Hiking Huangshan

Depending on your stamina and tolerance for crowds, there are several ways to tackle Huangshan. There are three cable car lines which connect peaks and are also linked by well-maintained trails. Otherwise, hikers have two basic choices of paths: Eastern and Western Steps. The former is the easier of the two while the latter the more scenic and rugged.

We suggest visitors take the west canyon trails, starting from the side where the Taiping cable car station is located. It is amazing, the views there are more spectacular and its mostly downhill. Also it is virtually crowdless.

Regardless of which path you take, you will find yourself in scores of rocks, trees and scenic outlooks. They are usually named after some creature or figure they resemble.

One notable example is Welcoming Pine (Yingke Song), one may instantly find in countless images on silk, paper and porcelain. The pine, reputed to be some 800 years old, stands by the Western Steps with branches outspread like arms, greeting all new arrivals.

Admission to Huangshan is 200 yuan and one-way cable car tickets are 80 yuan.