Overview
| Name | Enshi Grand Canyon 恩施大峡谷 |
| Web address | https://parkofchina.com/en/esdxg.html |
| Designation | National 5A tourist attraction (2015); UNESCO Global Geopark (Enshi Grand Canyon–Tenglong Cave, 2024) |
| Province | Hubei |
| Location | Enshi City, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, south-west Hubei; Qing River basin |
| Latitude, longitude | 30.41, 109.19 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Karst canyon, cliffs, rock pillars, a slot canyon |
| Top sights | the Incense Stick pillar, Yunlong Fissure, Qixingzhai, the Cliff Gallery |
| Nearby cities | Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu |
| Nearby sites | Tiankeng and Difeng (Sinkhole and Fissure), The Three Gorges of the Yangtze, Shennongjia, Wulingyuan (Zhangjiajie), Wulong Karst |
| Themes | Mountain, Karst, Canyon, Cliff, Stone, Waterfall, River, Hiking & climbing |
Map
Places on the map: Incense Stick 一炷香 C2, Yunlong Fissure 云龙地缝 E3, Qixingzhai 七星寨 C3, Cliff Gallery 绝壁长廊 B4, Yunlong Falls 云龙瀑布 E4, Earth Mountain and River 大地山川 C1, Shenxian Peak 神仙峰 B5, Enshi Grand Canyon Cable Car 恩施大峡谷索道 B5–F4, Funicular 地面缆车 F4–G5, Dalou Gate Escalator 大楼门扶梯 D1, Tourist Return Centre 游客返程中心 D2, Visitor Centre 游客中心 F6, Grand Canyon Bridge 大峡谷大桥 F9.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · terrain © Copernicus · Map credits
About
Enshi Grand Canyon, also called Mufu Grand Canyon, lies in Enshi City in south-west Hubei, in the Qing River basin. About 35 km long, it is a national 5A tourist attraction and part of the Enshi Grand Canyon–Tenglong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark.
Water has long dissolved and cut the limestone here, leaving almost the full range of karst forms: cliffs, peak clusters, sinkholes, slot canyons, caves, natural bridges and underground rivers.
A visit has two parts: Qixingzhai on the heights and Yunlong Fissure on the canyon floor.
At Qixingzhai, the pillar called the Incense Stick, about 150 m high and only about 4 m across at its narrowest, is the emblem of the area; a plank path runs along the rock face known as the Cliff Gallery.
Yunlong Fissure is a deep slot cut by a river, about 3.6 km long and on average about 75 m deep, with many waterfalls on its walls.
Travel tips
Getting there: Enshi has an airport and a high-speed rail station; the scenic area is reached by road from the city.
Qixingzhai: take the cable car up from Yunlong Fissure, or go by road to the Qixingzhai entrance and climb on foot; walk north past the Cliff Gallery and the Incense Stick to Dalou Gate, where an escalator goes down to the exit at the Tourist Return Centre.
Time: Qixingzhai and Yunlong Fissure take about half a day each, so both fit into one day.
Season: spring and autumn are best; in summer the fissure is cool.
Nearby: Tenglong Cave, part of the same geopark, is in neighbouring Lichuan.
Nearby
| World Heritage | Tangya 82km, Shennongjia 168km, Wulingyuan (Zhangjiajie) 170km, Mount Wudang 281km |
| National parks | Tiankeng and Difeng (Sinkhole and Fissure) 45km, Tanzhang Gorge 59km, The Three Gorges of the Yangtze 68km, Mengdong River 175km |
| AAAAA attractions | Tenglong Cave Scenic Area 21km, Yunyang Longgang Scenic Area 34km, Baidi City and Qutang Gorge Scenic Area 80km, Lesser Three Gorges and Mini Three Gorges 113km |
| AAAA attractions | Luyuanping 11km, Enshi Tusi City 29km, Lichuan Dragon Boat Water Town 37km, Suobuya Stone Forest 41km |
| UNESCO Global Geoparks | Yunyang UNESCO Global Geopark 76km, Xiangxi UNESCO Global Geopark 198km |
| Historical sites | Dashuijing Ancient Building Complex 24km |
| National geoparks | Yunyang Longgang National Geopark 34km, Qianjiang Xiaonanhai National Geopark 95km, Wufeng National Geopark 146km |
| Nature reserves | Badagongshan National Nature Reserve 102km, Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve 138km, Xuebaoshan National Nature Reserve 138km, Hupingshan National Nature Reserve 140km |