Hebei’s Seven-Color Forest: A 4-Hour Drive from Beijing into Its Most Beautiful Season
Photos & Text | Mu Chengzi
Bashang has always been a summer grassland getaway, but many don’t realize that autumn on the Bashang Grassland is the one place you must visit once in your life. The autumn colors here are vast and magnificent, a riot of brilliant hues, surging with breathtaking intensity. From mid-September to early October, the beautiful grasslands change color day by day!
Golden meadows are dotted with radiant white birches and elms, light and shadow dancing through the leaves...
Where forest meets grassland, you’ll find both the graceful elegance of the south and the rugged boldness of the north.
At first glance, a friend thought they were in Hemu, with autumn hues dreamlike and endless; another moment it felt like northern Europe, with colorful woods perfectly spaced, riversides shimmering with light and texture that seem almost tangible.
Where is this?
A secret paradise discovered by chance: Shenxian Valley Seven-Color Forest.
It sits on the border between Fengning Bashang in Hebei and Inner Mongolia, in Datan, Fengning County, Chengde City, covering over 20,000 mu. Currently, it is the highest-standard, largest, most unique, and best-equipped large-scale tourist area in the entire Bashang region.
Our group of five drove from Beijing for about four hours. Beijing was drizzly and overcast when we left, and we worried the plan might be ruined. Carrying a sliver of hope, we headed north to begin our early-autumn dream-seeking journey.
(Unexpectedly, the Seven-Color Forest gave us a huge surprise.)
Arriving at the Seven-Color Forest visitor center, there’s a large parking lot on the left. Further ahead are three hotels in different styles. We checked into our hotel first.
After a short rest and lunch, it was still raining outside, so we opted to visit the indoor scenic spots.
The Bashang Grassland was once the most frequented base for nomadic peoples and the favorite summer retreat for emperors of the Liao, Jin, Yuan, and Qing dynasties.
Today, Fengning County is still home to many Manchu people. OrangeSeed, who had long wanted to learn about Bashang’s past and present, found in this folk museum a thorough and detailed introduction to Manchu history, cultural evolution, clothing, paper-cutting, hunting and fishing traditions – all through images and real objects.
What surprised OrangeSeed the most was a coat and boots made entirely of birch bark. On close inspection, the grain was clear, the seams tight, and the craftsmanship exquisite.
I think this exhibition is particularly meaningful; it gives everyone a deeper understanding of Manchu culture, freeing us from the unrealistic backdrops of costume dramas. As you enjoy the stunning natural scenery, you also gain knowledge – well worth a visit.
Accompanied by the pitter-patter of rain, we hoped for a sunny day, even though the weather app still said “rain in the morning.”
Pulling open the curtains, the mountains were ablaze with gold and vivid colors under brilliant sunshine. The weather was unexpectedly perfect. A local friend said that’s just how Bashang weather is – rain comes and goes quickly, and conditions change fast.
With light steps and colorful outfits, we happily re-entered the scenic area.
There are two ways to explore Shenxian Valley Seven-Color Forest:
1. From the entrance, follow the wooden walkway all the way to the farthest point, then take a small train or electric cart back.
2. From the entrance, take the small train directly to the end and explore from the inside out (you can call for a pickup at any stop if you get tired).
I recommend the second option, as the area is huge and the most exciting spots are deep inside – save your energy.
Boarding the forest train, breathing the fresh post-rain air, we threaded through the woods, gasping at the beauty nature had laid before us.
This is the small train’s terminus. Getting off and stepping into the Forest Tribe area, on the left is Yunting Pavilion, the highest point in the scenic area. Standing here offers the best panoramic view of the Seven-Color Forest. At the summit, green leaves mix with golden ones, their shadows varying in height and depth.
The wide-open vista gives a feeling of seeing all mountains at once. Looking out, the ridges are gentle yet imposing, hills roll like endless waves, a yellow grass carpet lies underfoot, and a patchwork of colorful forest fills your vision. Every frame is as beautiful as a cinematic scene.
Now I understand why they say the forest coverage here is 60%, bringing together grasslands, forests, wetlands, hills, lakes – all kinds of terrain. “Seven-Color Forest” lives up to its name.
Descending from Yunting Pavilion, you might feel a bit tired. Here you can opt for a classic grassland activity: horseback riding. It’s a chance to rest while enjoying the thrill of galloping.
The horses come in many colors – spotless white, handsome black, lithe brown… Their shiny manes gleam in the sunlight, a sign of meticulous care. No worries if you can’t ride; experienced handlers accompany you the whole way, making it very safe.
Brushing treetops at arm’s reach – not everyone gets to try this unique experience. At the entrance of the Forest Tribe area, we stepped onto the popular glass skywalk.
Not as high as Yunting, but it has its own charm. Walking on the glass path surrounded by trees, I felt like a woodland sprite, observing the subtle differences between trees up close and listening to nature’s whispers.
Gazing down from the glass skywalk, you’ll see a long wooden bridge leading to a white forest. That’s our next stop: Sunlit White Birches (White Birch Forest).
The birches here are dense and plentiful, each straight and tall, every row pure and simple, the groves tranquil and graceful. The gray-white bark under the setting sun is like memories frozen in time.
Looking up at the treetops, golden leaves flutter down, as if welcoming you or urging you to stay a little longer – to take another look before they turn into nourishment for the roots. They hold the hope of next spring, a promise to return even more beautiful next year.
True to its name, here cascade pools of different colors, stepping down like terraced fields. Autumn turns this place into the world’s richest palette. When the palette reflects in the pools, the scene becomes a gorgeous oil painting, riotously colorful and breathtaking.
Opposite the Five-Colored Pond is a forest ranch, home to all sorts of adorable animals. Right at the entrance, a tall camel greets you with full humps – clearly well-fed. Further in, you’ll see peacocks, sheep, horses…
The happiest sight is a herd of freely roaming sika deer. The stags are spirited, the fawns charming and lovely, running free in the garden, merging seamlessly with nature.
Water, the source of all life.
The lake lives up to its name – it’s the largest body of water in the scenic area. When there’s no wind, the dazzling forest lies perfectly mirrored on the glassy surface, blurring the line between illusion and reality.
The azure sky and white clouds are reflected on the lake, while delicate little flowers sway and bloom in the water, as if waiting to be picked – but there’s no place to step. Some beauty can only be admired from afar; that’s where its magic lies.
Walking on the transparent glass bridge, it feels as if water and sky merge into one. The high sky, pale clouds, and forests ablaze with color play out a vivid game of hues here.
As evening lights begin to glow, the picturesque Sky Mirror Lake sheds its colors and becomes even more mysteriously enchanting in the fading sunlight. As music starts, the lakeshore gradually lights up with warm illumination.
The green hills, the serene lake, the dazzling light show – all chase away the early-autumn chill in the night, as people dance and sway to the rhythm.
The bright, clear moon seemed to want to join in, but it could only watch.
After dinner, everyone gathered at the Seven-Color Forest square for the “night revelry.” People danced around a bonfire, letting go of stress and pressure. Sparklers in hand, they traced heartfelt words in the air, making wishes as fireworks shot upward and blossomed in the dark night sky.
Two food recommendations:
Pot tea: A traditional grassland fare. Those who’ve visited the grasslands know that the milk tea is salty, brewed with milk and tea bricks. It comes with several side ingredients – beef, milk slices, fried rice – you can add whatever you like.
Roast whole lamb: A grassland specialty, crispy outside and tender inside, delicately textured, free of gamey smell, golden brown. Be sure to have the second round of roasting – the skin gets crispier, the meat more fragrant the longer it roasts.
Seven-Color Forest International Resort Hotel: Simple and spacious interiors, with views right from your bed.
Squirrel Inn: Specially designed for families, filled with cute squirrel motifs. There’s even a hanging chair, fun for both adults and kids.
16° Holiday Hotel: Why 16 degrees? I think it reflects Bashang’s climate. Even in scorching summer, it stays cool here. The room decor is also very distinctive, capturing the beauty of Bashang’s four seasons.
Day 1: Beijing – Seven-Color Forest (about 4 hours) – check in – Manchu Cultural Garden
Day 2: Forest Tribe – Yunting Pavilion – Horse riding – Glass Skywalk – White Birch Forest – Five-Colored Pond – Forest Ranch – Night light show – Roast whole lamb – Bonfire and fireworks
Day 3: Sky Mirror Lake – Instagrammable water bed – Return trip
On the grassland, you can’t miss dairy products: cheese, xylitol milk strips, milk strip hamburgers (with hawthorn in the middle), milk chips, quinoa, tartary buckwheat tea, pot tea, beef jerky…
You can sample them at the visitor center. The hotel rooms even include complimentary pot tea. These are all poverty-alleviation dairy products. My favorite is the milk strip hamburger – it upended my view that dairy treats are always cloying. The hawthorn cuts the richness.
For friends in the north, where holidays are short and you don’t want to travel too far but still crave autumn’s most beautiful scenery, Bashang is an excellent choice.
From the white birch forest in full autumn glory to the misty Sky Mirror Lake, from the Yunting hamlet with distant views to a ranch hidden on the grassland, you’ll encounter a fairy-tale world of dazzling colors.
Here, there are no high-altitude snowy peaks like in Western Sichuan, no risk of altitude sickness, and you can still enjoy the thrill of horseback riding. Gather your friends, sisters, and family, and come experience the poetic charm of autumn at the Seven-Color Forest.
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