Urumqi Glacier No. 1
天山一号冰川
A Tian Shan glacier at the source of the Urumqi River, one of the longest-observed glaciers in the world. The core area is closed to visitors, but you can view it from lookouts along the G216 highway.
Tianshan Glacier No. 1, formally the 'Urumqi River Source Glacier No. 1', lies near Shengli Pass in the Tian Shan, about 120 km southwest of Urumqi city. It sits at an elevation of about 3,700–4,400 m. It is China's longest-observed and best-documented glacier, and it is the source of the Urumqi River. Due to climate warming, the glacier continues to retreat and has recently split into eastern and western branches.
To protect the glacier and for scientific observation, the core area is closed to visitors. Most people now drive along the G216 national highway and view the glacier and snowy peaks from roadside lookouts. The mountains are high, temperatures are low and the weather changes quickly. In winter and spring, roads are often closed by snow, so check road conditions before setting out.
The coordinates are taken from the glacier location given by Wikidata and have low precision.
Opening hours
Daytime while the G216 highway is open
Nearby sights
- Nanshan Pastures (West Baiyang Valley)
- Tianshan Grand Canyon (Zhaobishan)
- Silk Road International Ski Resort
- Geographical Centre of Asia
- Wulabo Ancient City
- Xinjiang Geological and Mineral Museum
- Xinjiang Grand Theatre
- Memorial of the Eighth Route Army Office in Xinjiang