Guangwu Mountain

"China's No. 1 Red Leaf Mountain": Taoyuan, Micang Mountain Forest Park, the Eighteen Moon Pools and the caves of the Nuoshui River, with mountainsides ablaze with red leaves in autumn.

Guangwu Mountain is in the north of Nanjiang County, Bazhong, Sichuan, on the southern flank of the Micang Mountains at the Sichuan–Shaanxi border. It is a national 5A-rated scenic area and, together with the Nuoshui River in Tongjiang County, forms the Guangwushan–Nuoshuihe UNESCO Global Geopark (2018). The area is famous for its autumn foliage and is billed as "China's No. 1 Red Leaf Mountain": every year from mid/late October to early November, maples, smoke trees and other colorful trees blanket the slopes in what is touted as "Asia's longest natural red carpet." Summers are cool, making it a retreat for people from Sichuan and Chongqing, and winter brings rime ice and skiing. Sightseeing falls into three main areas: the Taoyuan scenic area in Guangwushan Town (Swallow Cliff, Seven Sisters Peak, the Hanxi River and the Micang Ancient Road); Micang Mountain National Forest Park, running from Tieluba through the Natural Gallery to Daba (Heixiong Gully, Xianglu Mountain, and the Big and Small Lan Gullies); and the Eighteen Moon Pools in Yangba Town. The Nuoshui River, about 60 km to the southeast, is known for its caves. Each area is ticketed separately; Taoyuan costs about ¥108 in peak season (including the shuttle bus), and during the red leaf season private vehicles are restricted and visitors transfer to shuttle buses. Getting there: first travel to Bazhong or Nanjiang county town, then transfer for the 1.5–2 hour ride to Guangwushan Town; drivers can take the G85 Yinchuan–Kunming Expressway. Allow 2–3 days: one for Taoyuan, one for Micang Mountain's Daba area, and half a day for the Eighteen Moon Pools. Accommodation is tight during the red leaf season, so book ahead; mornings and evenings in the mountains are much colder, so dress warmly and watch for slippery paths.

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