Longyunshan ‘Dragon Cloud’ Mountain
Hike up to the reservoir atop Dragon Cloud Mountain, and then return to the river valley for a scenic stroll up the riverside. Great views all hike.
This hike is not currently scheduled
UPDATE This hike replaces our planned White River Ice hike. On our last visit to the White River we found the access closed off due to an accident, and because we’re not able to confirm we can hike in on Saturday we’re changing the plan. Dragon Cloud Mountain is where we finish the ice hike, so we’ll still be able to walk on the frozen river, and we’ll be able to climb up past an icefall to take a look at the ‘ghost house’ at Dragon Cloud Mountain as well.
On this relatively relaxed hike we’ll take a stroll about scenic Longyunshan, walking along a trail that leads up the steep hills beside the river canyon aiming for the local ‘Heavenly Lake.’ We’ll finish the hike with a stroll up the river, following a nice and easy trail through trees and below cliffs, and we’ll cross the frozen ice if it’s still solid enough!
The hike starts at the Sihetang bridge, at the lower end of the Baihe Canyon. After walking for a short while on a raised trail beside the river, we’ll climb up a hillside trail and get great views of the river, the impressive rocks and cliffs of the canyon, and the surrounding mountains.
The climb up is fairly steep, but after a while – and maybe a few stops for rests – we’ll be up on top and enjoying the excellent views.
As we reach the top of the hill, we’ll pass the ‘haunted house,’ left over from a film production – from a distance it looks like a regular house with a great view of the canyon; getting closer we can see that the construction is not so sturdy.
After visiting the haunted house we will continue to walk in the hills, passing old terraces, and heading for the local ‘heavenly lake,’ a reservoir high up in the hills.
We’ll head back down the same trail to the river, and then walk upstream, following a nice path through trees. There is also a family of cranes that nest in the cliffs by the river – sometimes we see them, sometimes we don’t. At this time of year, the river should be frozen solid, and we should be able to see a few frozen waterfalls as well.
The fun part of this hike is crossing over the ice, which we’ll do a few times as we head upstream. From the other side, we’ll have excellent views of the hills we climbed to begin the hike. We’ll go as far up as we can, and then we’ll head back downstream the same way.
What to bring on this hike
- Lunch and snacks to eat
- Warm clothes, gloves, and a hat
- Good hiking boots
- (Click here to read our full What to Bring on a Hike list)
Reasons you might not like this hike
- It’s a fairly short hike, but the climb up to the reservoir and the haunted house is quite steep – perhaps tough if you’re not used to hiking.
COVID-19 and participation precautions
The current precautions are minimal. Please read in full here: Operating hikes under COVID-19 precautions
