Wushan Dangyang Grand Canyon

　　Wushan Dangyang Grand Canyon is situated in the northern part of Wushan County, with a southern view of the ancient town of Dachang in Wushan and extending north to the Shennongjia Forest District in Hubei Province. The grand canyon comprises the Pinghe Grand Canyon located upstream of the Little Three Gorges in Wushan, the Lihé Grand Canyon in Dangyang, as well as the Congping Alpine Wetland Park. It stretches from the Pinghe Riverside Town in the south to the Shennongjia Dajiuhu Lake in the north, serving as an important passage connecting the Little Three Gorges and Dachang Ancient Town in Wushan with Dajiuhu Lake, Shennongjia, and the Three Gorges Dam in the "Golden Triangle" tourism region of Chongqing and Hubei.

　　Not only does Dangyang Grand Canyon boast spectacular scenery, but it also features unique local customs and fascinating legends. The renowned Tang Dynasty general Xue Gang once raised troops here to help the crown prince Li Xian reclaim the throne. His wife, Ji Luan Ying, continued to fight even while about to give birth, leading to the naming of the site "Renzi Ping" (Enduring Son Flat). In the early Qing Dynasty, remnants of Li Zicheng’s forces also held out here for many years, leaving behind legendary tales associated with sites such as Flag Mountain and figures like Yuan Guogong and General Huang. Due to years of relying on nature for sustenance, locals developed a deep reverence for heaven, earth, and nature, giving rise to unique customs such as praying for rain and blessings. Sites like Sedan Stone and Buddha Rock have seen continuous incense offerings. Moreover, due to the high mountains and deep valleys, coupled with rugged roads, labor and travel in this environment are extremely arduous. This has also given birth to hearty, resonant, and awe-inspiring mountain songs, as well as an honest, straightforward, and tough local character.

　　The dense forests of Dangyang Grand Canyon are home to abundant flora and fauna. It boasts nationally renowned medicinal herbs such as Beianlian, Huanyangcao, and Tou Ding Yi Ke Zhu, along with 62 species of vertebrate animals. Local delicacies such as wild scallions, wild mushrooms, and Lihé wild fish each have their own unique flavors.

　　The main scenic road of Dangyang Grand Canyon has been fully opened, providing direct access from Wushan County to Shennongjia Dajiuhu Lake. Along the route, it connects the ancient towns of Dachang, Pinghe Riverside Town, and Dangyang Riverside Town. Five viewing platforms have been built along the scenic area road, complemented by complete tourism signage, making entry to and exit from the scenic area highly convenient. There are over ten scenic spots along the way, all offering a powerful sensory impact.

　　Wushan is continuing with the extended development of the Dangyang Grand Canyon scenic area. Construction is underway on the scenic road and cable car from Dangyang Riverside Town to Congping Wetland Park. Boardwalks will be built within the Congping viewing area, ensuring construction is carried out under strict environmental protection to allow visitors easier access to enjoy the beautiful views of the wetland park. In the Lihé scenic area, water-friendly walking paths, hiking stairways, boardwalks, cable bridges, viewing pavilions, and cable cars are under construction to showcase the majestic cliffs facing each other along the Lihé River valley, the mysterious sight of "heaven splitting into a line," and the wondrous beauty of cascading waterfalls. These will provide visitors with a richer, multi-angle experience to explore and appreciate Dangyang Grand Canyon. The Dangyang Grand Canyon rafting project is set to be completed and open to the public in 2016. The 5-kilometer rafting stretch offers both leisure and thrilling fun.

　　Transportation:

　　By Car: From downtown Chongqing, take the Yu-Yi Expressway to Wushan, then follow the tourist signs to the Wushan–Dachang–Shennongjia road for direct access.

　　For those wishing to experience the canyons, streams, waterfalls, caves, grasslands, and pastoral scenery of Dangyang Grand Canyon, take G50 from Jiangbei—Changshou—Wanzhou—Yunyang—Fengjie—Caotang, then exit the highway. The drive is 398 kilometers, with an annual toll fee of 240 yuan for annual pass holders and 255 yuan for non-annual pass holders.

　　Please note that due to current construction of the Wushan Airport road, it is not possible to travel from Wushan County to Dangyang. Travelers are advised not to exit at Wushan. After exiting the highway at Fengjie Caotang/Shuangtan, take S103 Yu-Ba Road via Dachang to reach Dangyang, which takes about 3 hours.

　　On the way to Dangyang Grand Canyon from G50, there are rest stops including Fusheng Service Area, Dianjiang Service Area, Liangping Service Area, Wanzhou Service Area, Yunyang Rest Area, and Fengjie Service Area. Among these, Fengjie Service Area offers services such as refueling and a supermarket, and was newly upgraded to a four-star service area last year.