Saihanba National Forest Park 塞罕坝国家森林公园

About Saihanba National Forest Park

Forest, meadow and wetland meet here, so its appeal changes between the wooded slopes and the open water of places such as Qixing Lake. The forestry story becomes tangible in Shang Hai Memorial Forest, where a boardwalk passes among established larches and younger growth. Select a small number of stops within the forest area and arrange transport between them; the name covers a broad landscape rather than one compact park enclosure.

In 1681 the Kangxi Emperor established the Mulan Paddock (木兰围场), an imperial hunting ground, in this area. From 1863 the Qing government allowed the land to be reclaimed for farming, and its forests and wetlands disappeared, leaving Saihanba a barren expanse that produced sandstorms affecting Beijing, Tianjin and other cities in northern China. In 1962 the State Forestry Administration established the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm (塞罕坝机械林场) to halt the sandstorms; the Hebei Saihanba National Forest Park was built on this basis in 1993, and the Hebei Saihanba National Nature Reserve was established in 2007.

The forest farm lies in the northernmost part of Weichang Manchu and Mongol Autonomous County, on the southern edge of Inner Mongolia's Hunshandake Sandy Land (浑善达克沙地), bordering Yudaokou pasture area and Keshiketeng Banner, and is one of the sources of the Luan (滦河) and Liao (辽河) rivers. Elevation ranges from 1,010 to 1,940 metres, with a cold temperate plateau climate; winter temperatures have fallen as low as -43.2 degrees Celsius, an extreme low for Hebei province.

In 2017 the Saihanba afforestation effort received the United Nations Environment Programme's Champions of the Earth award, in the Inspiration and Action category. As of 2023, only about 1.35 percent of the area, covering 18,900 mu (亩), remains open to visitors, with the rest kept closed to protect ecological resources.

What to look for

• Qixing Lake's wetland landscape within the forested uplands.
• The larch stands and boardwalk at Shang Hai Memorial Forest.

The surrounding area

Northern provincial base for the Mountain Resort and outlying temples; an imperial-landscape itinerary.

Location & getting there

Getting to Saihanba National Forest Park

Approach the Saihanba forest area in northern Weichang County. Siheyong is the rail station identified in the regional source, with a separate onward journey needed to the forest.

• Use 七星湖 or 尚海纪念林 as the specific destination for the day's first stop, and confirm local forest-road access.