As the Qingming Festival holiday approaches, it's a great time to hike and go outdoors in the suburbs of Beijing. So, what are the routes worth visiting that can avoid crowds and allow families to enjoy outdoor activities? Let's take a look at the specific outdoor hiking and cycling routes below
One hour parent-child "adventure" in Elf Valley, with a 4.2-kilometer trail on Yunmeng Mountain overlooking the Great Wall
Location: Miyun
Difficulty: Moderate, suitable for families and children
Reminder: Due to the large temperature difference in the valley, it is recommended to bring warm clothing
When it comes to hiking in Miyun, many people will think of Gubei Water Town. In fact, there are many more open and niche hiking routes in Miyun, where you can enjoy flowers, mountains, play in the water, and overlook the Great Wall and reservoirs, such as Yunmeng Mountain, Heilongtan, Qingliang Valley, Elf Valley, etc
Yunmeng Mountain National Forest Park
Yunmeng Mountain National Forest Park is only a 1.5-hour drive from the city center and has a 4.2-kilometer hiking trail, which is very suitable for hiking. Yunmeng Mountain was called "Yunmeng Mountain" in ancient times. Its main peak is 1414 meters above sea level. Because of its towering mountains, deep valleys, and unpredictable clouds, it is called the "Little Mount Huangshan Mountain" in the north. Entering the mountain gate, you can first take the 108 meter long escalator up the mountain, and then depart from the "520 Love Valley" to reach the top of the mountain in the Qingkong Ridge area through a 4.2-kilometer hiking trail. The difficulty of this hiking trail is moderate, with a total climbing height of about 600 meters, suitable for families and children to hike, as if they are in a primitive forest. Along the way, you can also see the ruins of the Northern Qi Great Wall, the Great Wall Beacon Tower, the Great Wall Observation Deck, Wangui Peak, Fenghuang Gorge and other scenic spots. After arriving at Qingkong Ridge, you can overlook Miyun Reservoir in the distance, which is very spectacular. It is said that the Yunmeng Mountain Great Wall stretches nearly a hundred kilometers and was built in the Ming Dynasty and the Northern Qi Dynasty respectively. Together with the Miyun Reservoir, it forms a painting of the Great Wall, Xiongshan, and Huguang. If you are physically exhausted, it is recommended to take the cable car down the mountain, which is 2500 meters long, to appreciate the unique geological features of Yunmeng Mountain from another perspective. 520 Love Valley "is a leisure area where children can play, have some snacks, and replenish their energy at Pinecone Park
Elf Valley
In addition, it is recommended to visit the niche attraction of Elf Valley, which is very close to Black Dragon Pool, and experience a family hiking for about an hour. After purchasing the ticket, passing through a suspension bridge, one enters Elf Valley, a natural and secluded valley deep in the mountains, with pools, streams, beach stones, cliffs... The flowing water washes the giant stones into various shapes, lifelike. There is no flat walkway here, and people need to walk, climb up, down, and jump among the boulders, which is somewhat challenging. However, in difficult areas, there are railings and other facilities to assist, which improves safety. According to the staff of the scenic area, it is best for tourists to follow the hiking route to reach "Lingquan", play and then return. If there are no locals to guide them, there is a risk of getting lost when going deeper. Across from the entrance of Elf Valley, there is also a white river beach where you can camp, have picnics, and fly kites
Riding a bicycle to explore Yanqing, there are mountains, waters, and dinosaur footprints fossils
Location: Yanqing
Difficulty: Easy beginner to intermediate advanced
Reminder: Pay attention to keeping warm and confirm the opening hours with the scenic area before departure
If you want to ride in the suburbs of Beijing, Yanqing is a good choice. The cycling facilities and service system here are complete, with multiple cycling routes including Qianjiadian Baili Landscape Gallery, Guishui River Forest Park, Gulong Road, Xianglong Road, Longqing Gorge, Dazhuang Kexiang, Shixia, and Sijihua Sea. By May or June, from Litang Road on the North Sixth Ring Road to Anxi Road, you can reach the Four Seasons Flower Sea. The winding mountain road is dotted with flower sea landscapes, dotted among the green mountains, which are breathtaking. There are also signs indicating the "cycling route" from time to time
Guishuihe Forest Park
For parent-child cycling, the first recommendation is Guishuihe Forest Park, which is built along the Guihe River, starting from Caoguanying Reservoir in the east, Kangzhang Bridge in the west, and Sanlihe Wetland Park in the north. It is 18 kilometers long from east to west and covers an area of 1026 hectares. The park is rich in vegetation, and when the weather gets warmer, wildflowers will be scattered throughout the entire park. There are also Fuxiang Garden, Banshan Lake, Rose Garden, etc. There are mountains, waters, and pavilions here. Adult or children's bicycles can be rented in the forest park, with flat cycling paths, wooden boardwalks along the river, and some challenging small gravel roads, forest paths, etc., which are very interesting
If you have good physical strength, you may want to ride further - around the Guishui River, the cycling road is flat, and there are many scenic spots along the way, such as Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park, Summer Capital Park, World Grape Expo Park, etc. Tourists can ride east from Guishui River Forest Park to Yongning Ancient City, which is about 37 kilometers long. Along the way, they can taste tofu banquets or ride west, passing through the World Grape Expo Park and arriving at Xiaohetun Village in Zhangshanying Town. There is the last rice field reserved for Yanqing District, which is about 30 kilometers long
Yudushan
For cycling enthusiasts, the 23 kilometer long Gulong Road cycling route is even more satisfying. From Gu Ya Ju to Longqing Gorge, passing through Yudu Mountain in the middle, there is a mountain road called "Gu Long Road", which is quite chivalrous. Along the zigzag range of the mountain, this road is beautiful and long, suitable for cycling, and folk villages and picking gardens are all around the line. You can taste the "water tofu" of Yuhuang Temple, the "small Wonton" of Zhuojiaying, etc. Another must visit route is the Qianjiadian Baili Landscape Gallery cycling tour, with a total length of about 30 kilometers, starting from Gangou Consultation Station and ending at Dishuihu. There are attractions such as the Silicified Wood National Geopark and Wulong Canyon here, where you can see well preserved silicified wood and dinosaur footprint fossils Location: Mentougou Difficulty: You can flexibly choose the route, suitable for families and children Reminder: Bring a flashlight or headlight, warm jacket, sufficient water, hiking shoes If you want to learn about China's earliest railways, you may want to hike along the century old Jingmen Railway in Mentougou. . The Jingmen Railway was built by Zhan Tianyou, the father of Chinese railways, in 1906. It is 53 kilometers long, single track, and has a total of 11 stations. It is the auxiliary line of China's first railway, the Beijing Zhangjiakou Railway. At that time, this railway was built to transport coal from Mentougou to Xizhimen for use as fuel for steam locomotives on the Beijing Zhangjiakou Railway. It is reported that in the 1970s, the section between Xizhimen Station and Wulu Station was dismantled; In the 21st century, with the closure of various coal mines in western Beijing, the section from Sanjiadian to Muchengjian has also been largely suspended. However, Mentougou is currently developing a "first line, four mines" cultural, tourism, health, and leisure area. In the future, the "Menda Line" (Jingmen Railway) may be reopened as a tourist special line Jingmen Railway Ruins Before hiking, why not go to Jingmen Railway Ruins Park for a stroll. The park is located on the north side of Chengzi Street in Mentougou District, adjacent to the Great Wall Park and connected to the Jingmen Railway to the north. The park has an elegant environment. The park is themed around railway construction, including windmills, locomotives, bell and drum towers, and exquisite old-fashioned steam engine train models. Here, you can learn about the history of the Jingmen Railway Jingmen Railway Theme Park If you still want to go back to the city, why not go to Jingmen Railway Theme Park near Cishou Temple Subway Station in Haidian? This used to be the Wuluju Railway Station of Jingmen Railway. In this narrow street park, you can learn about the history of the Jingmen Railway. In addition to railway tracks, wheels, signal lights, platforms, station signs, etc., there is also a black locomotive and green leather carriages in the park - it is said that this locomotive comes from the first batch of domestically produced "Liberation 2345" steam locomotives in 1956Follow the century old "Jingmen Railway" to learn about China's railway history and culture