Things to do in Jiaozuo

Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area, a 5A-level scenic area, is located in Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo City. It is one of the world's first Global Geoparks, encompassing areas such as Hongshixia (Red Stone Gorge), Tanpuxia (Panpu Gorge), and Zhuyu Peak. It is a science-based ecological tourism area characterized by the Taihang Mountains' waterscapes and rich geological features. We chose to visit the Hongshixia area, representing the core essence of the Yuntai Mountain Global Geopark (Figure 1). The main geological feature of the scenic area is purplish-red quartz sandstone dating back 1.2-1.4 billion years (Figure 2), formed by iron oxide staining and water erosion. The gorge is approximately 70 meters deep and 2000 meters long (Figure 3). The tour follows a one-way loop, avoiding backtracking, and walks along the cliffside plank road, taking approximately 2 hours. Along the way, cascading waterfalls, deep pools, and potholes abound, offering scenic views at every turn (Figure 4). Bailong Waterfall cascades down from a height of tens of meters, its water curtain forming a rainbow in the sunlight (Figure 5), attracting tourists to stop and take photos. There are many canyon scenic areas in China. Some have rugged rocks and sharp lines, but they are "dry," meaning they have no water or only a few streams—they are "dry canyons." However, the Red Stone Canyon we visited today, and the nearby Baquan Canyon in Shanxi, are "lush," with springs every three steps, waterfalls every five steps, and pools every ten steps. The majestic canyons paired with clear water are even more beautiful and pleasing to the eye (Figures 6-7). Zhuyu Peak, the highest point in the scenic area, is about 1297 meters above sea level. Its majestic appearance can be seen everywhere in the canyon (Figure 8). Wang Wei's famous poem "Remembering My Brothers in Shandong on the Ninth Day of the Ninth Lunar Month" was inspired by this place. The waterfalls, pools, and springs in the canyon have abundant water, unlike the dry season. Reaching the upper reaches near the exit and seeing Zifang Lake (Figure 9), we understand that this is the "constant and strong support" for the valley floor.

The view of Fenglin Gorge from the glass viewing platform is still very beautiful, the scenery is beautiful, but the view from the Tianwangfeng viewing platform is better, so from the perspective of viewing, there is no need to go to this glass viewing platform, maybe young people like it more.

Hongshi Gorge is a representative canyon in China, boasting both natural wonders and cultural history. Located primarily in Yulin, Shaanxi, and Jiaozuo, Henan, Hongshi Gorge boasts distinct features: 1. Hongshi Gorge in Yulin, Shaanxi Geography and History Located 3 kilometers north of Yulin City, the gorge is 350 meters long and composed of red sandstone. It was formed during the early Northern Song Dynasty when Li Jiqian, King of Western Xia, dug a mountain to divert water. 12 It became a military fortress during the Ming Dynasty. Yu Zijun, Governor of Yansui, once used rising waters to suppress bandits and dug a canal to divert the water, establishing the canyon's structure. 13 Landscape Features Natural Features: Towering red cliffs line the gorge. The Yuxi River flows through the gorge, creating a natural lake and waterfall. At sunset, the "Red Mountain Sunset" creates a spectacular scene, one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Yulin. 12 Cultural Relics: Over 160 cliff carvings are distributed on the east and west cliff faces, covering seal script, official script, regular script, running script, cursive script, and Mongolian script. Zuo Zongtang's "Return My Homeland" and Du Bincheng's "Turning the Tide" are particularly famous, earning the title "Forest of Steles on the Frontier." 23 In addition, 33 Ming Dynasty grottoes remain. Although some were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, the remains of cliff-side buildings such as the Main Hall and the Holy Mother Hall can still be seen. 23

The customer service staff at the visitor center, including景区 staff and bus personnel, were all very attentive. Whether you asked for directions or transportation, they explained things very clearly, even if you might not understand. Such a beautiful mountain scenic area, I'm so sorry I arrived too late. The people of Henan are so kind and hospitable; I've been here for half a month and still haven't left!

This accommodation experience is really great, I must share it with you! As soon as I arrived at the hotel, the front desk staff greeted me warmly, checked me in quickly, and introduced the hotel's services and facilities attentively. Their attitude was friendly and professional, and my good impression of them was instantly full.

At the summit stands the Xuandi Palace, shrouded in mist and clouds, exuding an ethereal aura, as if one had entered a celestial palace. A truly wonderful experience. It's very similar to Laojun Mountain, and one can't help but marvel at the perseverance of the ancients in building a palace atop a mountain at an altitude of 1300 meters.

Personally, I think it's more worthwhile than Fenglin Gorge, much cheaper, and you don't have to wait for the cable car. Fenglin Gorge's cable car is a huge box seating many people, while Qinglong Gorge's cable car offers beautiful views. The round-trip cable car ticket isn't expensive. The scenery is very wild and charming. Looking at the valley scenery is quite pleasant, and everything is relatively quick. The bus driver was very nice and even introduced some of the attractions. Overall, the experience was good. It would be better if some of the artificial scenery were removed. Some of the artificial scenery is unsightly and quite ridiculous, such as the "Sky Mirror," where the scenery isn't expansive, and the artificial spot with its constantly playing loudspeakers is strange. Also, the waterfall made of red artificial flowers gives a creepy and eerie feeling. I hope everyone's suggestions can be taken into consideration.

Worth going. The buildings in the scenic area are very distinctive and full of age. There are various interesting performances during the Spring Festival, which are very lively. The ticket price is very affordable, and it only costs 32 yuan to buy a ticket online. It takes a day to visit all of them.

It's not very popular, a bit of a niche attraction, but the surrounding environment and scenic area management are good. The historical development of Tai Chi is displayed very clearly, and many pictures have introductions to the moves. You can also learn a few moves by following the pictures when you visit. It's worth a visit if you are interested in Tai Chi.

Yuntai Mountain's "Little Jiuzhaigou" includes Tanpu Gorge, Quanpu Gorge, and the Macaque Valley. To enter Tanpu Gorge, you first need to take a 1-kilometer shuttle bus; a separate ticket costs 10 yuan round trip. While Tanpu Gorge may seem like it doesn't require climbing, it's actually quite strenuous. The waterfalls and cascading pools are reminiscent of Jiuzhaigou. Seeing them is very soothing. There's no shuttle bus in Quanpu Gorge; you have to walk the entire 3 kilometers. The path in Quanpu Gorge is also significantly steeper than in Tanpu Gorge. The animal shows in the Macaque Valley are timed; you need to plan ahead if you want to see them. Getting to the performance square requires walking uphill for a while.