Xishui National Forest Park

Xishui National Forest Park

Xishui National Forest Park is a national-level forest park.

Xishui National Forest Park

Xishui National Forest Park is located in Guizhou Province

Zunyi City

Xishui County. The park sits at an elevation of 1,000–3,000 meters, covering a total area of 14,027.46 hectares, and consists of three geographically disconnected sections. Among them, the China Fir King section is located 8 kilometers north of the county town, spanning an area of 3,702.35 hectares; the Flying Pigeon and Sanchahe sections are situated in the northwest of the county, bordering the Jiangjin Simian Mountain National Key Scenic Area in Chongqing, about 50 kilometers from the county town, with areas of 4,701.24 hectares and 5,623.87 hectares respectively. The park lies in the transition zone from the northwestern slope of the Dalou Mountain Range to the southern edge of the Sichuan Basin, characterized by intensely eroded mid-mountain gorges, where Danxia landforms are typically well-developed. Although located in the mid-subtropical zone, the area features significant topographic relief and large elevation differences, dense forests, and a distinct vertical climate.

The park boasts layered red cliffs, hanging waterfalls, lush forests, and bamboo groves. From its heights, one can gaze upon mountain ranges that stretch like an ocean — a true haven of pristine ecology. Highlights include the China Fir King, an 800-year-old natural treasure; the Yuan Cave Valley, a primeval destination for scientific exploration and adventure; the unique Danxia plateau riverbed scenic corridor known as the “Water Highway”; and the historic battlefields where the Red Army fought during the Four Crossings of the Chishui River in the Long March.

The park originated from the Xiaqiao Forest Farm, Flying Pigeon Forest Farm, and Sanchahe Forest Management Station. In 1995, when the Xishui Nature Reserve was established, the Sanchahe Management Station became its experimental zone. In 1996, the Zunyi Forestry Bureau approved the establishment of the municipal-level Flying Pigeon Forest Park. In 2001, the Guizhou Provincial Forestry Department designated the China Fir King and Flying Pigeon areas as provincial-level forest parks. By 2003, with approval from the National Forestry Administration, it was promoted to a national-level forest park. It has become an ecological tourism destination on Guizhou’s northern route, rivaling Chishui, and is also one of the eight core national-level tourism brands within the “Sichuan-Guizhou-Chongqing Eco-Tourism Triangle” at the junction of southern Sichuan, northern Guizhou, and southwestern Chongqing.

The Flying Pigeon section of the forest park features landform scenic resources primarily composed of various Danxia formations, including cliffs, V-shaped gorges, iconic boulders, and plateau riverbeds. The exposed rock layers belong to the Cretaceous Jiading Group, which consists of fluvial flood deposits. The rock types are brick-red to bright red, medium to thick-bedded, blocky feldspar quartz sandstones interbedded with purplish-red mudstones. About 1 kilometer northwest of Zhaimen, along a 1-meter-wide water channel, there is a roughly 4-meter-thick layer of conglomerate composed of gravel and cemented material. The layer is dark brownish-black, with gravel making up 75% of its content. The well-rounded gravel is oval-shaped, smooth-surfaced, striped, and colored, containing thin veins of other minerals that form colorful patterns. The gravel size ranges from 40–90 mm, with some reaching up to 160 mm. The hardness is 6–7, and the texture is dense. This rock type has been preliminarily named “Flying Pigeon Stone,” which holds considerable ornamental and development value. The geological structure lies at the southern edge of the Sichuan Platform Depression on the Yangtze Platform. The rock layers dip slightly northward at a very low angle, almost horizontal. The terrain forms the eastern part of the strongly eroded tableland mid-mountain gorge area in northern Xishui. The mountain ridges run in a NW–SE direction, and the valleys are sinuous, varying in width. A small river has carved a flat, uplifted plateau riverbed through the brick-red sandstone, stretching 4 kilometers — creating a one-of-a-kind “Water Highway.” The highest elevation is 1,551.7 meters, the lowest is 1,170 meters, with a relative height difference of 380 meters.

Mountain Landforms: The China Fir King section features the strongly eroded mid-mountain gorges of northern Xishui. The main mountain range trends NEE–SWW, with an average elevation of 1,300–1,400 meters. The highest point is Hongyan Summit at 1,756 meters, and the lowest is in the Shikan River Gully at 800 meters, resulting in a relative elevation difference of 950 meters. The secondary mountain ranges — including Hongyan Summit, Laomiao Summit, Guoquan Rock, Longtang, and Shiziping — form the watershed between the Xishui River and Changqiangou. The exposed strata are from the Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The Upper Jurassic is distributed in the southern part of the China Fir King section, particularly in Taiping Village and the China Fir King scenic area, covering 7.7% of the total area, and consists of meandering river and floodplain sedimentary deposits. The Cretaceous Jiading Group is widely distributed, covering 92.7% of the area, and features fluvial flood deposits, with rock types being red, purple sandstones, siltstones, and feldspar quartz sandstones. Due to alternating crustal uplift and stability, as well as overlapping processes of cutting erosion and lateral erosion, the area has formed unique Danxia landforms such as gently sloping mesa mountains, cuesta hills, open valleys, lounge-like gullies, V-shaped gorges, iconic boulders, isolated Danxia peaks, collapsed stone forests, and plateau riverbeds.

Notable features include the Horseshoe-shaped Danxia Cliff of Yuan Cave Gully, where towering, steep, and peculiar cliffs form a wide valley with multiple cascading waterfalls and drops. The gentle and broad valley houses dense, pristine forests, along with formations such as Five Immortals Peak, Broken Mountain, and Mother-and-Son Peak

(also known as Lovers’ Peak), and Shikan River Valley, all of which showcase concentrated Danxia cliff landforms. In short, due to intense crustal uplift, strong erosion, and well-developed vertical rock joints, the area features deep valleys, red cliffs, and numerous striking Danxia formations.

On the cliffs where isolated peaks stand densely, massive boulders jut out from slopes and ravines. Horseshoe-shaped cliffs hang midway down the mountainsides, while layered cave openings resemble eaves. The Danxia scenery here is uniquely spectacular, diverse, and magnificent.

The mountains mostly take the form of mesa plateaus and gently sloping cuesta hills. Due to the influence of mild folding structures and intense river erosion, they generally feature flat mountaintops, steep slopes, and indistinct main ridge orientations. There are abundant gorges, cliffs, caves, rock peaks, pillars, chair-like hanging valleys, and iconic boulders. Major formations include Moon Rock, Monkey Blood Rock, Great Gate, Guoquan Rock, Chenjia Rock, Hanging Square Rock, Butterfly Rock, Dripping Water Rock, Swallow Stone, Flying Immortal Stone, Bigelow Rock, Xuegong Rock, Pillar of Heaven, Ghost Valley, Twin Elders Stone, Rhino Entering Pool, Deer Looks Back, and Eagle Rock. These three sections are densely packed with uniquely shaped, youthful Danxia landforms that encompass nearly all known types in China, making it a veritable “Danxia Grand View Garden.” Coupled with the extensive broadleaf forest cover and well-developed streams, the area forms a comprehensive natural landscape complex of Danxia mountains, waters, and forests that embodies grandeur, wonder, serenity, beauty, and danger.