One-Day Trip to Saihantala Urban Grassland in Baotou, Inner Mongolia
Left the accommodation at 8 a.m. and headed to Saihantala Urban Grassland, choosing to walk today, as I usually love hiking. Saihantala Urban Grassland is located in Qingshan District, and I was in Kundulun District. I followed the route provided by Amap and eventually entered the grassland through an entrance near the west gate of Saihantala Urban Grassland.
The grassland is enclosed by simple earthen-yellow frames, with a greenway and vehicle roads outside, and a pristine grassland landscape inside. Walking along the greenway, lush green grass lined both sides. Near and far, children accompanied by teachers lingered and played in the shade of trees.
The green space stretched ahead, beyond which grew unruly weeds, with a few freely growing trees scattered here and there. Where there were commercial facilities, crowds gathered, and sightseeing shuttles ferried tourists back and forth. According to the map, Saihantala Urban Grassland covers a large area, but from the on-site situation, the greenway likely doesn't reach every corner. I wanted to measure the grassland on foot, so I continued forward. The number of people dwindled, with a few passing me by. When I reached the observation tower, a vast view opened up before me: the real grassland lay below the greenway. I couldn't wait to go down and feel the breeze of the prairie.
I descended the steps, which were made of wooden planks but soon turned into a one-meter-wide cement path. There was no trail in the grass, but there were signs of trampling. I first walked along the cement path. The sun was scorching, and the brim of my hat kept falling down, blocking my view. I continued deeper into the grassland, and soon there were almost no people in sight. At that point, three paths lay ahead. To the left, someone had just cycled past; on the middle path, people were returning. So I chose the right path, which stretched to the horizon with no one in sight. Ignoring the falling brim, I walked forward with my head down. The path was covered in horse dung, dried out by the sun. Stepping on it was no big deal, and at least I wouldn't bump into anyone. Passing by a tree, I enjoyed a moment of coolness in its shade. I continued forward until I reached the end. To the left or right? The right path seemed to lead out, so I turned left. The cement path ended, turning into dirt. I followed the beaten trail ahead until suddenly a small gravel path appeared. Now at the center of the grassland, the grass grew as tall as a person. A depression was filled with wild grass of varying heights, untended and growing freely. I passed a few large trees, also in a natural state, with branches and twigs all over, unpruned. After turning right, I suddenly heard the sound of flowing water. Following the sound, I found wooden steps. Walking along them, I realized I had reached the east gate.
The ground and flower beds near the east gate were neatly trimmed. Emerging from the grassland felt like stepping out of a pristine natural environment. Overall, it's truly a great place for hiking. Walking on the soil, weaving through the tall and short grass under the blazing sun, with occasional breezes, it offers a unique prairie charm.
