Huanglong

Overview

About

Huanglong (“Yellow Dragon”), in Songpan County of the same prefecture, covers 700 km² and is known for its high-altitude coloured pools and terraced travertine cascades. The main gorge runs 3.7 km from Fuyuan Bridge at the mouth to the Zhuanhua Jade Pool by Huanglong Temple, covering about 1 km², with the Huanglong Temple, Danyun Gorge, Xueshanliang and Mount Xuebaoding areas and the Dani Valley. Sights include the Welcoming Pools, the Flying Waterfall, the Body-Washing Cave, the Bonsai Pools, the Mirror Pools, the Azalea Pools, the Contending Pools, the Golden Dragon’s Back cascade, the Jade Tree cascade, the Middle Temple, Horseshoe Lake, Huanglong Cave, Huanglong Temple, the Stone Pagoda Pool, the Five-Colour Pools and the Zhuanhua Jade Pool.

Outside the main area is the Dani Valley, with the Erdaohai lakes and Zhaga Waterfall among primeval forest. Xueshanliang is an important stop on the road to Huanglong.

Mount Xuebaoding, 5,588 m, is the highest peak of the region, with four alpine lakes and climbing and skiing; Danyun Gorge is a well-forested canyon.

It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992, as a natural site. It is part of the Jiuzhaigou–Huanglong scenic area, in the first batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1982.

Main sights

Five-Coloured Pool: at the top of the Huanglong valley near Huanglong Temple, the largest group of travertine pools, more than a hundred of them, with water ranging from yellow-green to blue.

Huanglong Temple: a Taoist temple in the upper valley. There were once front, middle and rear temples; what remains is mainly the rear temple at the head of the valley, with the travertine pools outside.

Huanglong Temple was founded in the Ming dynasty and is said to be named after the Taoist Yellow Dragon Immortal who practised here; the creamy-yellow travertine spread along the valley resembles a yellow dragon.

Geology and landscape

The travertine pools of Huanglong run down the valley; the colour of the water changes from top to bottom with the travertine and the microbes in it. It is one of the typical travertine landscapes of mainland China.

Travel tips

Huanglong: the trail from the valley mouth to the Five-Coloured Pool is about 4 km, ending above 3,500 m. You can take the cableway up and walk down.

Season: autumn (around October) has the best colours and the most visitors; summer is rainy; in winter there are few people and the cableway and other facilities may not run.

Note: Huanglong is high, so walk slowly and watch for altitude sickness. On group tours, look out for shopping and incense stops in the itinerary.

Stamps

In 2009 China Post issued 2009-18 “Huanglong”, three stamps: the Welcome Pools, the Flying Waterfall and Erdaohai in the Munigou valley.

Map

Photo credits: Huanglong: rheins (CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons); Huanglong: chensiyuan (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)

Nearby

Straight-line distances. Search nearby