Guanegou

　　Guanegou National Forest Park is located in the suburbs of Dangchang County, Gansu Province, 340 kilometers from Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province. It lies at the junction of the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the branch ranges of the Qinling and Minshan mountain systems. The park is adjacent to Hadapu, a historic and cultural town of China’s revolution, and connects to the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Approved by the Gansu Provincial Forestry Department in 1999, the Daheba Provincial Forest Park was established. After years of development and construction, the park's management system has become increasingly refined. Guanegou National Forest Park

　　Geography and Landforms

　　　　The area of Guanegou National Forest Park includes six major scenic zones: Daheba Valley, Maquan Valley, Guanegou Valley, Gang Valley, Baxia Valley, and Damatan Valley. It stretches 39 kilometers from east to west and 41 kilometers from north to south, covering a total area of 500 square kilometers with a forest coverage rate of 75.1%. The park integrates various natural landscapes such as forest, grassland, landform, water bodies, and celestial views, along with cultural attractions. The overall quality of its landscape resources is high, featuring distinctive spatial layouts, diverse flora and fauna, a beautiful ecological environment, and unique natural scenery. Evaluated according to the standards outlined in the “China Forest Park Landscape Resource Quality Rating,” experts have rated the landscape resource quality of Guanegou National Forest Park as Class A. Guanegou National Forest Park

　　　　Guanegou, situated within Dangchang County in Gansu Province, is close to the county seat and stretches 32 kilometers in length, covering an area of approximately 17,637 hectares with a forest coverage rate of 75.1%. The first 14 kilometers of the valley feature 13 colorful lakes, while the latter 18 kilometers are covered by dense primeval forests of pine and cypress. There are nine towering, precipitous canyons, 11 waterfalls cascading from mountaintops or cliffs, over 60 stunning scenic spots, and alpine meadows and snow-capped mountains that remain frozen year-round in the deepest parts.
　　The waters of Guanegou are beautiful. Thirteen lakes of varying sizes and shapes are like a string of green pearls embedded in the valley. The lake water is crystal clear, displaying different hues depending on the terrain at the bottom. Ancient trees reflected in the water resemble giant dragons lying beneath the surface. The blue sky, white clouds, and green mountains and trees are mirrored in the lakes, blending heaven and earth seamlessly without boundaries.
　　Guanegou is majestic. Ranging in elevation from 1,760 to 4,150 meters, the area features undulating mountains, encircling green waters, ancient towering trees, and ever-changing scenery. In graceful sections, the mountains embrace each other elegantly; in grand sections, sheer cliffs soar into the clouds, creating a magnificent and spectacular sight — everywhere resembles a traditional Chinese ink painting. Guanegou is also perilous. Between the lakes and snow mountains, nine steep and deep canyons leave visitors in awe. Within these canyons, which vary in shape but often span hundreds of meters in length and height yet only ten meters in width, the roaring river water, cool breezes, ancient pines shading the cliffs, and plunging waterfalls terrify the faint-hearted, evoking a sense of being in a life-threatening situation. Such rare and miraculous natural wonders are seldom seen in China. One poet wrote with delight: “To admire the sights, I cherish the long hours of daylight; in Guanegou, even summer brings cool winds and waters. Layers of peaks and emerald valleys lead to hidden paths; snow waves spray like pearls down rocky ridges. Countless trees flourish, draped in jade-like green; steep cliffs echo with plunging falls. Green shades embrace the traveler’s joy, while wildflowers by rocky pools exude fragrance.”

　　Biological Resources

　　Red-bellied Tragopan

　　　　Within the vast expanse of Guanegou National Forest Park, there are habitats for four Class I nationally protected animals including the white-lipped deer, leopard, clouded leopard, and hazel grouse, 23 Class II protected animals such as the tufted deer, serow, black bear, blue eared pheasant, brown eared pheasant, forest musk deer, and red-bellied tragopan, as well as seven provincially protected species like leopard cats, northern stream salamanders, yellow muntjacs, and stone martens. Visitors often hear birdsong and may spot pheasants, rabbits, and squirrels. The area is covered with a wide variety of trees such as spruce, purple-cone spruce, Qinling fir, Chinese pine, Oriental arborvitae, Huashan pine, juniper, oaks, birch, and poplar, as well as over 700 species of shrubs across more than 50 families, including peony, maple, peony, wild lilac, boxwood, poppy, iris, and rhododendron. There are also over 100 types of medicinal plants such as eleuthero, caterpillar fungus, coptis, pinellia, fritillary bulb, asarum, and rhubarb. The soft forest floor is dotted with edible fungi such as morels and wild mushrooms. Stepping into the park is like entering a true natural botanical and zoological garden.

　　Tourism Resources

　　　　The Daheba Scenic Area is like a painting — picturesque with clear mountains and waters, birdsong and floral scents, winding paths leading to serene spots. Vast primeval forests act as a natural oxygen bar. Leigu Mountain, at an elevation of 4,153 meters, is the highest peak in Longnan. Its summit is capped with year-round snow, and below the snowline lies a sea of clouds. It combines the majesty of Huangshan with the precipitous beauty of Huashan. Here, one can enjoy the wild charm and feel refreshed and joyful. Major attractions include Sleeping Turtle in the Willow Grove, Natural Stone Gate, Sky-Mending Rock, Divine Turtle Playing in Water, Golden Goblet Waterfall, Echo Wall, Horse Racing Beach, and the Majestic Leigu Peak.
　　“Moonlight glows between pines by the bonfire bright, / Flute melodies drift with the mountain breeze so light. / In woolen robes, backs pressed together with grace, / Spring romance lingers, hearts entwined in embrace.” These are lines from the famous poem “Ancient Style of the Qiang People” by Yang Cai Mei, a poet from Dangchang. The Tibetan people now living in Daheba are descendants of the ancient Qiang who founded the Dangchang Kingdom during the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties. Their language, clothing, and customs still retain the distinctive, original features of the ancient Dangchang Qiang. Historical sites such as the Dangchang Kingdom and Yangma City remain well-preserved. Tibetan women, dressed in traditional finery, play jaw harps, sing Tibetan songs, and perform ethnic dances such as the Baima Tibetan dance, Ox-Head and Horse-Face dance, and Guozhuang dance. The poetic and picturesque Tibetan culture, along with the passionate bonfire parties, adds extra charm to the park’s tourism, leaving visitors exhilarated and reluctant to leave.

　　Landscape Resources

　　　　The park combines primeval forest landscapes, grassland scenes, landform features, water bodies, celestial phenomena, and cultural elements. The overall quality of its landscape resources is high, with distinctive spatial arrangements, diverse flora and fauna, a beautiful ecological environment, and unique natural features. Pine trees are scattered throughout, oddly-shaped rocks are abundant, the mountains are steep, the valleys are long and narrow, waterfalls flow year-round, white waves surge incessantly, and every season offers its own charm. Especially in the Guanegou Scenic Area, the distribution of attractions is particularly notable: the first 14 kilometers feature 15 colorful lakes, the following 18 kilometers are covered with dense pine and cypress forests, and the deepest parts consist of alpine meadows and snow-capped mountains that never melt. The valley is filled with overlapping mountains, crisscrossing ravines, green hills and clear waters, peculiar peaks and rocks, cascading waterfalls, meadows and snow peaks, turbulent streams, and towering ancient trees. The cliffs on both sides of the valley host numerous uniquely shaped and fascinating rock formations, which experts praise as the most visually valuable “geological park.”

　　Major Attractions

　　Guanegou National Forest Park

　　　　Guanegou stretches from the Minjiang Forestry Farm in the north to the border of Zhouqu County in the south. Major attractions in the area include Matan (Zhangye Temple), Buddha’s Light Cave, Heaven’s Gate, Jianshan Mountain, Secluded Valley Cave Heaven, Tiger Lying in the Valley, Arhat Peak, Dragon Cave Spring, Stone Wall Pearl Falls, Waterfall Mist, Tiger Mouth Waterfall, Water Curtain Falls, Five Falls Valley, Ape Man Cliff, Nine Heavens Waterfall, Pearls Falling from Heaven, A Line in the Blue Sky, Small Path Valley, Lotus Peak, Ladder Cliff, Diamond Peak, Five Finger Peak, Pillow Peak, Looking-for-Husband Peak, Elderly Man Peak, Snow Mountain Fog Cover, Ice Pillars on the Ridge, Stone Revealing Treasures, Three Realms Peak, Clustered Peaks, Purple Trough Pool, Dawan Azaleas, and Forest Bathing Area — totaling 33 sites.

Guanegou Tiankongmen (Heaven’s Gate)

Guanegou Qinglong Xiazhu (Azure Dragon Pearl Falls)

Guanegou Wupu Valley (Five Falls Valley)

Guanegou Duxiu Peak (Solitary Beauty Peak)

Guanegou Sulian Waterfall (Silken Falls)