Autumn came a little earlier in Chongqing this year and leaves are turning yellow. Are you looking forward to watching the natural scenery there?

In October and November, fallen leaves of the larch that covers an area of about 67km² will pile up in the small town situated on the border of Chongqing and Hubei, turning the inconspicuous town picturesque. It’s Xinglong Town in Fengjie County, where there are also grasslands stretching for tens of thousands of meters.

Xinglong Town

Recommended driving routes

Day 1: Main urban areas of Chongqing — Dashuijing Architectural Complex — Dragon Bridge — Shisun River — Sishi’erba Reservoir

Day 2: Maocaoba (Xinglong Tourism Loop Line) — Tiankeng Difeng — Hankuimen — Main urban areas of Chongqing

Stop I Dashuijing Architectural Complex

Dashuijing Architectural Complex

Drive from the main urban areas of Chongqing for more than four hours, and you can arrive in Lichuan, Hubei to have a rest and visit the first scenic spot.

Dashuijing Architectural Complex, built in the late Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty in the mountains of Baiyangba Town, Lichuan City, is the largest and well preserved ancient architectural complex with high artistic value in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

It integrates architectural features of the West and Tujia Nationality. Looking down from the top, the stilts on the two sides of the building are richly ornamented.

Location: Shuijing Village, Baiyangba Town, Lichuan, Hubei

Stop II Dragon Bridge

It is only a 10-minute drive to the natural Dragon Bridge from Dashuijing Architectural Complex.

The natural bridge across the gorge is more than 200m above the river bottom. The large arch of the bridge at the mouth of the gorge looks like a city gate.

Look from a distance, and you will see the rolling hills in the sea of clouds. Go into the mountains, and you will feel like standing in a fairyland.

Location: Shuijing Village, Baiyangba Town, Lichuan, Hubei (Search Lichuan Dragon Bridge in the navigation system)

Stop III Shisun River

Shisun River

Gorges and karst caves abound in the mountainous Tuxiang Town.

Among them, Shisun River Scenic Spot is the most famous, where the towering stalagmites are astonishing.

The verdant pine trees and cypresses on both sides shade the river banks and there are waterfalls running down the cliff, which is so fascinating!

When clouds envelop the mountains, you could enjoy wonderful scenery.

Location: Shisun Village, Tuxiang Town, Fengjie, Chongqing

Stop IV Sishi’erba Reservoir

Sishi’erba Reservoir

In such a strong autumn atmosphere, the Sishi’erba Reservoir is like a shining jade surrounded by green and golden mountains. What an incredible view!

The crystal clear lake featuring an amazing sapphire blue and serene surroundings make the reservoir an ideal place for photo-taking.

It’s also a perfect place for camping. As the temperature here is only about 7-8 degrees at night, you should pay attention to keep warm.

With few people around, you have to cook by yourself. The water in the reservoir is so clean that you can drink directly. You can stay in Xinglong Town if you don’t want to camp.

Location: Xinglong Town, Fengjie County, Chongqing; search “Sishi’erba Reservoir” on your navigation system.

Stop V Maocaoba

Maocaoba

The highlight of the route – 56km colorful forest tourism circuit at Maocaoba

This is a beautiful tourist route, with beautiful scenery along the way and favorable conditions for self-driving tours. It has been awarded the title of “National Auto Self-driving Tour Activity Base”.

In such a beautiful season, Xinglong has been totally surrounded by about 66.67km² of red pine leaves!

Driving through the golden forest, you can occasionally encounter blue-roofed European buildings.

It is just like a beautiful fairy tale world.

In October, dozens of kilometers of grass stretch far away under the autumn wind.

About 67km² of trees covered with snows, thousands of kilometers of lakes with clear waves and the larch trees all over the mountain contrast finely with the vast grass, creating beautiful sceneries.

When the pine leaves fall and cover the whole mountain forest, you can smell the leaves when stepping on them. Each step will take you into a beautiful dream.

Location: Xinglong Town, Fengjie County, Chongqing

Stop VI Tiankeng Difeng

Tiankeng

As one of the most famous scenic spots in Fengjie County, Tiankeng Difeng has beautiful scenery and fresh air. It is a combination of mountains, rivers, grotesque peaks and rocks.

Looking up from the bottom of the valley, you will see such breathtaking scenes as jagged rocks, steep mountains, waterfalls, and mists.

Viewed from the top of the mountain, it is layered and colorful, like a beautiful blooming flower petal.

Location: Xinglong Town, Fengjie County, Chongqing

Stop VII Hankuimen

Hankuimen

Hankuimen is no less magnificent than the Kuimen in the Three Gorges. Its simplicity and tranquility are no less than the poetic villages in the south of the Yangtze River. Its vigor also gives its own charm.

In autumn, it seems that Hankuimen becomes a fairyland surrounded by clouds and towering cliffs.

Staying away from the hustle and bustle of cities, you can breathe the fresh air with the fragrance of flowers here and see the bamboo forest and chrysanthemum at every corner of the mountain.

Location: Xinglong Town, Fengjie County, Chongqing

Source: CQCB