Taihang Sky Road
A winding scenic road along the crest of the Taihang Mountains in Pingshun County, Changzhi. It runs along cliffs past Tongtian Gorge, the Shenlongwan cliff-side road, Hongti Pass and Hongni Village.
The Taihang Sky Road is in Pingshun County, Changzhi, Shanxi. It is the most iconic mountaintop section of the Taihang No. 1 Scenic Road, built along the main crest and cliffs of the Taihang Mountains. The usual “great loop” is about 66 km and ends around Hongni Village. The road repeatedly runs along cliff edges more than a thousand meters high, with the Taihang Grand Canyon below and the plains of Linzhou, Henan, in the distance.
Along the way you can see the cliffs of Tongtian Gorge and Tianji Mountain. The Shenlongwan cliff-side road is a tunnel road carved into the sheer rock by local villagers. The stone houses of Hongti Pass and Hongni Village are built into the mountainside. The road winds along the ridge around Xijing Mountain. To the south lies the Taihang Grand Canyon scenic area (Baquan Gorge, Hongdou Gorge and Qinglong Gorge), which can fill a full day.
The whole route is narrow mountain road with many bends and steep slopes. Some sections run along cliffs without guardrails. Traffic is heavy on public holidays, so it is best to drive in daylight and keep your speed down. You can enter from urban Changzhi or from Linzhou in Henan. It can be combined with the Hongqi Canal and the Guoliang Cliff-side Road as a two-day Taihang Mountains trip. Take extra care in winter when ice forms, or in heavy fog.