The Western Hills have almost become a must-ride destination for Kunming cyclists.
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The scenic area has posted a cycling ban notice.
Cycling is prohibited on the high mountain roads of the Western Hills Forest Park. Yesterday, a survey conducted by the newspaper showed that 3.3% of respondents did not support the new rule at the Western Hills Park, 6.7% said they didn’t care, and not a single person supported the new regulation.
However, in yesterday’s on-site interviews, both pedestrians and cycling enthusiasts mostly agreed that cyclists should indeed slow down and not cause trouble for hikers, but the park really doesn’t need to “ban cycling” — such a prohibition is too harsh.
Visit:
One day before the ban: Some cyclists show reluctance
Yesterday at noon, the weather in Kunming was overcast. Since it wasn’t the weekend, on the five- to six-meter-wide double-lane asphalt road of the Western Hills Forest Park, there were few pedestrians. The higher up the mountain you went, the quieter it felt, with only the occasional tour bus briefly breaking the silence.
In a little over an hour, seven cyclists passed by, most of whom had already heard that non-motorized vehicles would be banned here starting the next day. “Ah, I’ve been riding here for more than two years, I really don’t know where to go now!”
Every two or three days, Master Du rides from Yongchang Community to the Western Hills. Upon learning about the bike ban at the Western Hills Park, he felt somewhat reluctant. “I can also understand the management committee’s decision, after all, some cyclists go downhill too fast and accidents can easily happen.” Master Du said that over the past two years, he has heard about several traffic accidents here, and even witnessed one himself. “Ah, it was so tragic!”
“After all, the road conditions here are great, the air is fresh, and it’s not sunny in the summer either — it’s truly a paradise for cycling enthusiasts.” Master Du said that although he understands, he still very much hopes to preserve this rare route for bicycle lovers.
After chatting for a bit, Master Du continued cycling forward, enjoying this last opportunity. Two slightly younger cyclists sat where he had rested and lit up cigarettes. “Why can’t we ride? The road here is so good...”
Reason:
Cyclists go too fast, endangering their own and others’ safety
The reason the scenic area management committee prohibits non-motorized vehicles from entering the Western Hills Scenic Area is: for visitor safety. Because when descending from the high mountain roads, some Kunming residents who ride electric bikes downhill do so at excessive speeds, and many tourists feel that their own safety is at risk. “Making such a regulation, we also feel conflicted,” said Lu Jieyu, deputy head of the management committee.
Just as Deputy Director Lu said, yesterday, on the descent from the high mountain road, many electric bike riders were going at extremely high speeds. Some were speeding over 40 kilometers per hour, and they didn’t slow down even at turns, which was truly alarming. And the warning signs by the roadside that read “Steep slope, slippery road, sharp turns — please walk your bike downhill” seemed to have garnered no attention from cyclists at all. “Can you say it’s not dangerous?” a security guard said. If this continues, sooner or later, there will be another accident.
Having worked as a security guard at the Western Hills Park for more than two years, this guard has encountered multiple accidents involving bicycles hitting pedestrians or buses. “Every time before cyclists go uphill, we remind them to go slower, but who listens? So, for their safety, it’s better to just ban it altogether,” the guard said.
Clarification:
Lawyer says the scenic area management committee does have the authority to ban cycling
Yesterday, after the ban was reported in the news, some citizens questioned whether the Western Hills Scenic Area Management Committee has the authority to make such a prohibition. Did they need to report it before making the rule? Yesterday, reporters tried to contact Lu Liping multiple times, but his phone was always unreachable.
Regarding the public’s questions, Li Yunhui, a lawyer from Beijing Yingke (Kunming) Law Firm, looked up the “Kunming Parks Regulations” implemented on March 1, 2011, and explained that Article 17 of the Regulations clearly states: Without permission from the park management unit, no vehicles are allowed to enter the park. Violators will be fined between 50 and 200 yuan. “Any vehicle definitely includes non-motorized vehicles, and the Western Hills Forest Park is definitely considered a park. Therefore, based on geographical features and visitor safety concerns, it is not wrong for the Western Hills Forest Park to set a regulation prohibiting non-motorized vehicles during certain time periods,” she said.
Experience
You can still cycle on the back side of the Western Hills
But there are many cars, steep slopes, and sharp turns
Faced with the cycling ban, if cycling enthusiasts still want to ride near the Western Hills, as a second option, they can choose the road from Bijiguan Village to Maomaoqing. Yesterday, our reporter conducted an experience ride.
According to estimates, the distance from Bijiguan Village to Maomaoqing is about 6 kilometers, roughly the same as the distance from the high mountain road. These 6 kilometers are divided into two sections. Riders first need to pass through Bijiguan Village — this section is about 1 kilometer long, with the entire road being cement, about four to five meters wide, with frequent cars, motorcycles, electric vehicles, farm vehicles, and a lot of pedestrians. The slope is also quite steep. Riders passing through here need to be extra careful.
After passing through the village, there is a double-lane asphalt road leading straight to Maomaoqing, about 5 kilometers long and five to six meters wide. Along the way, you’ll often see cyclists going up and down the mountain.
Compared to the previous cement road, this section has better road conditions, but it’s still worse than the road from the high mountain road. The most concerning part is that although the slope isn’t too steep, many bends are quite sharp. As one rider put it, this is not an easy section. Also, although the distance isn’t long — just a few kilometers — many vehicles are going over 50 kilometers per hour, so if cyclists want to pass safely, they really need to be constantly looking around and stay highly alert.
There’s also another reason why cyclists are less willing to choose this route: compared to the shaded and cool mountain roads on the high mountain road, the roads on the back side get quite hot, and the shade is scarce. Especially in the afternoon sun, it’s very easy to get sunburned. Moreover, along the way, there are many large trucks, and the situation is like this all the way. Every time you ride through, you encounter several large trucks. It’s really quite nerve-wracking.
Moreover, there are often not many vehicles on the road, but if a traffic accident suddenly occurs, drivers may swerve and easily hit cyclists. If such an incident happens here, it’s unlikely to be taken seriously, and those involved might not face any consequences. “That’s what people around here say.”
Even so, there are still more than ten cyclists riding here, staging a kind of "thriller" as they pass dangerously close to passing vehicles. “Because in Kunming, there are fewer and fewer places left for us to ride.”
Links
Well-established cycling routes around Kunming
1. Around Dianchi Lake
Approximately 145 kilometers, with about 8 hours of effective riding time. Features: Long distance, relatively flat with gentle slopes. The section along Gaohai Road boasts beautiful scenery—don’t forget sun protection. After passing Haikou, there are more large vehicles, pedestrians, and villages on the road, so be cautious and use a bandana to keep dust out.
2. Aziying – Baiyi – Songhuaba
Approximately 130 kilometers, with about 8 hours of effective riding time. Features: Overall, this route has the highest intensity and difficulty. It’s long with significant climbs, including a roughly 12-kilometer uphill stretch from Baiyi to the Seventh Water Plant. The scenery from Longfeng Cemetery to Baiyi is stunning, especially in the early morning when mist shrouds the area, creating picturesque mountain and water views reminiscent of the Tour de France. From Baiyi to the Xiaohé fork, endless egrets fly over the fields, a delightful sight. Bring plenty of water and snacks.
3. Fumin – Qinglong Gorge – Anning
Approximately 130 kilometers, with about 7 hours of effective riding time. Features: Steeper than the Dianchi loop. The Fu’an Road follows the Tanglang River upstream, offering beautiful and pleasant scenery. After passing the old National Highway 320 in Anning, there are more large vehicles, so take precautions against dust and sun.
Opinions
Although some people ride downhill very fast, that doesn’t mean everyone does. This ban by the management committee is simply lazy governance. They shouldn’t just prohibit cycling altogether but should improve management instead—assign more security personnel to patrol the road and stop those who ride downhill.
—— Cycling enthusiast Mr. Luo
The roads available for cyclists are becoming fewer and fewer. The approach taken by the management committee really needs to be reconsidered. After all, you can’t just ban everything—you should guide it reasonably, for example, by adding dedicated cycling lanes.
—— Cycling enthusiast Mr. Qu
Even if some cyclists have poor behavior, just look at how fast those tour bus drivers go—easily exceeding 60 kilometers per hour. It’s incredibly dangerous. So the management committee should strengthen oversight of these drivers, and cyclists also need to improve their behavior and try to follow the rules.
—— Morning exercise citizen Mr. Bai
Xishan is first and foremost a park, a place for people to relax and have fun. Cycling is one form of leisure, so it’s not unreasonable to do it in the park.
—— Citizen Mr. Wu
Cyclists should indeed be considerate of pedestrians and try not to disturb others.
—— Citizen Ms. Hu