[2025 Zhangbei Attraction] Travel Guide for Yehuli Fort Scenic Area (Updated Aug)

Still troubled by the congestion on the middle section of Grassland Sky Road? Last summer when I was cooling off in Chongli, I unexpectedly discovered the hidden gem of the Guyuan section of Grassland Sky Road. It has fewer people and wild scenery, making it a great alternative to Altay, and best of all, no traffic jams! Zhangbei Grassland Sky Road is over 300 kilometers long and divided into three sections. The west line from Daqingshan to Yehuling is far from Chongli, so I haven’t been there; the middle line from Yehuling to Huapiling is crowded with cars and traffic jams; the east line from Huapiling to Shandian Lake has fewer people, less commercialization, and stunning scenery with hills, grasslands, and giant wind turbines that look like a painting.

【Top Must-Visit Attractions】 1️⃣ Grassland Highway (China's Route 66!) 🚗 Road Trip Tips: ✔️ Highlight Section: Yehuling → Huapiling (132km) ✔️ Must-Stop Spots: Windmill Array, Terraced Flower Fields (June-August), Yanpianshan Stone Forest 📅 2025 Exclusive: Vast rapeseed flower fields bloom in July! Golden grassland makes perfect photo ops📸 ⚠️ Pro Tips: SUVs handle better than sedans, bring cash! Some areas have no signal! 2️⃣ Zhangbei Bashang Grassland ✨ Classic Grassland Experiences: ▫️ Horseback Riding (¥50/half hour) ▫️ Lightning Lake Cycling & Birdwatching (Spot rare black storks!) 🔥 2025 Hidden Gem: Late July Grassland Music Festival! Cui Jian and Hua Chenyu performing🎤 Earn carbon credits for limited merch~ 3️⃣ Lightning Lake Wetland Grassland 💫 Prime Milky Way Viewing Spot! 🌊 Activities: Camping + Cycling + Night Sky Photography 🎫 Tip: Family Package at ¥118 (includes night ticket + tent rental) 4️⃣ Cultural Must-Sees 🏰 Dajingmen Great Wall: ▫️ Sunrise photo at "Magnificent Rivers and Mountains" inscription ▫️ Ticket ¥68, half-price after 6pm! 🎆 Nuanquan Ancient Town: Molten Iron Firework Show! Nightly at 8pm 📅【2025 Itinerary Planner】 ☀️ 3-Day Summer Escape: Day1: Beijing → West Grassland Highway → Stay in Zhangbei yurt⭐ Day2: East Highway + Lightning Lake cycling → Overnight in Guyuan Day3: Guyuan → Return or continue to Chengde Fengning 🍁 Autumn Photography Route (Sep-Oct): Chongli Colorful Forests → Nuanquan "Tree Flower" Show → Xuanhua Grape Picking 📸 Must-Shoot: Golden birch forests + Yu County "Sky Prairie" wildflowers ❖ Winter Ski Guide: 🏂 Top 3 Resorts: ✔️ Wanlong: Pro-level ✔️ Thaiwoo: Family-friendly ✔️ Fulong: Night skiing king 💰 Gear rental from ¥200/day 🍜【Foodie Radar】 🔥 Must-Try Trinity: 1. Oat Nests with Lamb Soup (Divine!) 2. Hand-Held Lamb (Freshly butchered!) 3. Chaigoubao Smoked Meat (200-year legacy) 🏆 Restaurant Picks: ▪️ Xiangyuanlou (Hotpot heaven) ▪️ Dunxiangju (Iron Pot Stew FTW) 🏨【Accommodation Guide】 💯 Grassland: Zhangbei farmstay (¥100/person for kang bed!) ⛷️ Chongli: Thaiwoo Town Resort (Ski-in/ski-out) 🚗 Downtown: Lavande Hotel (Near Dajingmen) ⚠️【2025 Pro Tips】 🚆 Transport: 1hr HSR from Beijing, car rental ¥100/day 👗 Packing: Summer jackets! Winter -20℃ down coats! 📱 Essentials: Sunscreen! Sunglasses! Cash! 🎫 Deals: Lightning Lake free for kids under 1.2m 💎【2025 New Experiences】 July: Grassland Music Festival + Rapeseed Blooms September: Bashang Cultural Festival (Intangible Heritage Shows) 🔥 Final Tips: 3 days = Grassland + Great Wall 5 days = Skiing + Ancient Towns Bookmark this 2025 ultimate guide now!

🗺️Route Options｜East vs West Lines Vastly Different 1️⃣ West Line (Yehuling → Bailong Cave, 32km) 🌾- Untamed scenery with fewer crowds: Pristine grasslands + windmill farms, grazing livestock, free viewpoints (Jiguan Mountain, Shirenbei Geological Park) 📸- Ideal for: Photographers, crowd-averse travelers, families wanting nature immersion 🧭- Navigation points: South Gate 1 of Sumeng Martyrs' Cemetery → Bailong Cave (final stop) 2️⃣ Central Line (Original East Line, Yehuling → Huapiling, 100km) 🎡- Commercialized activities: Horse riding/grass sliding/Ferris wheel (¥50-100/person), but heavy holiday traffic! 🌄- Must-stops: Saibei Terraces Viewpoint, Yanpianshan Stone Forest, Grassland Potala (stunning sunset) 3️⃣ East Line (Huapiling → Lightning Lake, 118km) 🌻- Hidden gem: Rapeseed flower fields + wetland lakes, sunflowers bloom in July, light traffic for better experience 🏠 Accommodation 🏨- Budget-friendly in town: Sunflower Inn (near Zhangbei Bus Station, clean + free parking) 🏡- Unique Tianlu stays: 🏰- Qique Castle Package: Glass rooms with pet-friendly yard, floor-to-ceiling grassland views, evening fireworks 🌾- Shanlihong Farmstay: Terraced fields for hiking ⏰ Book 1 week ahead: Weekends in July-Aug sell out fast! 🍽️ Food 🐑- Whole roasted lamb: 🏡- Shanlihong Farmstay (inside Tianlu, lamb ceremony + bonfire) 🏮- Tianyuanju in Zhangbei town (time-honored, fair pricing) 🍜- Must-try snacks: 🥣- Youmian Wowo (oat noodles) + lamb mushroom soup (common B&B breakfast) 🍯- Sugar Mahua (fried sweet dough, street stalls at Wucheng Street) 🛣️ Reverse Itinerary 📅DAY1: Depart Beijing 5AM → Navigate to Huapiling Expressway exit (3.5h via Jingli Highway) → Play Central Line in reverse (Huapiling → Grassland Potala) → Stay at Qique Castle (sunset photos + fireworks) 📅DAY2: Yehuling → West Line to Bailong Cave (2h drive + photos) → "Dawei Roast Lamb" before returning to Beijing (reserve 2h ahead!) ⚠️ Pro Tips 1️⃣ Fuel up: Fill tank before entering! Only Yehuling/Huapiling have gas stations 2️⃣ Avoid traffic: Enter before 9AM on holidays, use reverse route (via Huapiling) to save 2 hours 3️⃣ Key navigation points: 📍- West Line endpoint: Set as Bailong Cave (not Yehuling!) 📍- Central Line entry: Search "Grassland Tianlu East Line (Huapiling entrance)" 🎒4. Gear: Light down jacket (night temps 15°C) + sunscreen (strong UV at 1600m altitude) + cash (no signal in some areas)

Wild Fox Ridge, a place that once made history tremble, witnessed the intersection of the destinies of the Mongols and the Jin Dynasty. Genghis Khan, the eagle of the grassland, in order to avenge the world, led a hundred thousand strong soldiers, and confronted the elite troops of the Jin Dynasty - Wan Yan Chengyu's 450,000 army at Wild Fox Ridge. Wan Yan Chengyu, a Jin hero, sat in the middle army, arranged his troops to bully the few with more, and wanted to gradually eat away at his opponent. However, he never expected that he would encounter a more brave opponent. The two armies confronted each other, and the wisdom and bravery of the commander became the key to determining the victory or defeat. Genghis Khan, with unique insight, concentrated his superior forces to attack Wan Yan Chengyu's middle army. This bold decision determined the defeat of the Jin army. A hundred thousand Mongolian iron riders defeated 450,000 elite Jin. The Battle of Wild Fox Ridge, the elite of the Jin Dynasty were lost, and the Wan Yan family that once destroyed the Northern Song Dynasty lost their combat power in just a few decades. Although the Jin Dynasty's military, population, and economy were all stronger than the Mongols, the wheel of history ruthlessly rolled over. The Jurchens were completely sinicized, and the blood of the golden horses and iron horses and Wan Yan Aguda disappeared. The Battle of Wild Fox Ridge sounded the death knell for the Jin Dynasty!