Huama Temple National Forest Park

Huama Temple National Forest Park

Huama Temple National Forest Park is a cultural tourism attraction and a national-level forest park.

Huama Temple National Forest Park

Huama Temple National Forest Park is located within Yanchi County and was established in December 2002 with approval from the State Forestry Administration. The park borders Dingbian County of Shaanxi to the east, Huan County of Gansu to the south, and Qianqi of Inner Mongolia to the north, and is 120 kilometers away from the capital city Yinchuan. Covering a total area of 5,000 hectares, it comprises three scenic areas: Chengnan, Habahu, and Camel Well. The park enjoys a unique geographical location, abundant natural resources, and distinctive cultural landscapes. It is characterized primarily by biodiversity, the wonders of the desert, wetlands, and lakes, making it a high-quality national forest park that integrates ecology, science education, adventure, leisure, and summer retreat.

Within Huama Temple National Forest Park, mountains, sand dunes, and water blend harmoniously. The area features lush forests, majestic sandy hills, vast grasslands, soft and expansive sandy beaches, and crystal-clear blue lakes, offering picturesque and magnificent scenery. The park gathers a collection of shrub thickets, forest bathing areas, birdsong-filled woods, grassland charm, golden sandy hills, serene winding paths ideal for exploration, as well as moist wetlands. Often, lakes mirror the sky, and ancient towering trees have witnessed the passage of time. Visitors can experience the grandeur of nature while sightseeing, entertaining, and relaxing.

The park hosts 315 species of wild vascular plants from 169 genera and 54 families, and 180 species of animals from 50 families across 25 orders, earning it the title of a “gene bank” for the flora and fauna of the northern deserts. The park’s landscapes, where mountains and rivers hold charm and allure, feature fresh air and an elegant environment. Visitors can climb to high points for distant views or stroll leisurely amid blooming flowers and fluttering butterflies. Birdsong and dancing butterflies fill the air; murmuring streams trickle through the woods; deep and tranquil paths wind through the forest; sandy dunes create labyrinthine trails without end; climbing towers brings the breeze of the skies, with faint sounds of tides, offering panoramic views of the landscape for miles. Lakes shimmer with clear light, with rugged shores curving along their edges, birds flying across the blue sky, fish swimming just beneath the surface, while visitors paddle boats or enjoy enthusiastic fishing, often losing all sense of time. Stepping into the sea of sand, barefoot on the soft and fine grains, one can ride horses and shoot arrows, losing track of the year or season. At night, admire the bright moon, savoring a feeling of being between heaven and earth. Further experiences such as the “Huama Aerial View,” “Sand Sea Cloud Watching,” “Plucking Willows Amid Clouds,” “West Lake Mist and Clouds,” “Willow Waves Listening to Orioles,” and “Sand Island Tidal Viewing” are all delightful, refreshing, and leave visitors lingering with no desire to leave.

With its long history and profound cultural heritage, Huama Temple National Forest Park boasts rich cultural landscapes. The area is filled with auspiciousness and numerous legends. The weathered ancient castles, the renowned Ming and Sui Dynasties’ Great Wall, the ancient and extensive Habahu microlithic culture, the bustling Lingying Temple, and Huama Temple all showcase the historical process of the development and evolution of the Chinese nation.

As the central area of ethnic minority communities in Ningxia, Huama Temple Forest Park also features strong Islamic and Mongolian grassland cultures, forming ethnic cultural landscapes dominated by mosques, Taoist temples, gongbei shrines, yurts, and temples. It has also given rise to a uniquely flavored culinary culture, with delicacies such as youxiang (fried dough), covered bowl tea, lamb, hand-grabbed mutton, and whole roasted lamb recognized as famous Chinese foods. The yurts, holiday cabins, and tourist reception centers are of high quality, with complete facilities for food, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, and travel, along with convenient transport links. Huama Temple National Forest Park, along with the Suyukou Forest Park of the Helan Mountains, the Sand Lake AAAA-level tourist attraction, and the Shapotou Tourist Area, has preliminarily formed the Ningxia Economic Tourism Circle.

Huama Temple National Forest Park is bound to become another popular and standout tourist destination in the western region.