Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve

Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve

The Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve.

Suyukou National Forest Park

Located within the Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve, about 50 kilometers northwest of Yinchuan, it lies between Sand Lake, Gunzhongkou, and the Western Xia Tombs, covering an area of nearly 100 square kilometers, and is one of Ningxia’s top ten premium tourist attractions. The forest park boasts unique natural landscapes, with over 690 species of wild plants and 179 species of wildlife. Rare plants such as Korean pine, juniper, and spruce are found throughout the valleys, while wildlife like blue sheep and sika deer roam and leap among the mountains. Staying in the area, you can also enjoy the enchanting night views and sunrises of Helan Mountain. Major attractions in the park include “Lilac Valley,” “Ghost-Fearing Ridge,” “Evening Greenery of the Mountain Screen,” and “Fine Snow on Helan Mountain.” The highest peak of Helan Mountain is also located within the forest park. For those interested, you may climb up the mountain steps to take in the full panorama of the range from the summit. Spanning hundreds of thousands of acres, the Suyukou Forest Park is covered in dark green foliage that blankets the high slopes and deep valleys. Walking along the hiking trails, you can gaze at the beautiful scenery and listen to the rustling of pine waves, feeling as if you are in a world apart from the mundane. After climbing one or two slopes and reaching the top of the third slope, you find yourself immersed in a sea of green. Looking down, you see towering cliffs; looking out, you take in the lush forests, ancient pines standing between steep cliffs, and patches of lingering snow atop the high peaks. The majestic and rugged scenery reminds one of the verse by Ming Dynasty poet Jin Youzi praising Helan Mountain: “The Helan Mountains stretch five hundred li, stretching to the high heavens at the edge of the sky. Broken peaks stretch out amid expansive clouds and mist, while ancient fortresses are faintly linked with purple and emerald hues.”