
Zhuangdaokou to Moss Mountain
A moderately difficult stroll through the countryside and forest with views of the Great Wall at Zhuangdaokou and the big boulders near Moss Mountain.
This hike is a combination of two shorter trails: the Zhuangdaokou and Walled Village hike, and the Moss Mountain hike.
We first climb up a valley to get to the Zhuangdaokou Great Wall, and after a short look we head on through the fields towards the Walled Village. Then we’re on to farm roads and hill trails on the way towards Moss Mountain.
This could almost be rated a Level 3+ hike but there is a deceptive amount of uphill.
Part 1: Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village
We will start with a walk through some fields beside the river at Zhuangdaokou, crossing an unnecessary bridge to find the path up to the Great Wall. From the bridge it’s a short walk up a stone-paved trail to a big gate in the wall.
On one side, the wall is restored all the way to Huanghuacheng – the Yellow Flower Great Wall. On the other side, the wall is only restored for a little way. We’ll stop here for a quick look and then head on, following field trails through chestnut orchards towards the Walled Villlage.
Part 2: Moss Mountain hike
We’ll head up the concrete road that service the villagers’ chestnut orchards and then turn off on to a gravel road that heads up towards a quarry.
Behind the quarry a brushy trail leads uphill and into a forest, and deep in the forest we’ll find a small shack right next to a huge pine tree.
From the pine tree the path leads further up into the forest, crossing at a pass on a ridgeline and descending into an area of orchards, terraces, and rocky hills.
Frozen waterfall—if there’s time, we’ll make a detour up a narrow valley to take a look at all the ice formed from from the drip of a small waterfall.
As we come through the terraces, we’ll end up out the back of the Moss Mountain park. The park trails take us down to the park entrance, crossing over and between large sandstone boulders. We’ll finish at the park carpark, and then drive over to a nearby restaurant for a hot meal.