Golden Autumn Fairy Tale in October: Admire the Splendid Autumn Colors at the Summit of Baiyun Mountain in Song County, Luoyang, Henan

Summer's footsteps are free and unhurried, and the cool autumn arrives suddenly. Looking up, I find the ginkgo trees I pass every day have turned yellow; autumn comes so unexpectedly. If you missed the autumn around you, don't wait until next year. Now is still not too late to pack your bags and follow the footsteps of autumn. The autumn of Baiyun Mountain National Forest Park in Song County, Luoyang City, Henan Province is making a splendid appearance. Go to the summit of Baiyun Mountain to admire the magnificent colors of the mountains and rivers, and behold the golden ginkgo trees.

Day 1: Beijing - Luoyang Longmen - Baiyun Mountain, Song County

Day 2: Visit Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area

Day 3: Luoyang Longmen - Beijing

【How to Explore Baiyun Mountain National Forest Park】

Song County has a treacherous terrain, located in the heart of the eight-hundred-li Funiu Mountains. Nature's uncanny workmanship has created the wonders of its landscapes. The forest coverage of Baiyun Mountain National Forest Park reaches as high as 98.5%. After more than ten years of unremitting efforts, it has become a well-known tourist county in the Central Plains.

If you arrive late on the first day, it's a good choice to stroll around the Central Plaza. It's right next to the hotel cluster. Though not wide, this road is an excellent spot for taking photos here. The green ginkgo trees, after the baptism of autumn, begin to turn golden. Trembling branches occasionally send a few leaves fluttering in the breeze, dancing in the air. The afternoon sunlight paired with the ginkgo trees is a perfect match. The dazzling golden color illuminates the entire street. Even the lovely alpacas come here to join the fun.

Although the Central Plaza is beautiful, it's only a tiny corner of the Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area. Take transportation from the Central Plaza into the mountains. There are ample vehicles here, and you can depart after a short wait. To go up the mountain, you can choose according to your physical strength: bus, sightseeing car, or cable car – plenty of options. Only when you go into the mountains can you truly roam among the landscapes and unfold the beautiful picture scroll of nature.

Luhua Valley is very suitable for spending half a day when you first arrive at Baiyun Mountain. The terrain here is flat, and the route is easy. Walking through the primeval forest, you'll see clear streams flowing, with sparkling water reflecting dazzling light. Falling leaves drift away with the current or are pushed to the banks. The interplay of light and shadow in the forest reveals the mysterious beauty of autumn.

Baiyun Mountain National Forest Park is a pristine sea of forests, rich in plant species, with up to 1,991 kinds, including more than 40 species under national protection. Each tree trunk has a label indicating its species and name. You'll often see small creatures and vegetation whose names you don't know.

Among the layered peaks and colorful forests lies the Black Dragon Pool. Though it lacks majestic momentum, it has graceful charm. Up close, it looks like a black dragon coiled, yet the water is crystal clear; seen from above, it appears azure blue, like a flawless gem sparkling brilliantly. The babbling sound of the water echoes through the mountains like a symphony.

Walking through the forest in the warm afternoon sunlight, though there's no fragrance of flowers, the chirping of birds is constant. In late autumn, the sky is high and blue, and the sun shines diligently, without the harsh cold of winter or the scorching heat of summer. Everything in this autumn is just right. The mountain roads are paved with plank roads. Within the scenic area stretching about 5 kilometers, there are more than 20 scenic spots, each step offering a view.

Ascending to a high vantage point to gaze at the colorful mountain scenery, a glass suspension bridge comes into view among the steep peaks and ridges. At an altitude of over 1,900 meters and a total length of 100 meters, the glass bridge doesn't have the trendy shattering effects; instead, it offers the colorful vegetation below and the distant mountains and flowing water. Everything endowed by nature here makes people linger.

At this time, early each morning, one can see busloads of tourists heading up Baiyun Mountain, but they are rarely encountered along the way. I don't know when glass suspension bridges became popular in China. Usually, the bridge deck is crowded with people, but have you ever had the chance to occupy it all to yourself like I did? Here, admiring the beauty of the Baiyun Mountain peaks competing in splendor and the lush greenery, if you're fortunate to encounter rain, you can also see misty cloud seas. Being in the clouds, with hazy mountains, hazy forests, and hazy waters, you almost feel like you're in a fairyland.

After walking across the glass suspension bridge and passing through a cave, you can experience the Cave Sky Plank Road hanging on a cliff 1,408 meters high. Even the bravest person will feel a bit timid stepping on the transparent glass. The glass here is made of 6mm thick high-transparency tempered laminated glass, with a maximum load of 2,000 kilograms per square meter. To keep the glass bridge transparent and clean, both the Cave Sky Plank Road and the glass suspension bridge require wearing shoe covers. Although the Cave Sky Plank Road is thrilling and breathtaking, you must not run or jump while playing on it. There is a folk song that goes: "Thousand-feet cliff, hundred-zhang precipice, ducks and geese cannot cross, immortals cannot ascend." It is definitely the best place to feel the sense of reaching the sky above and gazing into the abyss below.

Baiyun Mountain is rich in water features. The Jiulong Grand Canyon is definitely the essence of the mountain's scenery. According to legend, the Jiulong Grand Canyon is where the dragon veins of the entire Funiu mountain range converge. Take the cable car to overlook the canyon, and you'll see waterfalls cascading down cliffs, magnificent and spectacular. "The pearl curtain cannot be rolled up, and the white silk hangs on the distant peak" – this description fits the scene perfectly.

The Jiulong Waterfall has a drop of 123 meters. Standing beside it, the rushing waterfall plunges down from the sky, displaying a majestic momentum that seems to swallow mountains and rivers, with splashing droplets and a thunderous roar. To experience such grandeur, you must first exert yourself, descending along the steps from the mountain top. The descent makes certain demands on your physical strength. To feel such surging power, you must act within your limits.

As the ancients said: "Where the terrain is flat and near, many tourists come; where it is dangerous and far, few arrive. Yet the most grotesque, singular, and extraordinary sights in the world are often found in perilous and distant places." If you want to see scenery that others haven't seen, you must go far. Friends with good physical strength can go up close to feel the sensation of the great waterfall descending from the sky.

Taking the Yuhuangding Cable Car to the top, the first thing you encounter is a viewing platform shaped like a chicken's horn, hence named Jijiao Peak. From here, looking out at the surrounding peaks, each peak is unique, standing like cliffs thousands of feet high. This 5A scenic area truly lives up to its reputation. In the boundless primeval forest, this viewing platform is just as small as a chicken's horn.

Another fork leads to Yuhuangding, with an altitude of 2,216 meters. The highest Taoist sacred site, Yuhuangge, is located here. Surrounded by thousands of competing peaks, each with its own character and steep cliffs, many photography enthusiasts come here with food and tents to capture the sunrise over the sea of clouds and the sunset glow.

The Retreat of Liuhou Temple is nestled by the mountains and rivers, shaded by green trees, with simple houses and a neat layout. It's a bit far to walk from the Central Plaza, so it's recommended to take a sightseeing car. Nearby is Baiyun Lake, which is especially suitable for friends who like quiet.

Liuhou Temple is the place where Zhang Liang, the founding hero of the Han Dynasty, lived in seclusion. What you see now are some buildings restored on the original site. Located by Baiyun Lake, the temple is shaded by green trees and surrounded by clear water.

Baiyun Lake is also called Moon Lake by tourists because of a big moon-shaped structure on the shore. Joyful in the forest, more wonderful on the water: rippling blue waves, lingering mist, picturesque scenery. Baiyun Lake is an artificial lake with a maximum storage capacity of 120,000 cubic meters. It also serves as a regulating reservoir, specially used to regulate the water flow for downstream waterfalls. The lake is like a jade necklace set among the high mountains and deep valleys, very spectacular. The water quality is natural mineral water. According to sample tests by experts from the Institute of Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it can "rival" Nongfu Spring.

Baiyun Mountain National Forest Park is a national 5A tourist attraction. The natural ecosystem is well-preserved. Ancient and famous trees stand tall and straight; exotic flowers and grasses bloom in colorful splendor; trickling streams are clear and crystal; dead vines and old trees have various postures; birds and animals leap happily; the water from waterfalls and the primeval forest area converge here, rolling eastward into the Yangtze River.

In spring, mountains are covered with blooming flowers, bees and butterflies dance; in summer, green trees provide shade, cicadas chirp in the quiet forest; in autumn, the mountains are dyed red, wild fruits spread fragrance; in winter, everything is covered with silver, making it a natural skating rink. The four seasons vary, each with different scenery. What I saw this time is just one view of the four seasons. It takes at least two or three days to visit all the main attractions.

【Transportation Inside the Scenic Area】

The Central Plaza is an ecological square of nearly 8,000 square meters, integrating dining, shopping, rest, and shuttle bus services. Most of the tourist merchandise shopping areas contain treasures from Funiu Mountain. As the saying goes, "Don't return empty-handed from a treasure mountain." Not buying a souvenir would leave a regret. There are various means of transportation into the scenic area. You can learn about them at the Comprehensive Tourist Service Reception Center and choose the one that suits you. The ginkgo trees here are also a highlight not to be missed.

【Accommodation】

All 18 hotels are built near the square, each with different standards and unique features. My friend and I chose "Baiyun Renjia" hotel, where the room space occupies 42 square meters. As the weather turns cold, the speed of the air conditioner heating and hot water supply became my primary criteria for choosing a hotel. I was lucky to choose this one – both aspects were perfect and impeccable, and the room was "warm" enough. The independent wooden bathtub in the room highlights its uniqueness. The toilet, shower, and washbasin areas each occupy a corner, so you won't be disturbed even if there's another person. It's especially suitable for a bath after a day of mountain climbing. The blue-green door stands out from the usual dark tones of hotels, being both calm and fresh. Pushing open the balcony door, you can see the unique autumn morning. Facing water and leaning against mountains, with a nearby stream and distant majestic peaks, you can forget the hustle and bustle of the city, listen attentively to the sounds of autumn, and feel the beauty of the season.

【Dining Inside the Scenic Area】

All major hotels serve local specialty dishes. There is also a flavor snack street specializing in farm-style snacks, which is convenient, delicious, and inexpensive. If you're used to rich food in the city, why not try farm-style meals here and taste mountain delicacies?

【Warm Tips】

1. Most roads in the scenic area are winding mountain roads. If you get carsick, don't sit backward on the sightseeing bus; try to sit facing forward and up front.

2. For the best autumn viewing season, wear clothing in layers: for example, a short T-shirt inside, then a long T-shirt, then a jacket. If it gets hot, you can easily remove layers. Avoid standing in the wind when sweating.

3. For those who love drinking water, a thermos is a must. Otherwise, you'll only have stream water to drink (though there are places selling water along some sections of the road).

4. The "autumn tiger" sun can be harsh on the face, so use sunscreen and multifunctional scarves.

5. Act according to your physical strength. There are walking sticks sold on the mountain, green ones that look like the Beggar Clan's dog-beating stick.

6. If you have a drone, be sure to bring it – the aerial views here are stunning.

7. Location of the scenic area: Baiyun Mountain National Forest Park, Tonghe Village, Checun Town, Song County, Luoyang City, Henan Province.

8. Accommodation: Baiyun Renjia Hotel.

9. Ticket: Full price 75 yuan/person.

10. Transfer transportation: 70 yuan/person (including bus and sightseeing car); Yuhuangding Cable Car: upward 60 yuan/person, downward 50 yuan/person, round trip 100 yuan/person.

Unknowingly, three years have passed since my last visit to Baiyun Mountain. Coming back to this familiar place, a flood of long-lost memories rises in my heart. So many people, so many things, seem to have fallen like leaves among the forests and mountains. My steps haven't stopped, my travels continue, and I am still moving forward on the road of travel.