Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park

Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park

Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park is a cultural tourism attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Destination Introduction

The Great Wall is undoubtedly one of Beijing’s iconic tourist symbols, with well-known sections such as Badaling, Mutianyu, and Simatai enjoying worldwide fame. However, scenic areas that feature the original, largely unrestored remains of the Great Wall are rare. On August 8, the Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park, located near the Miyun Reservoir, officially opened. In addition, the park has built the leisure-oriented Lillin Resort Villa and launched the nearby Wangzhuang Folk Village, offering Beijing residents an excellent destination for sightseeing, relaxation, and experiencing local culture.

The Stone Fortress

The entrance gate of the Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park is quite distinctive, with an imposing structure and guards standing upright beside it, saluting vehicles entering—giving it a rather official feel. It turns out this ruins park was actually a supported project by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Wangzhuang Village, Shicheng Town, Miyun. As a result, the entire scenic area was developed under the guidance of CASS experts, with modern design concepts integrated throughout. Management is highly standardized, and even the guards at the gate were assigned from within the institution.

Entering the park and turning right, you’ll soon reach the ticket office after passing the parking lot. Turning left behind the ticket office takes you into the mountain. After climbing just a short flight of stairs for around ten minutes, you’ll arrive at the first watchtower in the park—Sandao Bian Tower. This section of the Great Wall may not be as broad and solid as those at Badaling or Juyongguan, yet it still carries a majestic presence. The wall isn’t built with the familiar bricks but instead with raw, angular stones stacked together. The white stone slabs and scattered patches of thatch reflect the passage of time and affirm historians’ claims that “the Great Wall was built using locally sourced materials.” In technical terms, this is referred to as a “wall primarily built with mountain stones and filled with rammed earth.” Thus, the upper parts, long neglected, have aged with a certain rugged charm, while the lower sections remain intact, winding through the valleys and blending seamlessly with the landscape. This stretch of the wall is only about three to four meters wide and five to six meters high, but due to the steep terrain, the natural barriers alone are quite intimidating. The watchtower here gives off a sense of rising abruptly from the ground. Though not very large, it feels more like a fortress. Standing atop it, the views on either side aren’t as distinctly divided between inside and outside the frontier as at Badaling. Instead, everything is lush green, with only a faint hint of blue visible toward the Miyun Reservoir. Gazing at the water from the wall—this is a key difference that sets Yunmeng Mountain’s Great Wall apart from other mighty passes.

There are a total of four watchtowers in the park, with the fourth marking the end of the main trail. But don’t assume that walking the Great Wall here simply means going from one tower to the next. There are multiple route combinations, and visitors can explore without backtracking—each tower offers its own unique experience.

The Mountain of Harmony

If you’re tired by the time you reach Sandao Bian Tower, or if time is limited, you can return via the “First Loop.” Alternatively, if you climb for another ten minutes or so to the second watchtower, “General Tower,” you can take the “Second Loop” back. Both loops are thoughtfully designed walking paths (the “Second Loop” was once part of the “People’s Commune Road”), and though they have some rugged stretches, hiking along the dirt trails is quite enjoyable. However, climbing just these two towers won’t give you the full sense of harmony between the mountain and the wall.

Starting from General Tower, you can choose the path to the right of the Great Wall. Along this route, you’ll encounter natural wonders such as “General Cliff,” “Golden Turtle Peeking Out,” “Chair Rock,” and “Crouching Tiger Rock.” After resting in the leisure area, continue on as the sound of water grows louder—soon you’ll arrive at “Eighteen Pools.” Coming across pools of water halfway up the mountain feels somewhat abrupt. Walking further east along this path, you’ll discover remnants of the Northern Qi Dynasty Great Wall. The rugged edges here remind you it has endured a thousand years of wind and rain. From the Northern Qi wall, head toward the third watchtower, “Square Tower.” After passing “Longevity Rock,” you’ll enter a stretch called the “Chestnut Forest Valley,” where ancient trees stand densely, creating an exceptionally serene atmosphere. The *Qingxi Zhuang Ji* (Record of Qingxi Village) once described this place: “A gentle breeze drifts down from the sky, and the pine waves carry the fragrance. Chestnut forests stretch as far as the eye can see, all centuries-old.” Navigating through the valley, you’ll pass through Xiushen Gate and One-Line Sky, and eventually discover an ancient quarry—the very source of the stones used to build the wall. Climb the ladder up to “Tongtian Stone,” and you’ll finally reach the fourth watchtower, the “Beacon Tower.” Gazing out at the vastness of the Miyun Reservoir with the mountain breeze in your face is nothing short of bliss. And on the way back, there are plenty more surprises in store.

Once you descend, a sturdy Dragon Gate Cypress tree comes into view. Passing by “Fan Shi Stone,” you’ll find a large hazelnut forest. When the fruit ripens, picking wild hazelnuts here would be a fantastic experience. Further along, you’ll see many relics from the Ming Dynasty military garrisons, including old barracks and stone mills—sights rarely seen at other Great Wall sites.

The reason why the mountain landscapes are designed so cohesively and harmoniously is that the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Service Bureau established principles such as “sustainable development” and “sustainable heritage protection and utilization” during the park’s development. These principles are reflected in many details—for instance, visitors are not allowed to climb on the Great Wall ruins themselves; walking paths are designed to run beneath the walls. Transportation Information

One route follows the traditional path: take the Jing-Shun Road, turn at the Kuliu Tree Roundabout toward Huairou and Miyun, then after reaching Miyun, turn left at the intersection leading to the Miyun Reservoir along the Bai River. Continue for about ten kilometers, then turn left onto the Lakeside Road and follow the western route. After driving about ten kilometers into the mountains, you’ll arrive at the Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall Ruins Park.

The second route is to turn right at the Kuliu Tree Roundabout toward Shunyi. After passing the iconic Yanjing Bridge in Shunyi, continue for about two kilometers, cross a rainbow bridge, and then turn left when you see signs for Miyun—you’ll be on the Shunmi Road. Though not wide, this road has little traffic. Traveling 29 kilometers along Shunmi Road will take you to Miyun.

Address: Wangzhuang Village, Shicheng Town, Miyun District, Beijing (near the Miyun Reservoir)

Type: Mountain & Historical Site

Opening Hours:

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Closed from November to March.

Ticket:

Ticket: 22 RMB

Wangzhuang Village: In 2007, New Wangzhuang Village enhanced infrastructure and environmental improvements according to local conditions. They paved 3,000 square meters of village streets, improving transportation; built a 2,600-square-meter fitness park for leisure and exercise; constructed 200 meters of flower walls, landscaped and greened 3,500 square meters of the village, and renovated 130 households with non-polluting toilets. The village promoted clean energy use, achieving a 95% liquefied gas usage rate and 98% solar energy adoption, significantly improving living standards. That year, the per capita... Detailed information on Wangzhuang Village++