Wuxi County (Chongqing)

A summer-retreat county on the upper Daning River in northeastern Chongqing: the Hongchiba alpine grasslands are cool in summer and snowy in winter, flanked by the ancient salt town of Ningchang and the Lanying Grand Canyon — and it's the home of Wuxi grilled fish.

Wuxi County lies in northeastern Chongqing on the southern slopes of the eastern Daba Mountains, bordering Shaanxi to the north and Shennongjia in Hubei to the east. The Daning River flows north to south through the county town, and downstream lie the Lesser Three Gorges of Wushan. The county is all high mountains and deep valleys, with elevations ranging from just over 100 m to 2,796.8 m at Yintiaoling, Chongqing's highest peak, creating a layered climate that's "cool in summer, snowy in winter": the Hongchiba alpine pastures in the northwest average about 20°C in Jul–Aug, making them Chongqing residents' top choice for escaping the heat, and after the snows of Dec–Feb you can ride snowmobiles there; spring and autumn are good for the Daning River gorges and ancient towns.

The sights fall into three areas. First, around the county town: Daning Ancient Town, Yuntai Temple, boat rides through Miao Gorge, and, 10 km north, the "ancient salt capital" of Ningchang Ancient Town and Lingwu Cave — all doable in one day. Second, the Lanying Grand Canyon and its cliff-hanging road in the east, about 20 km from the county town — a half- to full-day drive. Third, Hongchiba National Forest Park in the northwest, about 80 km from the county town and nearly 2 hours by mountain road; stay a night in the park to see the sunrise and the stars. Yintiaoling is only suitable for experienced hikers.

Getting there: Wuxi has no railway yet. Take a high-speed train to Fengjie, Wushan or Wanzhou and transfer to a bus, or drive via the Fengjie–Wuxi and Ankang–Laifeng expressways. Sights in the county are scattered and the mountain roads winding, so self-driving or hiring a car is most convenient. Allow 2–3 days. The must-eat dish is Wuxi grilled fish, best enjoyed at the riverside night market in Daning Ancient Town. Note that temperatures swing widely between day and night in the mountains, gorge roads often jam during holidays, and you'll need snow chains to drive up to Hongchiba in winter.

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