Sigou

Sigou

Sigou features both towering, cloud-piercing peaks and expansive river beach areas. Its primeval forests, glaciers, and earthquake relics remain unchanged from hundreds of millions of years ago, creating a striking contrast with the beautiful pastoral scenery. It is the closest scenic area to Huanglong Valley but offers a completely different experience. In

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Sigou is located approximately 12 kilometers from Huanglong Valley and is a vast ancient glacial valley. The entrance area consists of flat, open alluvial terraces where the quaint mountain town of Huanglong Township is situated.

Pastoral Scenery

Huanglong Township is a small mountain town with distinctive characteristics. Gentle slopes are dotted with patches of pink buckwheat fields, while roadsides are lined with lush green highland barley. Wooden fences follow winding dirt paths that stretch all the way into the distance toward the primeval forests. Tibetan-style stilted houses are scattered picturesquely along the roadside, with wisps of light blue smoke from boiling milk tea and herds of cattle and sheep appearing and disappearing in the mist.

The majority of the township’s residents are Han Chinese who migrated here. Over time, they have developed distinct Tibetan-style features in architecture and diet to adapt to the environment, yet their daily life customs still retain Han traditions, forming a unique local culture. Visitors who come to stay with local farming families are warmly welcomed, and can enjoy butter tea, sip a bowl of highland barley wine, and ride the hosts’ sturdy horses into the mountain pastures—offering a full taste of the region’s pastoral charm.

Geological Relics

The main natural attractions in Sigou are Quaternary glacial relics and primeval forests. The headwaters of the valley consist of uniquely shaped glacial erosion landforms and landscapes formed by recent earthquakes. Enormous collapsed mountain terraces and violently upthrust rock faults are often awe-inspiring sights.

In addition, the valley also contains alpine desert landscapes resembling “Gobi deserts” on the plateau. These are all remnants of the intense Himalayan orogeny from ancient times. It is a paradise for science enthusiasts and adventure seekers.

Forest and Pasture

The watershed area features vast alpine meadow pastures. From the watershed, one can overlook the diverse glacial barrier lakes at the source of Jiuzhaigou and endless stretches of primeval forest. In ancient times, the famous “Long’an Horse Trail” of northwestern Sichuan passed through this area, and as a result, wide horse trails still remain in the valley today. In recent years, many visitors choose to dismount and ride horses or hike into the valley to fully enjoy the natural scenery of the primeval forests and alpine meadow pastures.