Wangtianhe Scenic Area

　　A 2A-level tourist area, it has been approved by the State Council as the "Yalu River Upper Reaches National Nature Reserve" and is currently applying to become the "China Jilin Changbai Mountain Wangtianhe Volcano National Geopark." The scenic area is 50 kilometers from Changbai County and is located within the Wangtianhe Valley of the Fifteenth Trench in the Changbai Mountains, stretching 76 Chinese miles in length. Its lowest elevation is 450 meters, while the highest reaches 1,100 meters. Wangtianhe Mountain, at an altitude of 2,051.4 meters, is the second-highest peak in Northeast China, situated 32 kilometers from Heaven Lake. The two volcanoes form the ridgeline of the Changbai Mountain range. Wangtianhe Mountain is a massive central vent and overflow basaltic volcanic cone, a huge caldera. The valley contains uniquely distinctive volcanic geological relics and landscapes formed by caldera activity.

　　The main attractions of Wangtian Scenic Area are distributed within 13 kilometers north of the valley entrance. The area features cliffs and pillar peaks formed from gray vesicular basalt, dense black massive basalt, and gray platy Anshan basalt, all displaying well-developed columnar jointing. Most of these formations are four- or six-sided, with horizontally developed joints resembling ladders to the sky, radial joints like a peacock spreading its tail, and vertically developed joints typically taking on four- or six-sided shapes.

　　Closely arranged, from a distance they resemble a forest of stone, with horizontal joints looking like thousands of tightly packed railroad ties pressed deep into the mountain, with only their tops visible.

　　Viewed from afar, Wangtianhe Mountain resembles a swan lifting its head in anticipation, hence the name “Wangtianhe” (Gazing-at-Swan). The main peak is surrounded by grotesque rocks and towering ancient trees, complementing the snowy expanse of the main peak of Changbai Mountain. The scenic area boasts numerous peculiar rocks, strange cliffs, springs, and waterfalls, all showcasing nature’s exquisite craftsmanship. There are many unique and spectacular waterfalls here—some thunder down with great momentum, some hang delicately like threads, and others quietly seep through rock crevices. It's as if an invisible giant kettle hidden in the mountains continuously pours out nectar. Among the well-known waterfalls are the Mushroom Spring Waterfall, Mother and Son Waterfall, Pearl Curtain Waterfall, and Nine-Tiered Spring Waterfall, while countless unnamed smaller ones abound.

　　Major Attractions:

　　The main attractions of Wangtian Scenic Area are located within the 8–15 kilometer range north of the Fifteenth Trench valley entrance, in the Wangtianhe Valley. The area features cliffs and pillar peaks formed from gray vesicular basalt, dense black massive basalt, and gray platy Anshan basalt, all displaying well-developed columnar jointing. Most of these formations are four- or six-sided, with horizontally developed joints resembling ladders to the sky, radial joints like a peacock spreading its tail, and vertically developed joints typically taking on four- or six-sided shapes. Closely arranged, from a distance they resemble a forest of stone, with horizontal joints looking like thousands of tightly packed railroad ties pressed deep into the mountain, with only their tops visible.

　　Over 30 major attractions have been identified in the Wangtian Scenic Area. The most representative landscapes include the "Eight Great Waterfalls, Ten Major Stone Sights," and a spectacular stone waterfall group stretching over 500 meters. These include: Flying Waterfall, Tongtian River, Mother and Son Waterfall, Hanging Kettle Waterfall, Nine-Tiered Waterfall, Pearl Curtain Waterfall, City Wall Cliff Waterfall, Tiger Leap Gorge Waterfall, as well as clusters of peculiar rocks, Thousand Pillar Peak, Stone Pillar Cliff, Honeycomb Cliff, Stone Ladder Cliff, Peacock Spreading Tail, Eternal Rock, Cultural Wall, Ink Splatter Cliff, and Longevity Rock. The micro-landscapes within the stone waterfall group include: Water Curtain Cave, Cliffside Cliff, Golden Boy Spring, Jade Maiden Spring, Listening-to-Spring Rock, Rainbow Waterfall, Lion Rock, Monkey Head Rock, Two-Finger Plank Walk, Sky-Viewing Cave, and Suspended Stone Cave. The waterfalls either look like scattered pearls, a heavenly kettle pouring forth, or a celestial Milky Way. Especially in winter, the ice waterfall clusters are extraordinarily majestic. At the same time, the area clearly displays the columnar jointing formed during the cooling process of lava flows (with magma temperatures reaching 1,100°C–1,200°C) spewed and overflowed from volcanic eruptions. The towering stone pillars formed from these columnar joints stand upright, closely aligned, uniformly thick from top to bottom. Cliffs and peaks made from gray vesicular basalt, dense black coarse-grained basalt, and gray platy Anshan basalt exhibit well-developed columnar jointing, mostly in four- or six-sided forms. Vertically developed columnar joints resemble towering pillars reaching the heavens, horizontally developed ones look like ladders to the sky, and radially developed ones are like a peacock spreading its tail. Particularly noteworthy are the recumbent and platy folds visible in the basalt, which hold great value for both sightseeing and scientific research.