Simian Mountain 四面山

About Simian Mountain

Wangxiangtai Waterfall provides the dramatic vertical view, while Honghai offers a different rhythm around a mountain lake. Tudi Rock exposes the red sandstone setting that links the separate scenic sections. These are spread across a large managed area, so a rewarding visit means selecting a few contrasting stops and arranging the internal road travel rather than attempting one continuous walk through everything.

The scenic area lies in Simian Mountain town, Jiangjin District, part of a remnant of the northern Dalou Mountains on the edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, about 130 kilometers from central Chongqing and 90 kilometers from Jiangjin's urban area. It covers 213.37 square kilometers at elevations between 1,000 and 1,500 meters, with its highest point, Wugong Ridge (蜈蚣岭), at 1,709.4 meters and its lowest point at 560 meters. In 1994 the State Council listed it as a National Key Scenic Area (国家重点风景名胜区), and in October 2015 it was rated a national 5A tourist attraction (国家5A级旅游景区).

The area is dominated by primeval forest with abundant wild plant resources, described as a natural species gene bank. It contains more than 100 large and small waterfalls, including about eight around 100 meters tall. Wangxiangtai Waterfall, 152 meters high and 40 meters wide, is described in the source material as the tallest waterfall in China; the Shuikoushi and Yuanyang waterfalls are also named among its falls.

What to look for

• Wangxiangtai Waterfall: the major cascade against the forested cliff landscape.
• Tudi Rock: an exposed red-sandstone face within the wider Danxia terrain.

Location & getting there

Getting to Simian Mountain

Travel by road to the Simian Mountain visitor distribution centre in southern Jiangjin. Arrange the internal transport and verify any vehicle-entry requirements there; Wangxiangtai, Honghai and Tudi Rock have separate access areas.