Tianmen Mountain

天门山国家森林公园

The “Gate to Heaven” beside Zhangjiajie city: the world's longest passenger cable car, the 99-bend Heaven-Linking Avenue, a cliff glass walkway and Tianmen Cave, offering thrills and grandeur in a single day.

Tianmen Mountain lies about 8 km south of Zhangjiajie city center, at an elevation of 1,518 meters. It is named after Tianmen Cave, a natural cave passing through the mountain beneath the summit, about 131 meters high and 57 meters wide. It is the most important scenic area in Zhangjiajie city. Highlights include the Tianmen Mountain cable car (from the city straight to the summit, 7,455 meters long, the world's longest high-mountain passenger cable car, about 28 minutes); the Heaven-Linking Avenue (a winding mountain road with 99 bends, traveled by eco-shuttle); Tianmen Cave and the 999-step Heavenly Ladder (escalators are also available); the glass walkways at the summit (east and west sections, each about 60 meters long, suspended from a cliff 1,400 meters high, shoe covers required); the Guigu Walkway; and Tianmen Mountain Temple. The forest trails at the summit are flat, and a loop takes about 3–4 hours. Tickets cost about 258–278 yuan, including the cable car and eco-shuttle, and come in three routes: Line A (cable car up, eco-shuttle down) is the quickest, Line B is the reverse, and Line C is the eco-shuttle the whole way plus the cave escalator. In winter and the off-season, tickets cost about 225 yuan. Tickets must be booked in advance with real-name registration through the official Tianmen Mountain WeChat account, selecting the route and time slot, and they often sell out several days ahead during holidays. Getting there: the lower cable car station is in downtown Zhangjiajie (Guanliping), about a 10-minute walk from the railway station and about 15 minutes by car from the airport. Tips: Go up in the first batch (7:30–8:00 a.m.) to avoid queues. The glass walkway has a separate 5 yuan shoe-cover fee. Those afraid of heights can take the regular wooden walkway beside the Guigu Walkway. The summit is 5–8°C cooler than the city, so bring a jacket. The cable car stops in strong winds and thunderstorms, so check announcements.

Tianmen Mountain

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby