Khalha Basalt Stone Forest Geopark

Khalha Basalt Stone Forest Geopark

Khalha Basalt Stone Forest Geopark

The Khalha Basalt Stone Forest Geopark is located within Raohe County in the eastern part of Heilongjiang Province.

It lies 61 kilometers due north of the county seat in a straight line. Stretching from northwest to southeast into ridges over a length of 14 kilometers, its highest peak stands at an elevation of 363 meters. "Khalha" is a Manchu word, translated as meaning "tortoise shield." In fact, it generally refers to the tough, thick armor-like layer attached to wild boars, all called Khalha, meaning protective gear, now interpreted as bulletproof clothing. Because this mountain was full of boars with armored hides, bullets and arrows could hardly penetrate them, just as if they were clad in tortoise shields and iron armor.

Since then, this mountain has been called Khalha Mountain. The mountaintop features rocks composed of igneous rock formations that have weathered and fractured due to crustal uplift and subsidence, forming a basalt stone forest landform. Known as Raohe’s Frontier Stone Forest, it stretches over five Chinese miles and is a unique natural wonder within Heilongjiang Province.

In 2005, it was officially approved by the provincial government as a provincial geopark, covering an area of 109 square kilometers. The park consists of the Khalha Basalt Stone Forest, the Naoli River Wetland, the stratigraphic paleontological geological heritage reserve in Dong’an Town, the Longshan Forest Viewing Area, the Mingshan Tun–Qiaoliangdui Folk Camping Area, and the Ussuri River Scenic Area, encompassing 26 scenic spots.

The basalt stone forest exhibits beauty, rarity, uniqueness, typicality, and a complete system.

The Khalha Basalt Stone Forest preserves near-pristine mountain and river scenery, with various mimicry rock landscapes such as dragons coiling around tigers, bears climbing with lions reclining, cliffs standing perilously, Buddhas lying in hidden crevices, and mountain temples emerging from clouds... Its serenity and beauty rival those of famous mountains across the country.

The basalt stone forest was formed on a lava plateau created by volcanic eruptions in the Neogene period. Due to the development of columnar joints during the cooling process of magma, combined with long-term geological actions such as weathering and erosion, it has been sculpted into the diverse stone forest seen today—a unique basalt stone forest landscape in Heilongjiang Province and rarely seen in China.

Basalt forms typical landform landscapes in our province, such as the Wudalianchi and Jingpo Lake volcanoes. However, the Khalha Basalt Stone Forest possesses many distinctive features, such as the Khalha-type landform and well-developed horizontal (columnar) joints, which are unique within the province.

The park enjoys a beautiful natural environment, lush forest vegetation, stable ecological communities, and abundant geological heritage and ecological landscape tourism resources. Moreover, the geological heritage and ecological environment are well-preserved. The park integrates mountains, water, rocks, forests, wetlands, and their biological communities, blending natural and cultural landscapes. It represents a perfect combination of geological heritage and the natural environment, offering high scientific research, aesthetic, and tourism value.

The Khalha Basalt Stone Forest Geopark has a distinct geographical advantage and convenient transportation. It lies on the eastern tourism route of Heilongjiang Province and offers excellent conditions for tourism development. Establishing a provincial geopark can effectively boost local economic prosperity and achieve sustainable development in social, resource, and environmental benefits.

Address: Raohe County, Shuangyashan City, Heilongjiang Province