Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Avatar Mountains Guide

The Avatar Mountains are the towering sandstone pillars inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, centered around Yuanjiajie. Two full days give you the best first trip. Pair the famous stone columns of Yuanjiajie with the sweeping panoramas of Tianzi Mountain, then explore quiet, shaded valley trails below. A third day gives you extra time for relaxed plateau walks and mountain viewpoints.

What belongs to the forest park?

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (张家界国家森林公园) forms the core mountain landscape of the Wulingyuan (武陵源) scenic area. Thousands of sandstone pillars rise above green ravines, clear streams, and natural rock bridges.

The park works on two main levels. Upper areas take you along cliff walkways to look down across forest canyons. Valley paths take you beneath the same massive pillars. Visiting both levels gives you far better variety than spending every day at high viewpoints.

Tianmen Mountain (天门山), famous for its natural cliff cave and glass skywalks, is a separate mountain near downtown Zhangjiajie. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge (张家界大峡谷玻璃桥) is also in a separate valley with its own ticket. Plan those trips on separate days from your forest park visit.

Choose one, two, or three park days

Two full park days work best for most travelers. Spend one day seeing Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain, then spend your second day along the valley floor. This pace leaves plenty of time for photography without rushing between bus stops.

If you only have one day and prefer shaded walking over crowded lookouts, combine Huangshizhai with Golden Whip Stream. Check our two-day itineraries to see recommended entrance-to-exit routes.

Yuanjiajie: close views of the famous pillars

Yuanjiajie (袁家界) features the towering rock pillar known as the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain (哈利路亚山). Here, sandstone columns rise right beside the walking path, offering dramatic, near-vertical photo angles.

Other major sights include the First Bridge Under Heaven (天下第一桥), a natural stone bridge connecting two peaks, and lookouts like Enchanting Terrace (迷魂台).

The glass Bailong Elevator (百龙天梯) carries you straight up the cliff face from the valley into Yuanjiajie. It saves hours of climbing, though you will still walk paved paths and short stairways around each lookout. Follow the one-day Yuanjiajie and Tianzi route and check our photo-spots guide for the best viewpoints.

Tianzi Mountain: a wider peak panorama

Tianzi Mountain (天子山) opens up sweeping views across dense forests of slender stone spires. While Yuanjiajie puts you close to single pillars, Tianzi shows thousands of peaks stretching across the horizon.

Key landmarks around Helong Park (贺龙公园) include the Imperial Brush Peaks (御笔峰), Fairy Presenting Flowers (仙女献花), and the sprawling West Sea (西海) peak forest.

The Tianzi Mountain cable car links the upper plateau with the lower valley bus network. Free park shuttles also run along the ridge between Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, and Yangjiajie, making it easy to visit both main summits in one day.

Golden Whip Stream and Ten-Mile Gallery

Golden Whip Stream (金鞭溪) offers a flat, shaded walk beside clear water with views looking up at towering rock cliffs. The stream takes its name from Golden Whip Rock (金鞭岩) and was a filming location for the classic Chinese television series Journey to the West.

You can take a short walk and turn back, or hike the full 4.7-mile trail between Great Oxygen Bar Square (大氧吧广场) near the south gate and Water Surrounds Four Gates (水绕四门) near the east gate bus hub.

Ten-Mile Gallery (十里画廊) is a shorter valley stop featuring fun rock formations like the Old Man Gathering Herbs (采药老人). You can walk the flat path beside the small sightseeing train, or buy a train ticket to rest your legs in one direction.

Another day: Huangshizhai or Yangjiajie

Huangshizhai (黄石寨) is a large, quiet plateau with a scenic loop trail. Lookouts like Five Fingers Peak (五指峰) and Star-Picking Terrace (摘星台) offer wide mountain views. A cable car saves the main climb, making it an easy companion to the south end of Golden Whip Stream.

Yangjiajie (杨家界) features long, parallel stone ridges rather than isolated towers. The Natural Great Wall (天然长城) is the standout formation here. Choose Yangjiajie if you want rugged trails, steeper steps, and fewer tour groups.

Match your route, entrance, and transport

Pick your sights first, then choose the right park entrance. The East Gate / Wujiayu ticket station (吴家峪门票站) sits right by Wulingyuan town, close to most hotels, restaurants, and shuttle buses. The South Gate / Forest Park ticket station (森林公园门票站) connects directly to Huangshizhai and Golden Whip Stream.

Free eco-buses run frequently on both upper ridge roads and lower valley roads. Cable cars and the Bailong Elevator carry you between levels. Book your forest park tickets online using your US passport name and number for fast gate entry.

Practical tips for these park days

Adult park admission alone costs CNY 165 (≈ USD 25 ) and excludes shuttles and mountain rides. Admission with the park shuttle network costs CNY 236 (≈ USD 35 ) per adult. Both options cover four consecutive calendar days starting on your booked first visit. The Bailong Elevator, cable cars, and the Ten-Mile Gallery train require separate tickets. Compare options in our park ticket guide.

If thick mountain fog hides upper viewpoints, swap your plans and walk Golden Whip Stream first. A third day gives you a reliable weather backup if you want clear summit views.

To keep walking easy, take cable cars or the elevator for your main elevation changes, then walk the flat cliff paths. Save copyable Chinese place names on your phone to show bus staff when transferring between stations.