Tongpen Shui Forest Park

　　Tongpen Shui Forest Park is situated 34 km northwest of Enshi City and is endowed with abundant eco-tourism resources. Known as a natural botanical garden and zoo, it is a shining pearl nestled in the hinterland of southwestern Hubei. National Highway 318 runs through the park, making it very accessible.

　　Located at 109°15’ east longitude and 30°10’ north latitude, with an elevation ranging from 1,000 to 1,360 meters, Tongpen Shui enjoys a warm winter and cool summer, a late spring and early autumn, and abundant rainfall, characteristic of the northern subtropical humid climate. The area features undulating mountains, crisscrossing ravines, karst caves, sinkholes, underground rivers, steep peaks, and peculiar rocks, all set within dense forests. The unique geographical and climatic conditions have nurtured the park’s exceptional forest tourism resources. It is home to a wide variety of tree species and rich resources, with 168 species of wild plants from 103 genera and 53 families identified so far, earning it the reputation of a “natural botanical garden.” There are also more than 30 types of wildlife. The scenery here is picturesque and the environment serene: in early spring, mountain flowers bloom in profusion and birds sing in chorus; in midsummer, dense foliage provides cool shade; in golden autumn, a riot of purples and reds paint the landscape while wildlife gathers; in deep winter, the area is blanketed in snow with icicles hanging from cliffs. It serves as an ideal destination for tourism, scientific research, culture, entertainment, vacationing, and training. Important meetings of state and municipal party and government departments are often held here, and it is hailed as Enshi’s “Little Mount Lu.”