Changbai Waterfall 长白山瀑布

About Changbai Waterfall

Its narrow upper stream opens into a dramatic fall above the valley, while the Julong hot-spring area below adds evidence of geothermal activity. These two features make a coherent northern-slope visit even when cloud hides the crater lake above. Follow the current viewing platforms and paths; historical descriptions of enclosed paths to the lake should not be treated as a promise of present-day access.

Changbai Waterfall drops 68 meters down the north slope of Changbai Mountain, the tallest summit of the Changbai Mountain range on the border between China and North Korea; the border itself passes nearby, through the center of the crater lake Tianchi (天池) above. It is listed in the Guinness World Records as the largest waterfall originating from a volcanic crater lake, and is most dramatic during the summer snowmelt season, since Tianchi is usually frozen until late June or July. The waterfall's flow lessens in winter but never fully freezes, because the lake drains from below the ice and is geothermally heated year-round.

Below the falls, Julong Hot Springs form pools of colorful algae that thrive in the upwelling geothermal water and contribute headwater flow to the young Songhua River, which flows north into the Amur, forming part of China's border with Russia, and eventually reaches the Sea of Okhotsk facing Sakhalin Island and the northern Pacific. Koreans and Jilin residents traditionally regard the waters of Tianchi as sacred, and Korean-speaking natives often bring a bottle to collect some.

What to look for

• The waterfall and the channel draining the crater-lake basin.
• The Julong geothermal spring landscape below the waterfall, viewed from designated paths.

Location & getting there

Getting to Changbai Waterfall

Enter through the North Scenic Area visitor centre at the southern end of Erdaobaihe Avenue in Chibei, then use the operating scenic transport to the waterfall sector. Follow the current platform route rather than an old route description.