Zhima Ridge Forest Park

Zhima Ridge Forest Park

Zhima Ridge, also known as Zhima Ling, is located in Zhuzhen, Luhe District, Nanjing City, adjacent to Changshan in Laian County, Anhui Province. It serves as a boundary mountain between Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. Surrounded by tens of thousands of acres of forest land, the area is lush with vegetation, tranquil with quiet mountains and dense woods, where various birds and animals roam, presenting a pristine natural landscape. It is a nature reserve shared by both Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. Zhima Ridge is one of the municipal-level scenic spots in Nanjing and serves as an air quality reference zone for Jiangsu Province. The area features large tracts of fruit orchards, pine-scented breezes, and flocks of geese and ducks. There are thousand-year-old Phellodendron trees and century-old chestnut forests, as well as the ruins of “Longquan Temple” and “Guangfo Temple.” The picturesque and pleasant Daquan Reservoir is a rare natural gem that has won the favor of many urban dwellers due to its unique wild charm.

“Boundless paddy fields with egrets in flight, shimmering lake hues stretching as far as the eye can see”—this phrase perfectly describes the metasequoia forest at Zhima Ridge. The so-called paddy fields are actually the Pengjiagang Reservoir, within which lies a grove of metasequoia trees. According to sources, these metasequoias, like those in the nearby Daquan Reservoir, were planted in the 1960s. At that time, drainage technology was underdeveloped, and these low-lying areas were prone to annual waterlogging, making them suitable only for water-resistant tree species. Later, when reservoirs were constructed, the originally planted metasequoias gradually grew into a forest in the water, forming today’s spectacular sight.

In spring, this place becomes a habitat for egrets. Back then, the emerald-green metasequoia branches were covered with tens of thousands of egrets, resembling pear blossoms or drifting snow. On summer mornings or evenings, at the foot of the Zhima Ridge Scenic Area, in the fields and wild grassy lands rich in aquatic plants, flocks of egrets spread their strong wings and glide over the water surface and treetops like airplanes, calling out and chasing each other, creating a vivid and lively “metasequoia-egret forest habitat scene,” which is a paradise for photography enthusiasts.

When autumn arrives, the mountains and fields of Zhima Ridge are covered with poplars, chestnut trees, pagoda trees, and larches in shades of light red and deep yellow. The winding and rugged mountain paths are covered with rustling fallen leaves. Against the backdrop of blue skies and white clouds, the mountain colors are dyed in layers, serene and subdued, opening up one’s mind and heart. The unique metasequoias of Zhima Ridge stand upright in the water, dotted with egrets, offering a serene and ethereal scene that paints a Zen-like picture of “empty mountains with no sign of man” for those long accustomed to city life. The winter scenery of Zhima Ridge’s metasequoias is distinctive and rich in resources, with a vegetation coverage rate of over 98%. Thanks to the well-preserved water bodies and vegetation, the ecological environment is excellent. The 6.67-square-kilometer area centered around the axis from Zhima Ridge to Daquan Reservoir has been designated by the municipal government as a municipal-level scenic spot in Nanjing and named Nanjing Longquan Forest Park by the Municipal Agriculture and Forestry Bureau.

Transportation Guide – Scenic Spot Address: End of Sisan Line, Zhuzhen, Luhe District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province

By Bus: Take a bus from Luhe District bound for Zhuzhen, then transfer to a minibus after arriving in Zhuzhen.