Shilin Gorge is renowned for its natural scenery, including canyons, cliffs, stone forests, and waterfalls, offering a picturesque environment with clear waters and beautiful mountains. The scenic area is also equipped with entertainment facilities such as carousels, VR battle cars, a pet paradise, and bumper cars. Outside the scenic area, there are resorts and agritourism options, making it an ideal weekend getaway and summer retreat near Beijing.
The scenic area is quite large, with a depth of approximately 5-6 kilometers, primarily consisting of a stone forest mountain and a canyon. The mountain is divided into the front and back mountains, allowing visitors to ascend from the front and descend from the back, then follow the canyon’s plank road back to the main entrance. The stone forest mountain stands at an elevation of over 700 meters, requiring about 3 hours to climb and 5-6 hours to fully explore on foot. Entering from the east, one first encounters a variety of entertainment options including VR battle cars, a pet paradise, bumper cars, and carousels for those interested in trying them out. The ascent along the plank road from the front mountain offers beautiful scenery, and the mountain, standing at over 700 meters, takes about 3 hours to climb, requiring a certain level of physical stamina. For those with less stamina, a cable car is available to take visitors close to the summit. The front mountain scenery is dominated by forest views, and from the top, one can overlook the stone forest lake at the foot of the mountain, which is quite beautiful. The climb passes several scenic spots including the Pine Slope, Lake View Pavilion, and the Mu Shuai Tree, offering views to enjoy. Upon reaching the summit area, the view opens up, allowing one to overlook the stone forest scenery below, which is steep and magnificent. There are also attractions such as the ‘First Drum of China’, ‘First Bell of All Ages’, and ‘First Gong of the North’, where visitors can personally ring the bell and beat the drum, adding an element of fun. After exploring the summit, one can descend from the back mountain, passing scenic spots like the Lover’s Valley and Lingzhi Pavilion. Following the plank road along the canyon back down, one is surrounded by towering and steep cliffs, as well as strangely shaped boulders, creating a fantastic and magnificent scene. Rivers and waterfalls are scattered throughout, adding to the beauty. In the summer, the area is especially cool and pleasant, making it an excellent place to escape the heat. Along the way, visitors can stop by attractions such as the Nine Heavens Waterfall, the One-Line Sky, and the Silver Fish Pond. Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00 from 01/01 to 11/03; 09:00-16:00 from 11/04 to 12/31. Concessions: Children under 6 years old or under 1.2 meters tall, free; disabled persons with a disability certificate, free; retired personnel with a retirement certificate, free; elderly over 60 years old with a senior citizen card, half price; active-duty military personnel with an officer’s certificate, half price; full-time undergraduate students (including undergraduates) with a student certificate (excluding correspondence, online education, distance education, adult education degrees), half price; social security recipients with a social security certificate, half price; firefighters (active and retired) and fire rescue academy students with valid documents, half price; disabled fire rescue personnel with valid documents, free; minors from 6 to 18 years old with valid documents, half price. Service Facilities: Parking: Shilin Gorge Scenic Area Parking, reference price: small vehicles 10 yuan per time; large vehicles 20 yuan per time; address: No. 73, Diaowo Village, Huangsongyu Township; capacity: 729 spaces. Restrooms: There are multiple restrooms within the Shilin Gorge Scenic Area, conveniently located near the Pine Slope, cable car bottom station, visitor service center, and UFO viewing platform, all clearly signposted.
