The World's Highest Altitude Populus Euphratica Forest: Witness the Tenacity of Life, a Thousand-Year Wait Just to Meet You

Populus euphratica is a magical and ancient plant. It lives for a thousand years without dying, stands for a thousand years after death without falling, and remains uncorrupted for a thousand years after falling. It is a precious forest resource unique to desert regions, growing in deserts and gobi areas. It is cold-resistant, drought-tolerant, salt-alkali tolerant, and wind-sand resistant, with extremely strong vitality, and is praised as the guardian deity of the desert.

I remember that 'Ode to Populus Euphratica' describes it like this: Having traversed the primordial chaos of the universe and condensed the essence of heaven and earth, the populus euphratica forest, as the earliest plant community, miraculously created the green of life and hope on this fortunate planet. Having endured the vicissitudes of time and become accustomed to the fickleness of the world, the populus euphratica forest has become the last surviving species, eloquently interpreting the value and power of existence in this harsh environment.

Who else can be so tenacious? Drought-tolerant, cold-resistant, salt-alkali tolerant, wind-resistant, sand-resistant, and calamity-resistant; roots penetrate ten meters deep to absorb nutrients, and after rain it sprouts leaves and grows for three years. Even if it dies of drought for more than twenty years, new buds will bloom again when it meets water. Who else can be so bold? It lives for a thousand years without dying, stands for a thousand years after death without falling, and lies for a thousand years without decaying. Holding high the banner of life, it fights against the endless yellow sand all year round, willingly stationed in the vast gobi!

Many regions in northwest China have populus euphratica. Famous ones include Ejina in Inner Mongolia, Luntai in Xinjiang, Golmud in Qinghai, Mori in Xinjiang, Jinta in Gansu, and Yiwu in Xinjiang. Each has its own characteristics—some are famous for their antiquity, others win by their scale. However, the populus euphratica forest in Golmud is the highest altitude populus euphratica forest in the world.

The most beautiful season to appreciate the populus euphratica forest is autumn. Everyone is familiar with the picturesque golden view of populus euphratica, but what is the populus euphratica forest like in summer? Do you know? This is a set of photos we took when we came to the Golmud Populus Euphratica Forest Desert Park in July. Let's take a look together.

Golmud Populus Euphratica Forest generally refers to the Golmud Populus Euphratica Forest Reserve, but the reserve is usually not open to tourists. The place we came to is called Golmud Populus Euphratica Forest Desert Park, which belongs to the same area as the populus euphratica forest reserve, both located in the desert gobi zone at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains, only 15 kilometers apart. However, the scale and density of the populus euphratica are slightly less here. It is a free tourist attraction.

This place is about 50 kilometers from the city center. Looking into the distance, on the vast gobi and sand dunes, apart from a few Achnatherum splendens grasses, there are only populus euphratica trees. Although the scale does not seem large, these populus euphratica trees standing tall in the sand dunes are still stunning. Their tenacious vitality makes us marvel at the wonders of nature.

Inside the populus euphratica forest desert park, there are some small wooden cabins available for tourists to stay in. However, it is not known whether they are still under construction or it is not the season. When we arrived, they were not open. My personal guess is that now is considered the off-season for the populus euphratica forest, with fewer tourists (there were no other tourists when we arrived), so it is temporarily closed. It should open when there are more tourists in autumn.

Populus euphratica is the only tree species that can naturally form forests in deserts. It has a history of 3 to 6 million years. In order to absorb water in the extremely arid environment, its root system can grow up to 15 meters long and spread in all directions. It is resistant to high temperatures and severe cold, capable of surviving tenaciously under temperature conditions ranging from -39°C to 39°C. It is also salt-alkali tolerant and wind-sand resistant, and is known as the guardian deity of the desert.

1. There is no shuttle bus to the Golmud Populus Euphratica Forest Desert Park. If you want to visit, you must rent a car or drive there yourself. The scenic area does not charge admission and is free for tourists.

2. There are no shops inside the park. If you go, you need to bring an appropriate amount of food and water. Due south of the populus euphratica forest is the towering Kunlun Mountains, so generally there is no need to worry about losing direction.

3. According to local friends, wolves roam in the populus euphratica forest desert park in the morning and evening. Visitors should pay attention to safety and it is best to go in groups of three or four.

4. The temperature difference between day and night in the populus euphratica forest desert park is large. In summer, it is cool and cold in the morning and evening, and extremely hot at noon; in winter, it is cold, and when there is a windy day, it is even more bitterly cold. Therefore, you should take measures to protect against cold, sun, and sand.