Lake → Tianma Temple → Xiaohuashan → Dagangjiao → Dayuandong Waterfall → Return. The entire route is about 10 km and takes 4-5 hours to complete at a leisurely pace. If you choose to return from Swan Lake, the round trip is about 2-3 hours. The first section has more scenic spots and is suitable for a relaxing hike. **🔹Highlights:** - **Swan Lake:** This emerald-green lake halfway up the mountain has the charm of Jiuzhaigou. In the early morning mist, the lake is shrouded in a mystical atmosphere, making you feel like you're in a fairy tale. - **Dayuandong Waterfall:** Stand under the 30-meter-high waterfall and feel the refreshing spray of cool water! - **Cliffside Ancient Temple:** A partially suspended, dilapidated temple along the way. The mottled stone walls bear inscriptions from ancient times, adding a touch of mystery! **📌Hiking Tips:** 1. **Parking Suggestion:** After arriving at the scenic area parking lot, continue driving for about 1 km to a free small parking lot, which is closer to the trailhead. 2. **Lunch Arrangements:** You can have lunch in Yongxing Town before starting your hike. The lighting after 3 pm is better for taking photos. 3. **Equipment Reminder:** Wear non-slip shoes, as some of the mossy stone-paved roads can be slippery. 4. **Supplies:** There are few supply points along the way, so bring enough snacks and water. 5. **Seasonal Tips:** Take mosquito repellent and sunscreen if visiting in summer. **🏞Bonus on the Way Back:** On your way back, take a detour to Zhongshan Ancient Town to admire the centuries-old stilt houses and taste the local smoked tofu and stone-slab *ciba* (glutinous rice cake). You won't be disappointed!

Dayuandong Scenic Area is a place full of natural charm. Here, rolling hills and lush trees create a verdant tapestry woven by nature. The mysterious and deep Dayuandong Cave seems to hold countless stories waiting to be discovered. Mountain streams flow with crystal-clear water, and oddly shaped rocks line the banks. As you stroll along, you can hear birds singing and feel the gentle breeze. Climb to a higher vantage point, and the entire scenic area unfolds before your eyes, with distant mountain peaks stretching endlessly into the cloud-shrouded distance, resembling a fairyland. Here, you can fully enjoy nature's gifts, relax, and forget the worries of the world. Dayuandong Scenic Area is an excellent place to get close to nature and experience tranquility.

Dayuan Cave National Forest Park not only has rich natural resources but is also an excellent place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. This is a great place for forest hiking, with winding trails and towering trees on both sides. The sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves and sprinkles on the ground, creating a mottled pattern of light and shadow. With every step, you can feel the fresh air and the tranquility of the forest. When night falls, the forest under the starry sky appears especially mysterious, with the sounds of insects and birds weaving into a symphony of nature. In the early morning, I am awakened by the first ray of sunlight, and that peaceful time spent with nature makes me feel incredibly relaxed and joyful. The park is home to a wide variety of plants, making it a paradise for plant lovers. Especially those ancient and huge trees, they have witnessed the changes of the years, and each seems to be telling its own story. Dayuan Cave National Forest Park is a place worth visiting. It not only allows you to completely relax your body and mind but also lets you experience the magic and wonder of nature. If you are looking for a place where you can both hike and enjoy the serene beauty of nature, then this place is definitely not to be missed!

Compared to a clear sky, a rainy trek seems to be able to quickly immerse oneself into the forest and exchange breaths with nature. Every breath is filled with the scent of rain, soil, trees, and grass. 1️⃣ Navigation: Dayuan Cave Hiking Entrance Parking Lot (that's the name, if you see cars parked by the road when you're almost there, just stop as well, it means the parking lot inside is full); 2️⃣ After parking, there are toilets and a small shop; 3️⃣ Today we hiked in light rain, the path was covered with mud and rainwater, but it was not slippery (however, the elderly, children, or those with poor balance should still wear anti-slip shoes and take a walking stick on rainy days); 4️⃣ Be mentally prepared for a very steep long slope right at the entrance; 5️⃣ Although the scenic area has very complete signposts, most places have no network, so it is recommended to download offline maps in advance (but we didn't look at the map today, and it was no problem, the signs are very clear); 6️⃣ The whole journey is about 10km, with an ascent of 500m (apart from the steep long slope at the beginning, there are intermittent climbs later on, but there are many pavilions where you can sit and rest) Every time I give my tired and illusory self to nature without reservation, it always generously returns a hopeful and real self to me It is only when I deeply inhale oxygen that I feel that I am living and not just alive