Hebei Travel: Magnificent Baishishan Mountain Scenic Tour in Laiyuan (Photos)

In Laiyuan, Hebei, there is the magnificent Baishishan Mountain. I’ve driven there twice on self-drive trips, and although both were road trips, they were a full nine years apart. I remember on my first visit in September 2006, there was no glass skywalk yet. Nine years later, I heard that a new glass skywalk had been added, touted as the first thrilling and precipitous glass skywalk in China at the time. So I joined a self-drive convoy for a 'Baishishan Scenic Tour – Adventure on the Suspended Glass Skywalk' road trip.

On the way to Baishishan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

On the morning of October 25, 2015, after finishing a tour of Xigubao in Yu County, Hebei, I continued the journey to admire the majestic Baishishan and explore the suspended glass skywalk. After about a 20-minute drive, the convoy arrived at the Laiyuan Baishishan National Geopark. The park covers the Juma Spring area and Baishishan in Laiyuan County, totaling 60 square kilometers. It features peak forests formed by dolomitic marble tectonics, complemented by geological relics like the Shixia Gorge granite waterfall cluster and the Juma Spring tectonic spring group.

Group photo at Baishishan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The lower part of Baishishan consists of a flesh-red granite base, the middle section is a white marble belt, and the upper part features gray tower-like peaks. The blend of red, white, and gray creates a unique landscape. The main peak rises to 2,096 meters, Guijianchou Peak at 2,057 meters, and Sunrise Viewing Platform at 2,091 meters. The peaks often form clusters, with steep cliffs and bizarre shapes.

Scenery of Baishishan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Most of Baishishan’s cliffs are vertical and sharply angled, steep as if hewn by knife and axe. The peaks come in myriad shapes: some are larger at the top than the bottom, others lean without falling, some resemble stacked blocks, and some seem unfathomably deep. In areas of granite distribution, the landscape changes to round, majestic mountains with bizarre rocks towering into the sky, displaying a fascinating variety of forms and delightful curiosities.

Me at Baishishan (Photo: Cao Qun)

There were originally two routes to tour Baishishan. One was to walk up from the foot of the mountain along a plank walkway. The other involved driving to a point over 1,800 meters up, then starting from the Jiucai Garden entrance, hiking along walkways, crossing suspension bridges, and passing through tunnels, ultimately reaching the summit of Baishishan. The good thing about this route is that visitors can complete a loop without backtracking, enjoying all the scenic wonders of Baishishan before returning to the Jiucai Garden entrance.

Magnificent mountain scenery (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

However, after several years of not visiting Baishishan, the scale and facilities had greatly developed, especially the sightseeing area, which seemed to have expanded considerably. My impressions from the first visit years ago were completely gone. Now, besides walking, there are two other options to ascend: a cable car and a dedicated tourist bus, both of which only go as far as Jiucai Garden.

Suspended walkway (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

From Jiucai Garden, stroll along the newly built suspended sightseeing walkway. The mountainside walkway here is just like the suspended hiking trails on the east and west coasts of Mount Sanqing in Jiangxi. Amidst the thrill, visitors can take in the panoramic beauty of Baishishan’s mountains and valleys. In particular, the glass skywalk, which began construction on May 10, 2014 and was completed and opened to the public in mid-September, adds an extra attraction for adventurous tourists to Baishishan.

Photo memento on the glass skywalk (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Many visitors are curious about the details of the glass skywalk at Baishishan, its distribution, and so on. In fact, the glass skywalk is just one small attraction, but it is a major highlight of a trip to Baishishan. Baishishan is a massive mountain with a vertical height exceeding 1,000 meters, offering the curious phenomenon of experiencing four seasons in one mountain. When peach and apricot blossoms are in full bloom at the foot, the summit is still covered in snow, resembling a distant white serpent writhing across the vast expanse. Generally, the best season to visit Baishishan is from April to November, so this trip for our auto club members was perfectly timed.

Overlooking from the walkway (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The formation of Baishishan dates back 1.1 billion years to the Mesoproterozoic Jixianian Wumishan period, when dolomite underwent regional metamorphism. During the Mesozoic Yanshanian period (about 140 million years ago), granite intrusion caused the dolomite to metamorphose—the closer to the granite, the stronger the metamorphism. This turned the rock into white dolomitic marble, with local formations of radiating wollastonite from contact metamorphism. This is the material basis that created the peak forest landscape of Baishishan, and also the origin of its name (literally 'White Stone Mountain').

Enjoying the 'thrill' (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Baishishan stands majestically at the northernmost tip of the 400-kilometer-long Taihang Mountain range, towering over the peaks along the Juma River. Grotesque peaks rise in abundance, huge ravines crisscross the terrain, and sheer cliffs are as sharp as if hewn by knife and axe, with distinct edges and few curves. It epitomizes the wonder and peril of mountain scenery. Baishishan is densely vegetated and often shrouded in clouds and mist during summer. Its unique character—'the grandeur of northern mountains with the charm of southern landscapes,' and 'elegance within majesty, eeriness within simplicity'—is supremely wondrous and perilous, making it a standout in China’s mountain landscapes.

Wreathed in clouds and mist (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

After taking the cable car to Jiucai Garden, the official tour of Baishishan began. Walking slowly along the undulating suspended mountain walkway, I gazed out at the peak forest landscape—uniquely shaped peaks in endless variety, with some peak forests having a maximum vertical drop of nearly 600 meters. The entire area can be summed up in four words: 'grandeur,' 'peril,' 'wonder,' and 'illusion.' Grandeur and peril form the body of Baishishan’s peak forest scenery, while wonder and illusion are its soul.

Autumn hues of Baishishan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The 'grandeur' of Baishishan is characterized by peak forests that thrust up from the ground, with soaring peaks and deep valleys standing lofty and majestic. The dense clusters of peaks reach into the sky, creating a magnificent and awe-inspiring spectacle that stirs the soul. Its 'peril' is manifested in the dolomitic marble, which under special conditions, forms rugged peaks and valleys, steep cliffs, and huge single-drop walls that are nearly impossible to scale.

The 'Dolphin Emerging from Water' formation (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The 'wonder' of Baishishan refers to its peak forest landscape, which represents the heart and soul of the entire scenic area and is the most brilliant and essential part of Baishishan. Originally, the gently inclined, shovel-like dolomitic marble formed massive peak forests and clusters of various shapes, standing majestically on summits and slopes.

Photo memory of the hike (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Within the peak forest, individual giant columns come in diverse shapes: resembling beasts, pagodas, bamboo shoots, swords, or immortals. Added to this, the many horizontal or near-horizontal bands on the rocks make the peak forest even more colorful and varied. A solitary peak in Baishishan is one of the representative features.

'Jiang Taigong Fishing' (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The 'illusion' of Baishishan is truly magical. Each year during summer and autumn, when warm, moist air from the southeast is trapped among the peaks and huge ravines of Baishishan, clouds and a sea of mist often form at altitudes above 1,800 meters. At such times, Baishishan is frequently veiled in ethereal clouds, like a fairyland, with enchanting scenery.

Layer upon layer of peaks (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Especially after a rain, when the sky clears, the scenery is even more stunning. The peak forests rise tall and jagged, now visible, now hidden among the drifting clouds. Waves of mist surge and roll, making the peaks resemble floating immortal isles. The scene is profound and dreamlike, as poetic and picturesque as a painting. What is particularly worth mentioning is the frequent occurrence of the 'Buddha’s Light' (glory) at Baishishan—its extremely high frequency of appearance is rare in northern China.

Cliffs of Baishishan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

After about an hour and a half of hiking, the group finally arrived at the Baishishan Glass Skywalk. Situated 1.5 kilometers along the cliff walkway from Shuangxiongshi to Feiyunkou in the White Stone Gallery of the scenic area, at an altitude of 1,900 meters, this suspended glass skywalk is 95 meters long and 2 meters wide. At the time, it ranked first in China in terms of length, width, and altitude.

Capturing the beautiful scenery (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Baishishan Glass Skywalk has a concrete frame structure, with 3.2-cm-thick double-layered laminated glass ingeniously combined with a stainless steel framework, capable of bearing 1,000 kilograms per square meter. It offers visitors a unique experience while ensuring a high level of safety. To be honest, however, the walkway is more thrilling than truly dangerous, and it’s not very long. Compared to the Glacier Skywalk in the Canadian Rockies, there is a huge gap. Nevertheless, the car club members were immersed in the joy of mountain touring throughout the entire Baishishan sightseeing trip. (Text and photos: Feng Ganyong)