There is a mysterious place at the border between Hubei and Chongqing, with beautiful scenery and rich species. Deep inside, there is a restricted area where no tourists are allowed to enter, which is very mysterious.
This place is Shennongjia, located in the northwest of Hubei Province, adjacent to Wushan County and Wuxi County in Chongqing, and bordered by Xingshan County in Yichang City and Badong County in Enshi Prefecture.
Shennongjia is probably one of the most mysterious places in China. It is not under the jurisdiction of any city, but is directly administered by Hubei Province. It is the only administrative region in China named after a forest area, with a total area of 3253 square kilometers. Currently, only a small part of it is open.
There are vast stretches of primitive forests here, with no man’s land in the depths. The rich variety of creatures inside is rare in the world, and there are also many unknown creatures, the most well-known of which is the wild man. However, there are only legends about the wild man without photos. I interviewed an elderly man in his 60s from Shennongjia, who said she had never seen him before, but her father had seen him when he was a child. He said he was very tall, covered in fur, and very skilled at climbing trees.
Why is it called Shennongjia? Because this is the place where Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs, there are currently over 1800 discovered medicinal plants. Li Shizhen also visited here multiple times during the process of compiling the Compendium of Materia Medica.
Due to its well preserved ecology and diverse species, Shennongjia has been listed as a “Triple Crown” heritage site under the three major protection systems of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Reserve, World Geopark, and World Heritage.
As a world geological park and a world natural heritage site, the scenery of Shennongjia is also world-class, with beautiful flowers in spring, summer retreats, autumn red leaves, and winter skiing all year round.
There are six essence scenic spots, namely Shennongding, Dajiuhu, Shennong Temple, Guanmen Mountain, Tiansheng Bridge and Tianyan Scenic Spot.
Shennongding is the scenic spot that best embodies the beauty of Shennongjia, especially in autumn. Along the 347 National Highway, climbing mountains and ridges, the altitude ranges from 1500 meters to 3100 meters, and the mountains and fields are covered in layers of forests, as if driving in an oil painting all the way.
There are many scenic spots along the way worth checking in, such as Golden Monkey Ridge, Shennong Valley, Tianjing Ridge, Banbi Rock, etc. If it rains the next day, you can generally see a very spectacular sea of clouds in Shennong Valley and Tianjing Ridge.
As the name suggests, Dajiu Lake is a collection of nine lakes scattered on a high mountain plain, each with its own unique features. Among them, the most beautiful scenery is Lake No. 4 and Lake No. 5. Riding a small train through the forest, one side is the colorful mountains, and the other is the calm mirror like lake surface, as beautiful as a fairy tale.
The Shennong Altar is the place where Shennong tasted a hundred herbs. There is an ancient botanical garden, a thousand year old cedar king, and a huge statue of Shennong, which is a place to worship Emperor Yan and Shennong.
Guanmen Mountain is a very suitable place for children to visit. There are multiple exhibition halls such as Panda Pavilion, Nature Pavilion, and Biology Pavilion, where you can see Olympic pandas and many plant specimens. There is also a bee garden on the road, which is a popular photo spot. The dense beehives resemble hanging coffins, replicating the scene of Buddha’s “Tomb Robbers’ Notes”.
Tiansheng Bridge is suitable for exploring hidden places, with caves and waterfalls inside. Walking along the cliff’s boardwalk feels like an adventure.
The Tianyan Scenic Area consists of Tianmen Pass and Yanzi Pass, with Yanzi Cave and Rainbow Bridge. The forests along the way are particularly beautiful in autumn.
If you want to travel to Shennongjia, autumn is the most beautiful season. From now until around mid next month, it is the best season to enjoy the red leaves. The mountains and forests are all dyed, and taking a casual photo is like an oil painting.
Quick guide:
1、 Transportation
You can take a plane to Shennongjia Hongping Airport, or take the high-speed rail to Xingshan Station, and then rent a car for self driving or take scenic area transportation, which are both very convenient;
2、 Route
It is suggested to stay in Muyu Town on the first day of arrival, go to Shennongding for a one-day tour the next day, stay in Pingqian Ancient Town at night, see the morning fog of Dajiu Lake in the morning, visit Dajiu Lake in the evening, stay in Hongping Town at night (you should leave early for a long journey), go to Tianyan Scenic Area and Hongping Gallery on the third day, stay in Muyu Town at night, go to Shennong Temple, Guanmen Mountain and Tiansheng Bridge on the the fourth day, and then return.
If you want to find a top autumn destination in the southern region, I recommend going to Shennongjia.