Shanxi–Shaanxi Yellow River Canyon Road
A scenic road along both banks of the Yellow River's Shanxi–Shaanxi gorge, linking Laoniuwan, Qikou Ancient Town, Qiankun Bend, Hukou Waterfall and the ancient city of Hancheng.
The Jin-Shaan Grand Canyon is a gorge about 700 kilometers long, cut by the Yellow River as it flows south from the mouth of the Tuoketuo River in Inner Mongolia, between Shanxi and Shaanxi. In recent years, Shaanxi has built a Yellow River scenic highway (about 800 kilometers), and Shanxi has built the Yellow River No. 1 Tourist Road. Self-drive travellers usually follow one bank or alternate between the two, for a total of about 1,000 kilometers.
The northern end begins at Laoniuwan, on the border between Pianguan and Qingshui River, where the Great Wall meets the Yellow River. Travelling south through Hequ, Baode and Jiaxian (Baiyun Mountain and Xianglu Temple), you reach Qikou Ancient Town in Linxian, a Yellow River trading port with Lijiashan cave dwellings. Continue south via the ancient town of Wubu and Qiankun Bend in Yanchuan, where the river meanders like a snake, to Hukou Waterfall. Further on, the river widens. It passes Longmen Yumen Gate and reaches Hancheng, with its ancient city, Dangjia Village and the Sima Qian Temple. Then it passes Qiachuan in Heyang, and Stork Tower in Yongji, before reaching Fenglingdu at the great bend of the Yellow River and Yuncheng.
The route is dominated by loess landscapes and ancient villages and towns, with cave dwellings, jujube groves and terraced fields accompanying the winding Yellow River. Most of the road is second-class, and some gorge sections have many bends and tunnels, with little heavy traffic. Allow 5–8 days, and stay in Qikou, Qiankun Bend, Hukou and Hancheng. In summer, check whether the Hukou scenic area is open during the flood season, and be aware that loess slopes can slide after rain.