Things to do in Chángbái Shān
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Chángbái Shān
China's largest nature reserve, Chángbái Shān, covers 210,000 hectares of dense forest, straddling the China-North Korea border. At lower elevations, the forests are filled with white birch and Korean pines; above 2000m the landscape turns treeless and windy. Temperatures, too, can plunge from steamy at the reserve entrance to frigid at the summit. No matter how warm it is in the morning, sudden high winds, rain and dramatic drops in temperature are possible by afternoon.
In summer, tour buses bring day-trippers to the northern slope to pose for photos in front of the waterfall, gorge on eggs boiled in the natural hot springs, stampede up to Heaven Lake and rush down a…
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Heaven Lake
This two-million-year-old crater lake, 13km in circumference, sits at an altitude of 2194m and is surrounded by rock outcrops and 16 mountainous peaks. The highest, White Rock Peak (Báiyán Fēng), soars to 2749m and can be climbed if you have permits and are with a Chinese tour group. Legend has it that the lake is home to a large, but shy, beastie that has the magical power to blur any photo taken of him.
You can no longer hike to the lakeside area but may only enjoy the panoramic views from the crater lip.
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Waterfall
The road forks at the dàozhànkōu, with one branch climbing steeply to Heaven Lake, and the other leading past several hotels to the waterfall and hot springs. Erdaobai River runs off Heaven Lake, creating this rumbling 68m waterfall that is the source of the Songhua and Tumen Rivers.
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Underground Forest
Between the park entrance and the dàozhànkōu, about 12km from the north gate, this verdant forest is a pretty hiking spot. Following the trail for about 30 minutes leads to a crater filled in with trees.
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Bathhouse
On the path to the Heaven Lake waterfall, vendors boil eggs in the hot springs, and there's a bathhouse where you can soak in the odoriferous waters.
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Chángbái Shān Canyon
Filled with dramatic rock formations, the 70km-long, 200m-wide and 100m-deep canyon really deserves more fame, but it's tough to measure up against the lake. There's an easy 40-minute walk along a boardwalk that follows the canyon rim through the forest.
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Èrdào Shùndá Jiǎozi Chéng
From early morning till late evening, this family-run eatery is packed with locals. They breakfast on porridge and buns, then return later for handmade dumplings, hearty stews and whatever vegetables are fresh that day.
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White Rock Peak
The highest peak surrounding Heaven Lake is White Rock Peak (Báiyán Fēng), which soars to 2749m. Legend has it that the lake is home to a Loch Ness-style 'monster,' but you can see for yourself…
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Sōngjiānghé Restaurant Area
One block south of Sōngjiānghé's main square is a busy market lane. On the east side of Sōngjiānghé's main square, you'll find Sōngjiānghé restaurant area that has several small family-run restaurants.
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Dazheng Travel Agency
In Sōngjiānghé, arranges transportation and tours to the western slope.
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