Micangshan National Forest Park 米仓山国家森林公园

About Micangshan National Forest Park

Micangshan National Forest Park (米仓山国家森林公园) lies in the Micang Mountains (米仓山) in the north of Nanjiang County (南江县), Bazhong (巴中), where Sichuan meets Shaanxi. Its scenic area forms part of the wider Guangwushan (光雾山) tourism area.

The Micang range joins Motian Ridge (摩天岭) in the west and the Daba Mountains (大巴山) in the east and divides the waters of the Han (汉江) from those of the Jialing (嘉陵江). The old Micang Road (米仓道) crossed it, and its main peak, Guangwu Mountain (光雾山, 2,507 m), stands in Nanjiang. Most of its peaks are cones of limestone and dolomite, and Wikipedia records the range as holding the world's largest remaining primary forest of beech (Fagus, 水青冈属) trees.

The Bazhong Guangwushan-Nuoshuihe tourism zone gives the scenic area 410 km², a national AAAA rating and forest cover of 97.3%, and calls it a gene bank of the Qinba mountains. It is best known for autumn leaves, promoted as "Asia's longest red carpet" and "China's home of red leaves". The river valleys of Dalangou and Xiaolangou (大小兰沟), where red foliage is set off by clear pools, are named as the best place in Guangwushan to see them.

Other sights recall the mountains' old role as a route north to Hanzhong (汉中). Jiaguo Mountain (贾郭山) marks the Sichuan-Shaanxi boundary; it was once called Two-Horn Mountain (两角山) after the two peaks flanking its summit, and took its present name from the Jia and Guo families who lived below it and gave passing travellers meals and lodging. In the Daba (大坝) basin of the scenic area stood Mouyang (牟阳), a garrison town linked in tradition to Xiao He (萧何) chasing Han Xin (韩信), to Liu Bang (刘邦), Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮) and Zhang Fei (张飞). Xianglu Mountain (香炉山, 2,329 m), named for four ridges that spread from its peak like an incense burner, is known for sunrise, sunset glow, a sea of cloud and gnarled, weather-bent trees among its cliffs.

What to look for

• Autumn red leaves in the Dalangou and Xiaolangou (大小兰沟) valleys
• Xianglu Mountain (香炉山), 2,329 m, with its sunrise, cloud sea and gnarled trees
• The Elephant Welcoming Guests (大象迎宾), a weathered, hollowed rock on the summit of Xianglu Mountain
• Jiaguo Mountain (贾郭山) on the Sichuan-Shaanxi boundary
• The Natural Gallery (天然画廊), a plank path through slender Bashan beech trees
• Black Bear Gully (黑熊沟), pools and falls over polished granite at the southern foot of Xianglu Mountain
• The site of the garrison town of Mouyang (牟阳故城) in the Daba (大坝) basin

Location & getting there

Getting to Micangshan National Forest Park

• Search for 米仓山国家森林公园 with 巴中市 and 南江县.