Qinglong

The 24-Bend Road of the Stilwell Road coils up Mount Qinglong, alongside a WWII museum, the Yi town of Amei Qituo, Guangzhao Lake and the Sanwangping grasslands.

Qinglong County lies at the northern tip of Qianxinan Prefecture in southwestern Guizhou. The county town, Liancheng Subdistrict, sits at about 1,400 m on National Highway 320 and the Shanghai–Kunming Expressway, about 110 km from Anshun and 220 km from Guiyang, and has a station on the Shanghai–Kunming high-speed railway. Formerly called Annan, the town grew from the Annan Garrison fortress built in the Ming dynasty, and was renamed Qinglong in 1941 because its name clashed with an old name for Vietnam. Its most famous sight is the 24-Bend Road on the town's southern outskirts: a vital chokepoint on the Stilwell Road during the War of Resistance against Japan, it winds through 24 hairpin bends up the steep slopes of Mount Qinglong. Historic photos of American convoys climbing it made it world-famous, and it is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. The area divides into three parts: around the county town are the 24-Bend Road viewing platform, the WWII museum, the old town of Annan and the Yi town of Amei Qituo, all doable in a day; to the northeast, the Beipan River offers Guangzhao Lake and the Beipanjiang Bridge on the Shanghai–Kunming Expressway, set in a deep gorge; and in Dachang Town to the southwest, the Sanwangping grasslands at over 1,800 m are ideal for road trips and camping. Qinglong is known for Qinglong goat and tea, and its mutton rice noodles and spicy chicken are worth trying. The climate is mild year-round; Mar–May and Sep–Nov are best, while the rainy season is often foggy, so drive the mountain road with care. Allow 1–2 days, and consider combining with Huangguoshu and the Wanfenglin peaks in Xingyi.

Top sights

• 24-Bend Road (Stilwell Road) – The S-shaped mountain road on the Stilwell Road, the iconic stretch of the only overland supply route into China during World War II.
• 24-Bend Anti-war Museum – An anti-Japanese war memorial museum beside the 24 Bends, telling the story of the Stilwell Road and the transport history of the Nanqiao m…
• Amei Qituo Town – A Yi-style town created by relocating an entire township, located in the Sanbao Yi Ethnic Township. It is a national 4A-level scenic area w…
• Annan Ancient Town – A rebuilt old-style street district on the site of the Ming-era Annan Garrison. It was the main filming location for the TV series The 24 B…
• Sanwangping Meadow – A high-altitude grassland above 1,800 meters, with the First, Second, and Third Viewing Meadows stretching across the land. It is the grazi…
• Guangzhao Lake – A canyon plateau lake formed by the reservoir of the Guangzhao Hydropower Station on the Beipan River, with emerald waters and surrounding…
• Beipanjiang Highway Suspension Bridge – A suspension bridge on the Hu-Kun Expressway that spans the Beipan River canyon, with a deck about 330 meters above the river. It is an eng…

Itineraries

• Southwest Guizhou Self-Drive Loop: Peaks & Canyons – A self-drive loop from Guiyang via Huangguoshu and the 24-Zig Road to the peak forests of Xingyi, returning via the Hua…
• Grand Guizhou Self-Drive Loop – A comprehensive self-drive loop starting and ending in Guiyang, covering all nine prefectures and cities, including wat…