My Favorite Hiking Trip to Jiuding Mountain in Mao County

Jiuding Mountain is an unusual tourist hiking Mountain compare to many other mountains in Chengdu City or even in Sichuan Province. However, the scenery on the mountain really surprises me!

-Wonder's Jiuding Mountain Hiking Tour-

Before we decided to do this hiking trip, we also did many researches about this mountain. So I would like to share the following information with you and hope this will be useful for those who’re interested in doing this hiking trip.

Where is Jiuding Mountain?

Jiuding Mountain is located between Hongbai Town, Shifang City, Shigu Township and Nanxin Town in Mao County, Deyang City. It borders Mianzhu Qingping and is the central part of Minshan and Longmen Mountains. It is 180 kilometers away from Chengdu. It will take around 4 hours by driving.

What to See in Jiuding Mountain?

Jiuding Mountain belongs to the middle of the Longmen Mountain Range and is the highest point in the peaks of the Longmen Mountain Range. Its unique scenery is the integration of grassland, Snow Mountain, primitive forest and natural attractions such as Buddha light, phantom, Cloud Sea, Geohistorical landscape and astronomical landscape.

Best Season to Visit Jiuding Mountain

The best tourist season of Jiuding Mountain is early summer. From May-June is the best season for viewing alpine cuckoos. At the end of June, the blooming cuckoos can be seen at 3000-3600 meters. At this time, the various wildflowers that bloomed earlier are also open one after another. The temperature above 3000 meters is still at zero degrees, and the various summits are wrapped in silver if it rains which is very spectacular. Wildflowers will bloom from mid-June to July, and the alpine meadows are colorful, which is the best season to go to Jiuding Mountain. Autumn is the season to see the red leaves, but there are too many places to see the red leaves all over China, so Jiuding Mountain is not a bright spot, and few people pay attention to it in autumn. In winter, from December-early March is the best season for skiing and snow viewing in Taiziling Ski Resort.

Where to Stay on the Mountain?

There are no hotels or hostels or local farmer’s house on the mountain. Only Camping is available on the mountain. Also, you need to bring your own Sleeping bag. It will be quite cold at night even in summer time, so it’s better to bring warmer sleeping bag and also bring one jacket.

Important Note: Taiziling Ski Resort is halfway up the Jiuding Mountain, so if you visit Taiziling Ski Resort in winter time, there are hotels &restaurants available nearby.

What to Eat on the Mountain?

There is no restaurant or stores on the mountain. I highly recommend you to bring some snacks, water, cookies, fruits, fast good, chocolate etc with you. However, if you join in the local group tour, the group could also cook simple food, rice or even simple hot pot with gas or fire. But you should not have too much expectation on the food.

What to Pack for Jiuding Mountain Hiking

You are supposed to walk for long time on the mountain and also you need to carry your sleeping bag, so you’d better leave your big luggage at your hotel in Chengdu downtown. You can bring a small bag to keep your personal belongs and necessities for 1 or 2 days.

Comfortable hiking boots or firm running shoes;
T-shirt;
Changes of socks;
Warm layers for top: fleece, cashmere jumper, sweatshirt/hoodie;
Hiking sticks;
Some energy bars for the trekking;
Sun cream;
Rain cape or umbrella;
Bottle waters.

Helpful Tips

• Avoid traveling to Jiuding Mountain on rainy days. Because all the road are original with mud, so the experience will be very bad if you choose to hike during rainy days.
• The weather changes very quickly on the mountain because of the high altitude. So if you meet fogs or sudden rains, don’t worry, it may change to sunny very quickly. But sometimes, the fogs can be very heavy and don’t evanish for days. Good luck to you!
• Prepare some Chinese RMB cash. The internet on the mountain is very bad and also Credit cards are not acceptable on the mountain top. Wechat and Ali-Pay are still acceptable if the internet is good.

After all these matters are solved, we joined one local group and did this 2 days’ Hiking trip during one weekend in middle July.

I couldn’t remember how long exactly it took from Chengdu to halfway of Jiuding Mountain. It should be around 4 hours driving. When we get off the van, we need to walk for around half an hour to the hiking start point.

Here below is the picture which will show you part of the route that we need to hike and I was standing at the hiking start point. If you watch clearly, you will find there are so many people on the routes. How exciting! With colorful wild flowers, green grasses and trees, this hiking must be very interesting!

-Colorful Wild Flowers in the Jiuding Mountain-

During this Hiking trip, my wife and I need to carry the sleeping bags and also my own back bag. At the beginning, it is not difficult.

-Jiuding Mountain Hiking-

With the time going on, your pace is getting heavier, especially for someone like us who seldom do exercise!

-Continue Hiking-

On the way, you will also find several horses are carrying the sleeping bags. I feel it is quite dangerous for the horses because the road isn’t very wide and flat.

-Horses Carry Sleeping Bags-

The weather is foggy and also getting colder when you climb up to higher altitude. Though we’re tired, we still feel excited and happy!

-Photos during Hiking-

At higher altitude, you could also see some alpine cuckoos. However, July isn’t the blossom season, so there are not flowers.

-Alpine Cuckoos-

Keep hiking and you will pass by some meadows and more wild flowers could be seen then.

-Wonder with Wild Flowers-

After around 4 hours’ hiking, we’re almost at the camping site. The road became more flat and you could also see the horses carrying tree branches. However, the weather is still very foggy with even a little rain. I was wondering if it is sunny, how beautiful it should be!

-Foggy Weather-

Finally we arrived at the Camping site.

-Camping Site-

We had a very simple dinner with rice and vegetables on the mountain as I mentioned above. The day got dark very soon and it was also very cold. You will find my wife was wearing a scarf and a jacket inside the tent.

-Wearing Thick Clothes in the Tent-

Now it’s time to sleep. In the evening, it was raining outside for a while. I guess everyone is expecting a sunny weather the next day.

-Raining outside in the Evening-

In the late night, I couldn’t sleep well because it was very cold and also uncomfortable to sleep in the sleeping bag. So when I walk out, I found the stars in the sky! Tomorrow must be a sunny day! I was so happy about it.

In the early morning, we got up very early to watch the Could Sea not far from the campground.

-The Cloud Sea-

Also find a great location to take a photo near the campground.

-Take a Photo near the Campground-

Now it’s time to leave the campground and continue to visit another most beautiful place - White Dragon Lake. With the sunny weather, it’s so so beautiful all the way! From the campground to the lake, the road is relatively flat and easy to walk compare to yesterday.

-What a Sunny Day-

The below route is my favorite! There are so many flowers along the road for both sides. I couldn’t express how much I like these wild flowers! With blue sky, white cloud and yellow flowers, this is must be a wonderland!

-Flowers along the Road for Both Sides-

Take the photos closely and you will find there are many different color wild flowers, including yellow, purple, white, blue, etc.

-Wild Flowers are in Different Colors-

You could also see some wild flowers similar to wild rose flowers though I don’t know what exactly it was! Anyway, it is very beautiful under the sky!

-Wild Rose Flowers-

After around one hour’s hiking, finally we arrived at White Dragon Lake - another Paradise!

-Wonder and His Wife at White Dragon Lake-

The weather was changeable. It could be cloudy even it is still sunny few seconds ago! So don’t worry about this too much! Just enjoy your time!

-Weather Changed-

After enjoy some free time along the lake, it’s time to get down the mountain. This time, we have chosen another different way instead of the way we climbed up to the mountain yesterday.

The way got down the mountain is quite different from the one we climbed up the mountain. There are many azalea trees on the way and you also need to walk through many trees, like you’re inside the forest!

-Azalea Trees-

After that, you will also see many flowers like before. The wild flowers are a little different.

-Wonder's Wife Surrounded by Wild Flowers-

You will hike into one forest and then see many wild flowers again and again. After around 3-4 hours’ hiking down, finally we got down the mountain and then got back to Chengdu downtown by car at night.

I could only see this is the most enjoyable hiking trip I ever had! This is also the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life! If there is a chance in the future, I would like to visit it again when the alpine cuckoos are blossoming!