Taohua Valley & Caishi Stream
桃花峪
A valley scenic area on the northwest foot of Mount Tai, with a streambed of colorful striped Taishan rock and the Peach Blossom Valley cable car to the summit, the easiest route up the mountain.
Taohua Valley lies on the northwest foot of Mount Tai, about 15 km west of Tai'an city, and is the most relaxed and tranquil of Mount Tai's four main hiking routes. The Caishi Stream within the scenic area runs about 3 km, and its bed is formed of Taishan Group rock dating back 2.6 billion years. Later rock veins have cut it into striped patterns of red, white and black, and clear water flowing over the stones looks like a natural painting. It is the core geological feature of the Mount Tai UNESCO Global Geopark. Geological walking trails and information boards line the stream, and visitors can wade in the water in summer. In spring, peach blossoms and forsythia bloom in the valley. From the Taohua Valley entrance, take the scenic shuttle bus (about CNY 30) up the valley road for about 12 km to the lower station of the Peach Blossom Valley cable car, then ride the cable car (about CNY 100 one way, around 10 minutes) directly to the area near Heavenly Street on the western side of the summit. The whole trip takes about an hour, which suits visitors with elderly people or children or those who want to save energy. You can also get off at the Caishi Stream section and hike, then catch the next shuttle bus. Suggested routes: the classic combination is to hike up the Red Gate route and descend by the Peach Blossom Valley cable car, then take the shuttle bus back to the Taohua Valley entrance and a taxi back to the city, about 40 minutes. Or reverse the order, going up from Taohua Valley and descending via Zhongtian Gate. The ticket is included in the Mount Tai general admission, while the shuttle bus and cable car are charged separately. Getting there: a taxi from downtown Tai'an to the Taohua Valley entrance takes about 30 to 40 minutes; bus route 16 also serves the area. Notes: the shuttle bus and cable car operate for short hours (about 08:00 to 17:00), so allow ample time to descend; the Caishi Stream is slippery and swollen after rain, so take care; in winter, the cable car may be suspended due to wind and snow.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00 (shuttle buses and cable car)
Nearby sights
- Eighteen Bends & South Heaven Gate
- Tianjie (Heavenly Street)
- Jade Emperor Peak (Taishan Summit)
- Bixia Temple
- Riguan Peak (Sunrise Peak)
- Houshiwu Scenic Area
- Yunbu Bridge & Five Senior Official Pine
- Fan Cliff