Chongqing - The city has officially opened the long-awaited Chaotianmen Square and Liangjianghui Riverside Walkway, extending the city’s iconic urban trail network. This new waterfront route seamlessly connects landmarks, including Hongyadong, Chaotianmen, and Huguang Guild Hall, eliminating previous detours between attractions and providing a popular destination for residents and visitors seeking leisure and sightseeing.
In Chongqing, a city famously built on steep hills, trails are more than pathways—they are part of the city’s identity. For locals, climbing slopes and steps is daily life; for planners, the trails are vital public spaces that support urban mobility; for tourists, they offer an immersive way to experience the city’s topography, architecture, and cultural heritage.
Residents cycle and stroll along the tree-shaded Li Jia Mountain City Trail in Liangjiang New Area. (Photo/Zhang Jinhui)
Chongqing’s urban trails are designed to integrate multiple functions. In addition to providing pedestrian connectivity, they improve access to public transport—including metro stations, bus stops, cable cars, ferry terminals, and large escalators—and link densely populated areas with scenic sites. Covering 871 kilometers to date, the trail system forms a continuous, safe, and efficient network that serves all ages, accommodates about three million daily users, and reduces average detours by roughly 15 minutes.
Trail design reflects local conditions and governance priorities. Features such as handrails, stair repairs, added lighting, pruned foliage, non-slip paving, tactile paths, elevators, rest benches, small pavilions, solar-powered fitness stations, and vending machines demonstrate a people-centered approach. Their careful maintenance and integration with urban renewal and older residential areas highlight Chongqing’s commitment to high-quality public spaces and improved city life.
Visitors enjoy the scenic views of the Daijia Alley Cliffside Trail in Yuzhong District under clear blue skies. (Photo/Long Fan)
The trails also preserve and celebrate the city's cultural and historical heritage. Routes such as Huangge Ancient Road, Chonggang Steel Cliff Trail, and the Ciqikou Riverside Walkway link dispersed historic sites, traditional neighborhoods, and scenic viewpoints, allowing walkers to experience both the grandeur of Chongqing’s mountains and rivers and its rich humanistic traditions. Recently popular “CityWalk” routes and scenic checkpoints—including the E'ling Cliffside Footbridge—continue to draw attention to these unique urban pathways.
Beyond recreation and culture, the trail network contributes to economic development. The Daba Mountains Immersive Forest Wellness Trail, currently under construction in the Three Gorges Reservoir area and the Qinba Mountains, will extend 1,200 kilometers and aims to promote wellness, tourism, and related industries by leveraging local ecological advantages.
Chongqing's urban trails demonstrate that well-designed pedestrian infrastructure can be a vehicle for mobility, governance, culture, and development. Winding through hills, along cliffs, and beside rivers, they are not only functional pathways but also a symbolic route connecting the city's past, present, and future—reminding citizens and visitors alike that every step matters, and every climb is an experience.