Underground Ice River

Underground Ice River

The Underground Ice River is situated on the northwest side of Dongjiaodebu Mountain. It is a frost- and snow-covered ice cave, with a subterranean ice river at its bottom that formed tens of thousands of years ago. A section of 380 meters has been opened to visitors, while 150 meters are reserved for exploration. The cave maintains a constant temperature of -5°C throughout the year, featuring completely natural landscapes that are perfect for adventurers. The floor of the cave slopes gently and is covered with smooth, mirror-like ice, while the walls are adorned with stunning frost flowers. At the end of the cave, there are two towering stone pillars resembling large banyan trees. It is currently the longest discovered volcanic underground lava tunnel in China. The speckled cave walls feature jagged lava stalactites and various intriguing stone wall carvings hanging from above.

The surface above the cave is covered with trees. Due to the cave’s considerable length and numerous turns, as well as the thick layer of ice covering its floor—resembling a hidden river beneath the ground—it is called the Underground Ice River. Descending through an artificially constructed entrance passage leads to the mouth of the lava cave. The cave entrance is 1.4 meters high and 2 meters wide, requiring visitors to bend down to enter. Once inside, you’ll find a spacious chamber oriented at 335 degrees northwest, measuring 10 meters in width and about 2.0–2.5 meters in height, with an icy floor. Moving forward, there is a 5-meter-long ice slope inclined at 35 degrees. Descending this slope, the cave ceiling rises, and the ice slope on the floor becomes gentler, at 10 to 13 degrees. After several turns, the slope levels out to around 5 degrees. The cave generally spans 8–10 meters in width and 2–3 meters in height. At a depth of 213 meters, the cave widens significantly, reaching up to 20 meters in the broadest section and nearly 4 meters in height, forming a large hall with an area of 370 square meters. In the center of the hall, two robust rock columns rise all the way to the ceiling. Beyond the hall, the cave turns northwest at 325 degrees, and the slope of the cave floor becomes more gradual. After passing through two more turns, you reach the top end of the cave. The final section of the cave has no ice on the floor but features deposits of soil. The maximum thickness of the rock layer covering the cave is over 30 meters, and the elevation difference from the entrance to the end of the cave reaches 20 meters.

The cave has numerous fissures, and parts of the ceiling and walls have collapsed, resulting in scattered rocks frequently found on the cave floor. In sections where the ceiling and walls are intact, the cross-sections are arched and feature jagged lava stalactites, with frost flowers also present on the ceiling and walls. The cave remains undamaged and retains its pristine, original state.