Changhai Lake: A Majestic Feature of Jiuzhaigou
Author: Jiuzhaigou Administration
Category: Featured Scenic Spot
Changhai Lake, nestled at an altitude of 3101 meters, is a remarkable glacial barrier lake and freshwater lake in Jiuzhaigou. Spanning approximately 4350 meters in length and 300 meters in width, this lake boasts a depth of 90 meters and a storage capacity of 45 million cubic meters. Its planar ‘S’ shape is distinctive, and it holds the title for the highest altitude, deepest water, largest area, and greatest storage capacity among the seas in Jiuzhaigou.
The peaks encircling Changhai Lake are perennially capped with snow, and the surrounding forests are a lush green. From the viewing platform, visitors are treated to a breathtaking vista of blue skies, white clouds, and snow-capped peaks, creating an illusion of mountains and sky merging seamlessly. This spectacle is a major draw for Changhai Lake, encapsulated in the poetic ode: “Snow-capped mountains against the sun with dark clouds horizontally, ancient trees reaching the sky with blue waves blooming.”
Changhai Lake is not only the highest but also the widest lake surface in Jiuzhaigou. Its waters are a deep, dark blue, sourced from the melting snow of high mountains. Curiously, despite the absence of a water outlet, Changhai Lake maintains its water level without overflowing during the rainy seasons of summer and autumn, nor does it dry up during the long droughts of winter and spring. This phenomenon has led the local people of Jiuzhaigou to liken it to a precious gourd that can never be filled up and never dries up. The lake’s depth exceeds 100 meters, and it meanders in an ‘S’ shape across the landscape.The forests around the sea are lush and green, and the peaks are covered with snow all year round. In the depths of winter, the ice layer of Changhai Lake is 60 centimeters thick and it is an ideal place for ice sports.
If you walk down along the wooden plank road beside the viewing platform and come to the side of that pool of emerald. Viewing Changhai Lake up close, you will feel that the lake surface is as broad as the sea. The lake water is dark green like jade. The green mountains soar into the clouds. The clouds are dense and hazy like an illusion… In front of this magnificent scenery, a strange tree stands in the thick grass. It is also miraculous. The trunk of this tree stands upright. All the branches are located on one side of the trunk, while the other side is bare. It really has a unique shape and is also a unique sight of Changhai Lake.
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