Shunyi Hikers: Immortal Valley Loop
Hike through and out of a park to reach a beautiful ridgeline trail with views of mountains and the Miyun Reservoir.
This hike is not currently scheduled
There's a lot to see on our Immortal Valley Loop hike – pools filled with clear spring water, waterfalls, big trees, wild flowers, some distant Great Wall, the Miyun Reservoir, and long views of valleys and mountains.
The first section of the trail is through a park and is well shaded by leafy trees. A clear stream runs down through the valley, passing large granite boulders, forming natural pools, and flowing off cliffs in waterfalls that are up to twenty metres high.
After about twenty minutes' walk up the concrete park trail, and a steep stairclimb, we'll see the tallest of the falls. It’s fed by water from the small reservoir above, and used for ice climbing when it's all frozen during winter. Fixed to the cliff face is a sketchy steel staircase which can be used to climb the cliff. If we're allowed to take the staircase we'll offer that option; more likely we’ll use the steps and stairs that go up through a cleft in the cliff and end up around the back of the waterfall.
We’ll continue up the valley, passing cliffs, waterfalls, boulders, and pools of water on the way to the ‘Big Buddha’ carved into the cliffside.
From there we continue up into a forested area, hiking a shaded valley trail that will take us up to the top.
We'll take a lunch break at the top, and will take our time to enjoy the views – a deep river valley on one side, the Miyun Reservoir on the other side, and mountains all around.
The next part of the hike takes us down a different way, following a pretty path along and down a ridgeline, passing under huge bouldery cliffs and through copses of chestnut trees, pines, and wild apricots.
Eventually we'll join up again with the park trail used by regular visitors, and follow it back down to the carpark where we left our bus.
COVID-19 and participation precautions
The current precautions are minimal. Please read in full here: Operating hikes under COVID-19 precautions
