Hongchiba National Forest Park: Summer Resort or Flower Lover's Paradise?

Here's a travel guide to Hongchiba National Forest Park: 1. Introduction Hongchiba National Forest Park is located in Wuxi County, Chongqing, 440 km from the main city of Chongqing. The park covers a total area of 253.8 square kilometers of forest and grassland, with an altitude ranging from 1,800 to 2,800 meters. The average annual temperature is 7.1°C. It boasts the largest and most beautiful high-altitude flower sea in the world—"Sea of Flowers in the Clouds"—and the largest alpine meadow grassland in southern China, earning it the title of "New Zealand of China". 2. Best Time to Visit • Spring (March to May): As everything comes back to life, the vegetation sprouts, and flowers such as peach blossoms, pear blossoms, and cherry blossoms bloom in competition. • Summer (June to August): With its high altitude and cool temperatures, it is a summer resort where you can also enjoy water activities. • Autumn (September to November): The leaves turn yellow, creating a colorful landscape with fresh air, perfect for hiking and photography. • Winter (December to February): Covered in silver, it offers opportunities for skiing, snowball fights, and other snow activities. 3. Ticket Information • Ticket price: CNY 90/person for non-Wuxi residents, CNY 30/person for Wuxi residents. • Opening hours: Open all day. • Concessions: Free for children under 1.2m tall; CNY 60/person for children aged 6 to 17; free admission for military officers with valid military ID. 4. Transportation • Public transportation: • Chongqing North Railway Station to Fengjie Railway Station: Take the high-speed train, approx. CNY 150, 14 trains daily. • Fengjie Railway Station to Wenfeng: Transfer to a bus to Wenfeng. Tickets can be booked in advance on the "Yukexing" mini-program, approx. CNY 50. • Wenfeng to Hongchiba: Transfer to the Hongchiba bus at the same station. • By car: • Route 1: Chongqing—Yunyang (expressway)—Exit the Yunyang Expressway about 300m from the intersection and take the road to Huangshi, Jiangkou, Tianba, Jianshan Town, and turn left at Wenfeng Town to go up the mountain to the scenic area (320 km on the expressway, approx. CNY 200 toll). • Route 2: Chongqing—Wuxi Shang Huang (Fengxi Expressway)—Exit at Yangqiaoba Toll Station, and follow County Road C67, Tangfang East Street, Yuwu Road, and County Road 010 to the scenic area (429 km on the expressway, CNY 270 toll). • Route 3: Chongqing—Wuxi Shang Huang—Exit at Yangqiaoba Toll Station, and follow the Gu-Hong Expressway directly to the scenic area. • Parking lot: Hongchiba Forest Park parking lot, free, 200 spaces. 5. Recommended Attractions • Sea of Flowers in the Clouds: Composed of a 1,500-mu patterned flower area and a 3,000-mu flower-dotted lawn area, it features over 50 species of alpine flowers, blooming from May to October. • Tianzicheng Grassland: Enjoy horseback riding and admire the grassland scenery. • Xiliu Creek: Named for its eastward flow, it is about 10 km long, with springs in the willow bushes along the creek, the flow of which varies in size. • Xiabing Cave: One of the ten most mysterious caves in China. • Viewing platform: On the first and second levels of the scenic area, any location with a higher elevation and open view offers magnificent sunrise views. • Miaozibao: Located by Xiliu Creek at an altitude of 2,076.3 meters, Miaozibao is the best place to enjoy the beautiful sunset. 6. Food Recommendations • Specialties: Hongchi Restaurant offers buffets, specialty Chinese cuisine, and local specialties such as alpine cured meat, free-range chicken, local beef and mutton, healthy hot pots with ecological fish, Wuxi grilled fish, and open-air barbecue with music. • Local products: Alpine cured meat, beef and mutton, organic vegetables, and honey wine. 7. Precautions • Hongchiba experiences frequent rain and fog. On spring and autumn mornings after rain, the grassland is often shrouded in dense fog, so be careful when hiking. • There are many mountain roads in the scenic area, so drivers should pay attention to driving safety. • Temperatures in the scenic area are relatively low, so dress according to the season.