Mugecuo Lake (Kangding Love Song Scenic Area)
康定情歌（木格措）风景区
A high-altitude lake at 3,700 meters, north of Kangding city. Its Tibetan name means “Wild Man Sea.” Sightseeing buses take you past Seven-Color Lake, Azalea Gorge and Fangcao Meadow to the lake, where you can take boat trips and visit Red Sea Grassland.
Mugecuo Lake lies in Yala Township, about 17 kilometers north of Kangding city. It is the heart of the Kangding Love Song Scenic Area. The lake sits at about 3,700 meters and covers nearly 4 square kilometers, making it one of the largest alpine lakes in northwestern Sichuan. Its Tibetan name means “Wild Man Sea,” and it is surrounded by snowy peaks and primeval forest. The scenic area is made up of six parts: Seven-Color Lake, a small lake at a lower elevation that changes color with the light throughout the day; the Medicinal Hot Spring, a group of geysers where you can boil eggs; Azalea Gorge, where alpine azaleas bloom from May to June; Fangcao Meadow, a meadow of grasses and wildflowers; the main Mugecuo Lake; and Red Sea Grassland, an alpine meadow on the lakeshore that turns red in autumn. To visit, take a sightseeing bus (about RMB 90 round trip, which is mandatory) from the ticket office. It travels 18 kilometers uphill in about 50 minutes to the lakeshore. Walk the lakeside path or take a boat (about RMB 100, which can take you to Golden Coast Beach). Then take a bus back down, getting off at Azalea Gorge and Seven-Color Lake to walk the trails. The full visit takes about 4 hours. To reach Red Sea Grassland, you need to hike from the lakeshore or buy a separate shuttle ticket. Admission is RMB 120 during peak season (April to November) and RMB 70 off-season. The sightseeing bus costs about RMB 90. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during peak season and 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. off-season. Buses run from 7:30 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. Getting there: a chartered car from Kangding city costs about RMB 150–200 round trip. The bus station has a dedicated scenic area shuttle. From Chengdu, the drive takes about 5 hours. Be aware that the lake is at 3,700 meters, so walk slowly and bring oxygen if you need it. The weather is changeable, and the lakeside can be windy, so pack windproof and warm clothing. Boiling eggs in the hot spring costs about RMB 10. In winter, icy roads may cause the sightseeing buses to suspend service.
Opening hours
Apr–Nov 08:00–18:00; Dec–Mar 08:30–18:00 (shuttle 07:30–16:35)
Nearby sights
- Zheduo Mountain Pass
- Erdaoqiao Hot Spring
- Kangding Love Song Square
- Anjue Monastery
- Nanwu Monastery
- Jingang Monastery
- Paoma Mountain
- Red Stone Beach (Yajiageng Red Stone Park)