Three Pools: White Dragon Lake

Three Pools: White Dragon Lake

White Dragon Lake (Three Pools), with an area of 21.5 square kilometers during the wet season, reaches a maximum depth of over 36 meters. The vast expanse of water reflects 14 volcanoes, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

White Dragon Lake is an important “geological boundary lake.” Its western shore features recent volcanic lava landforms, while the eastern shore showcases ancient siltstone formations. These two shores span hundreds of millions of years, offering contrasting landscapes—truly “one lake, two scenes.” White Dragon Lake is also a legendary lake in folklore: it holds mysteries such as the lake monster, hidden rivers, ice fractures, and golden sands at the bottom. It is also the setting for tales of black and white dragons, the Clam City story, and the mythology of the Fairy of the Connected Lakes.

At White Dragon Lake, visitors can take a boat to admire the scenic lakeshore. The deep blue waters reflect the blue sky and white clouds, clear to the very heart. Upon reaching the opposite shore, you can also explore the overturned volcanic rocks, lava eggs, and stacked lava formations beneath the Huoshao Mountain—these rugged, layered structures are strikingly lifelike.

White Dragon Lake is also a great place to watch the sunrise or sunset, especially perfect for spending a tranquil evening. A lakeside sunset is truly majestic. Start by taking a sightseeing vehicle to the wooden boardwalk through the lava wetlands by the lake to take in the scenery—lush trees, lava formations, shimmering lake, and surrounding mountains.

“Famous mountains form a painted screen, with a string of five clear lakes like pearls,” these two lines of poetry praising the Five Connected Lakes bring the beautiful landscape of the Five Connected Lakes vividly to life.

The Five Connected Lakes consist of five pearl-like, interlinked lakes. They were formed when lava flows from volcanic eruptions dammed the ancient Bai River, creating five lakes arranged in sequence. Covering a total area of over 40 square kilometers and storing 170 million cubic meters of water during the wet season, they are the second-largest volcanic barrier lake in China.

The Five Connected Lakes offer stunning lake-and-mountain views and are a key sightseeing area of the volcanic geopark. Most of the five lakes have lava beds and rocky shores inlaid with peculiar stones. The water is crystal-clear and transparent, allowing fish swimming beneath to be clearly seen.

The Five Connected Lakes are a mysterious body of water with no clear source. Between the five blue lakes, surface channels and peculiar underground rivers connect them intricately. The lake water is rich in mineral springs, highly magnetized, fertile, oxygenated, and teeming with aquatic plants—making it ideal for various fish species. It is abundant in over ten types of precious cold-water mineral fish such as carp, crucian carp, silver carp, catfish, grass carp, and catfish-like species, as well as various river shellfish. Rich in trace elements beneficial to health, the fish have particularly delicious meat, significantly superior to ordinary freshwater fish.

While boating and enjoying the scenery, you can also savor delicious food, fully immersing yourself in the feeling of “a boat sailing on the water, as if traveling through a painting.”

The Five Connected Lakes

Fourth Pool: Crane Lake

Fifth Pool: Ruyi Lake

First Pool: Lotus Lake

Second Pool: Yanshan Lake