Pingshanhu Grand Canyon
平山湖大峡谷
A red-bed canyon north of Zhangye, dubbed “China's Colorado”. It combines valley-floor walks with clifftop viewing and feels more like a hike than Rainbow Danxia.
Pingshanhu Grand Canyon lies in Pingshanhu Mongol Ethnic Township, Ganzhou District, Zhangye, about 56 km north of the city. It is a group of canyons carved into a red sandstone plateau, with walls over 100 m deep in reddish-brown tones, earning it the nickname “China's Grand Canyon of the Colorado”. The visit has two parts. First, take the shuttle to several viewpoints on the plateau top to look down into the canyon and across to the distant Heli Mountains. Then enter at Yixiantian (“Sliver of Sky”) and hike down to the valley floor, about 3–4 km including wooden ladders and narrow fissures. Along the way you'll pass formations such as Town Turtle Rock and the Thousand-Year Stele. At the exit, take the shuttle back. The full trip takes about 3–4 hours at moderate hiking intensity. Admission is about 100 yuan, including the shuttle. The area is a Yugur and Mongol pastoral region, so you can stop by to try herders' milk tea. Because it is far from the city and in the opposite direction from the Danxia, it is usually given a half-day of its own, or combined with the Giant Buddha Temple in the city on the same day. Note: there are no supplies inside the canyon, so bring plenty of water. Some narrow sections require climbing, so it's unsuitable for people with limited mobility. The canyon may close during thunderstorms.
Opening hours
08:00–18:30
Nearby sights
- Zhangye National Wetland Park
- Ganzhou Market (Night Food Market)
- Zhangye Drum Tower (Zhenyuan Tower)
- Zhangye Shanxi Guild Hall
- Muta Temple (Wooden Pagoda Temple)
- Zhangye Giant Buddha Temple
- Heishuiguo Ruins
- Zhangye Danxia Landform