Zulongxi Grand Canyon

Zulongxi Grand Canyon

Zulongxi Grand Canyon is located in Hongshilin Town, Guzhang County, Hunan Province, facing Wangcun across the river. The scenic features of Zulongxi can be summarized in ten words: wondrous, hidden, delicate, ingenious, serene, vast, thrilling, perilous, comprehensive, and ancient. Its geographical characteristics include towering cliffs, deep canyons, pits connected to caves, streams linked to grottoes, large caves interconnected with smaller ones, and passages running through each other.

The Zulongxi Grand Canyon stretches approximately 6,500 meters in total length, formed over time by wind and water erosion. The deepest part of the canyon has a drop of more than 300 meters, while the narrowest section is so tight that only one person can pass through at a time. Waterfalls cascade down from the sheer cliffs, resembling a celestial Milky Way hanging in the air. Descending from the mountaintops on either side of the canyon to the valley floor, visitors are greeted by dense forests and ancient vines, an awe-inspiring sight. Meanwhile, the steep, rugged cliff paths are treacherous and nerve-wracking to navigate. Due to the depth of the canyon and the density of the foliage, many areas remain shrouded in darkness year-round. Even in the height of summer, a chill can be felt here. With its sheer cliffs and numerous deep pools, no one has yet managed to traverse this extraordinary canyon in its entirety. Along the developed sections, visitors must grip iron chains embedded in the rocks with both hands, clinging tightly to the cliff face like geckos as they carefully climb forward.

Zulongxi boasts China’s first specialized tourist trail. All pathways are built deep within the canyon, following the contours of the mountain, meticulously crafted yet looking entirely natural. The rustic chestnut wood boardwalks allow you to get up close to the emerald pools and listen to the murmuring mountain springs. Delicate stepping stones let you playfully interact with flowing streams and feel the spray of waterfalls. Natural stone steps require you to engage your full physical and mental energy to carefully climb, immersing yourself in the essence of the canyon. Thrilling yet safe iron staircases let you experience a rush of adrenaline as you hear the roaring waters below, finding a sense of exhilaration amid the suspense.

Zulongxi features streams, pools, and waterfalls. In spring and summer, the water levels rise sharply, concealing the canyon floor, and after the waters recede, the sound of rushing currents and splashing waves echoes loudly. In autumn and winter, when the water level drops and the rocks emerge, the streams meander in graceful curves. The pools in the canyon vary—some are dark and unfathomably deep, some are clear enough to see fish swimming with visible scales, some stretch several meters wide, and others are as narrow as two feet. The waterfalls range from those that plunge from sheer cliffs like a celestial river hanging in the sky, to those that cascade down from above the canyon with fierce momentum, to those dozens of meters wide that resemble curtains or screens, and others just a foot wide that look like silk threads.

Hongshilin Town: Hongshilin Town is a newly established town formed in late 2005 after the administrative division adjustment, merging the former Hexi Town and Qiatong Township, and named after the national geopark “Hongshilin.” Located in the northwest of Guzhang County, Hongshilin Town borders Luoyixi Town to the east, Shuangxi Township to the south, Duanlongshan Township to the west, and faces Yongshun County across the river to the north.

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Transportation

Provincial Highway S229 runs through the town, the county road Guba Highway traverses the entire area, and the You River flows around it, providing extremely convenient land and water transportation.

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Population

The town covers a land area of 103.89 square kilometers (… More detailed information about Hongshilin Town++)