Backroads Travel is an occasional series that focuses on out-of-the-way, lesser-known, or otherwise off-the-beaten-track travel destinations that are nevertheless well worth the time and energy it takes to get there. These are places that might not be highlighted in your travel guides or pop up in typical Google searches. They’re the hidden and unsung wonders of the world.

I’m one of those travelers who can plan an entire sidetrip (or trip) around a name or landmark that caught my attention for no particular reason. It’s how I ended up in Battambang, Cambodia. I adore maps – the more detailed the better – and I’ve been known to chart out an entire vacation just by zooming in and scouring Google Maps.

That’s exactly what I did on a recent extended (six-week) trip to China. Though we were there with our kids (6 and 8) and wanted to take them to many of the country’s highlights, we also wanted to get off the beaten track. Admittedly, this is fairly hard to do in a country of 1.3 billion, but after having lived in China for several years and traveled from one corner to the other, I’ve had my fill of the traditional tourist stops. There are few places left where I haven’t been.

So it was that I found myself scrolling around a map of Sichuan Province, looking for side excursions out of Chengdu (the provincial capital) after the kids had their fill of pandas. That’s when I first saw it: Siguniangshan National Park. Depending on how you translate it (I’ve seen it both ways): Four Maidens Mountains or The Four Sisters Mountains. I was immediately smitten and knew we had to go.

(Fair warning: This post has a LOT of pictures – click to embiggen. You can thank me later.)

I knew almost nothing about it, but I was suddenly obsessed with going there. Such is my travel style.

And in retrospect? Outside of Tibet (which is in a class of its own), it’s the most naturally beautiful place I’ve been in all of Mainland China. (And like I said, there are few places I haven’t been.)

Mt. Siguniang (四姑娘山) is actually inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site but not because of its stunning natural beauty. Along with Wolong and Jiajin Mountain, it made the list as part of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries. I wouldn’t recommend trekking out to Siguniangshan to see pandas, though. If pandas are what you’re after, you’re better off hitting up the Wolong Giant Panda Center at Gengda or braving the crowds at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Center in Chengdu.

But if you’re after unspoiled natural beauty that really makes you feel like you’ve discovered something new, then by all means, Siguniangshan National Park has your name all over it. Located on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-TIbetan Plateau, the park is about 590 square kilometers (about 228 square miles), and the average elevation is 4,500 meters (about 14,800 feet).

Siguniangshan got its name for the four most prominent mountains, which are adjacent and form an imposing row of snow-capped peaks. A local Tibetan legend says the four peaks are the embodiments of four young girls. At 6,250 meters (about 20,500 feet), the highest peak is known as “the little girl.”

The park might not immediately feel like you’re in the “middle of nowhere.” Indeed, you’ll certainly see other Chinese tourists in abundance (though they will thin out the longer you spend in the park). But in the few days we spent exploring the park and surrounding villages, I saw fewer than five other foreigners. And we were there in the middle of summer – prime time for foreigners to be crawling all over the country.

Siguniangshan is practically unheard of among most foreigners and casual tourists. It certainly doesn’t have the name recognition or magnetic draw of Sichuan’s powerhouse national park, Jiuzhaigou. You’ll feel like you’ve discovered a rare jewel.

Spend any time in China, and you’ll quickly become accustomed to nearly every park (of any size) marketed with superlatives and poetic descriptions. They can’t all live up to their lofty reputations. But Siguniangshan absolutely does.

Oh my, does it ever.

Getting There (Is Half the Fun)

The national park is about 220 km west of Chengdu. If you do your research on how to get there, you might see some conflicting information. The road there (there’s only one) was heavily damaged by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and it took a long time to rebuild – which made the journey to Siguniangshan a hellish ordeal. However, we went in the summer of 2017, and the road was completely finished.

Buses leave from Chadianzi Bus Station outside of Chengdu proper. We thought we had stumbled on a secret when we found a bus leaving from Xinnanmen Bus Station (which is in the middle of the city and served by Chengdu’s subway system – Line 1, Huaxiba Station). And though we did get a bus from Xinnanmen, it proceeded out to Chadianzi and sat there for a while before leaving. Chadianzi is also on one of the city’s subway lines (Line 2, Chadianzi Station); it’s just considerably farther out from the city center. Your hotel or hostel should be able to help you with the latest schedules and fares.

You’ll need to get a bus heading to Rilong (日隆) or Xiao Jin (小金). On the way, the bus will stop at the park visitor’s center, which is also the entrance to Changping Valley. Get off here. A short uphill walk will bring you to Changping Village (长坪村); you’ll want to stay here for both the convenience and the traditional Tibetan-style architecture. The town is small but oozes charm.

The bus journey from Chengdu takes about four hours, and it is one of the most spectacular drives in all of China. The first half is basically all freeway, but once you reach the mountains, it just gets better and better.

The road steadily climbs into the mountains and follows a river most of the way. Then, all of a sudden, you start going vertical. Lots of switchbacks and dizzying drops off the side of the road dominate the journey for almost two solid hours. There are breathtaking views around every turn.

Protip: Sit on the left side of the bus, if possible, for the best views. (And, obviously, sit on the right side of the bus during your return to Chengdu.)

Bus from Chengdu to Xiao Jin

Gateway to Changping Village

Changping Village

Changping Village from Above

The hills above Changping Village are well worth exploring.

The Valleys

In addition to Mt. Siguniang and the surrounding peaks, the park is composed of three separate valleys, and each provides a distinctive flavor and experience. Each also charges a separate fee.

Shuangqiao Valley (双桥沟) is the most heavily touristed valley in the park. It also has the highest entrance fee. The westernmost valley, there’s a road that travels the entire distance, and buses ply the route on a regular basis. Tourist groups hop on and off the bus and take quick snapshots of the scenery. If you have only a limited amount of time in the park, this is the valley for you. However, if you have at least one whole day, you should opt for one of the other valleys. We spent our time in Changping and Haizi Valleys, so read on for details.

Changping Valley (长坪沟) is the middle valley and provides the best possible views of the four peaks. A paved road enters the park, and there’s a trail that extends almost the entire length of the valley (30-some kilometers). The entrance gate is essentially right where the bus from Chengdu will drop you off (at the base of Changping Village).

After buying your ticket, a tourist bus shuttles you up into the park to a Tibetan-style temple. You can explore the temple and grounds, but from there, a 13-km boardwalk extends into the valley. The boardwalk is well traveled, and though there are a lot of steps up and down, it’s not a challenging hike.

You’ll almost certainly be sharing the boardwalk with a lot of other Chinese tourists, but every three steps is another magnificent view. And the farther you go, the more the crowd thins out. I should say that the “crowd” here certainly isn’t like the mob scenes typical to the most popular places in Beijing or other popular mountains (such as Emeishan or Taishan). It’s MUCH more manageable, but it’s all relative.

Changping Valley is dominated by a river, waterfalls, and commanding views of all four major peaks. There are one or two side trails (boardwalk and steps) off the main boardwalk to waterfalls, and if you have the time and energy, they’re absolutely worth it.

The boardwalk ends about 13 kilometers from the entrance at the base of Mt Siguniang. This is the point at which many people turn around. However, the trail continues up the valley for another 16 or so kilometers (the entire valley is about 29 km). Most people who continue do so on horseback. You’ll have no trouble finding guides and horses willing to take your money to continue the journey.

You can certainly continue on foot, but know that the ground is uneven and probably muddy. And it’s a long trek. It’d be hard to make the round-trip journey on foot in one day. If your plan is to head all the way in under your own power, make sure you make arrangements to camp in the park overnight. And check the weather!

How long this hike takes will depend entirely on you. My advice is not to rush it. Take your time, stop for pictures, hike the side trails, enjoy the natural beauty, and don’t push yourself. Remember, you’re well above 14,000 feet here, so if you’re susceptible to effects from altitude, be mindful of your limits. We spent most of the day hiking the 13-km stretch of boardwalk.

I turned back at the end of the boardwalk. Heading back affords brand-new views along the same route. I stopped for far fewer pictures on the return journey, and it took me about an hour and 15 minutes to return to the Tibetan temple at the other end of the boardwalk. But I was moving at a brisk clip since my wife and kids had turned back earlier.

Tibetan Temple at the Beginning of the Hike

End of the Boardwalk Trail

Late-in-the-Day Loneliness

Haizi Valley (海子沟) is the easternmost valley on the opposite side of the four main peaks (from Changping Valley). You reach the entrance via a staircase that begins from the same parking lot as the Changping Valley ticket office and bus station. The stairs basically climb straight up, and it’s a fairly arduous way to begin the day.

Haizi is touted as “lake valley,” but don’t go expecting it to be dotted with lots of lakes. Don’t even expect it to be similar to Changping Valley with lots of trees and a grand view of a river. For the most part, the trail is HIGH up on the mountainside.

There are lakes, but they’re far up the valley. There’s also no road or boardwalk beyond the ticket office. A short boardwalk leads a few hundred feet to the beginning of the trail and your first and last chance to hire horses and guides.

This is a real, honest-to-goodness hike that is very strenuous. It’s almost entirely uphill. At times, there’s a precipitous drop directly off the side of the trail. Depending on what the weather has been like, it could be incredibly muddy. And long stretches have no shade or protection from the sun. It’s not for the faint of heart. So plan and pack accordingly.

Big Lake (Da Haizi, 大海子) is the first major lake of the valley, and it’s about 16 km up the valley. We did the round trip on horseback, and it took us 7 hours. So take that into consideration if you’re planning to do it on foot. We never would have made it on foot with the kids (or, let’s be honest, by ourselves).

Close to Big Lake, we saw some familiar faces (from our hostel) who were doing it on foot, and they were totally wiped out. I could see it on their faces; all they could think of was the return journey.

But don’t get me wrong. It’s devastatingly beautiful. When I think back to our time in Siguniangshan National Park, it’s Haizi Valley that I remember. It’s this place that cemented the entire park as my Most Beautiful Place in China designation. I honestly can’t think of anyplace else in China (outside of Tibet) that’s just as drop-dead stunning at Siguniangshan.

Lunch Break, Halfway to Big Lake

Big Lake (大海子)

Details about Renting a Horse

Riding a horse through Haizi Valley was certainly a BIG part of the adventure for us. In Changping Valley, there were a few places where you could rent a horse and guide: at the beginning, at the end of the boardwalk, and at least one other place in between. Prices vary according to how far you want to do, but you’ll have to do a bit of negotiating to get a fair price.

Note that in Haizi Valley, the ONLY place you can rent a horse is at the very beginning. If you choose to hike on your own, you won’t have an opportunity to second guess yourself and hop on a horse later. In Haizi Valley, prices are set, and you need to pay (in cash) at a ticket booth before your adventure begins. Again, prices vary according to distance, but there’s a map with prices posted.

Haizi Valley Map with Destinations and Distances

Horse Rental Rates (Roundtrip)

The price covers the horse and a guide, who will walk beside your horse and hold the reins. If you have little ones or aren’t very comfortable on a horse, these guides are a life-saver. They’ll keep your horse moving at a steady pace and stop it from running away. In Haizi, especially, the hillsides are incredibly steep, and one misstep could find you rocketing to a very uncomfortable landing several hundred feel below.

And no, that’s not a joke. Toward the end of our day in Haizi, we saw a horse (without anyone riding, thankfully), lose control and race straight down the hillside in front of us. It couldn’t stop and went right over the edge. If someone had been riding that horse…well, it wouldn’t have been pretty.

Also, make sure you know what you’re in for. We were horseback for 7 hours in Haizi, which can get a tad uncomfortable after a while, especially if you’re a newbie to the whole horse thing. You’ll make a couple pit stops along the way, including a break for lunch at one of the only structures in the valley. (If you didn’t pack your own, you can buy noodles and basic snacks here.)

I can’t speak to the overall treatment of the animals, if that’s a concern for you. The horses looked very well cared for, which isn’t really a surprise when you consider the connection most Tibetans have with their horses. They are their livelihood, after all. And our guides were incredibly friendly.

Most (if not all) of the guides are ethnic Tibetans, but they also speak Mandarin. If you know enough to be conversational, you can carry on some great conversations. Since we were fluent, we were able to get to know them a lot more. Their friendship and companionship on the hike was invaluable and added so much to the experience.

The Brief Section of Boardwalk at the Entrance to Haizi Valley

If you find yourself in Sichuan Province with an adventurous spirit and a few days to spare, Siguniangshan National Park would be my #1 recommendation. The whole of Sichuan is WELL worth exploring, so if you’re planning a trip to China, do yourself a favor and explore Sichuan.

All of southwestern China is beautiful, but Sichuan is home to Emeishan, Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong National Parks, the Leshan Giant Buddha, Chengdu (and the spiciest food I’ve ever eaten), and oodles of pandas. Sichuan also boasts five separate UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

I always feel bad for people on quick 7-day trips of China and only see Beijing and maybe a glimpse of Xi’An (on the way to the terracotta army). There’s so much more to the country, and quite frankly, Beijing and its sites don’t even make the Top 20.

Sichuan is also your gateway to some of the unsurpassed wonders of the country in both Tibet and Yunnan Province. Don’t overlook it because it seems “too far away” or because you’re on your way to some of China’s remotest corners.

Sichuan Province is a playground for nature lovers, and Siguniangshan is its unsung highlight.