Enshi Grand Canyon

Background

Enshi Grand Canyon lies in Enshi City, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei. Most of it is in Tunbao Township (formerly Mufu Township), while the Yunlong River Fissure is in Banqiao Town, about 60 km from central Enshi. Sources give its total length variously as about 108 km or about 35 km; two core areas are currently open, Qixingzhai and the Yunlong Fissure. Qixingzhai sits at 1,500 to 1,900 m, with rock formations named the Incense Stick, the Twin Towers and the Welcoming Pine among its pinnacles, and a cliffside boardwalk about 488 m long hangs high on the rock face. The visitor section of the Yunlong Fissure is about 3.6 km long, about 75 m deep on average and up to about 100 m deep, with waterfalls and a stream along its floor. The canyon is cut mainly into limestone laid down in the Permian and Triassic, about 230 million years ago, and features sinkholes, fissures, caves and underground rivers. It is now a national 5A scenic area. The surrounding area is home to Tujia and Miao communities, and the Nü'er City district in central Enshi has Tujia stilt houses and folk performances.

Local customs

• In the morning, walk the floor of the Yunlong Fissure to see the waterfalls and the narrow strip of sky above
• in the afternoon, take the cable car up to Qixingzhai and walk the cliffside boardwalk to the Incense Stick and the pinnacles above the clouds
• fit hikers can walk the whole Qixingzhai loop
• on the way back, try Tujia snacks and watch folk performances at Nü'er City in Enshi.

Travel tips

• The two core areas take a full day, and the Qixingzhai loop takes about 4 to 5 hours on foot. For tickets, cable cars and escalators, follow the official announcements. There are many slippery steps, so wear non-slip shoes and bring rain gear
• after rain some paths may limit visitor numbers.
• Go first to central Enshi, then take a direct coach or drive about 1.5 hours to the visitor center. High-speed trains stop at Enshi Station
• if you drive on holidays, arrive early. April to June and September to November are mild and misty, the best times to visit
• in summer the canyon is cool and the waterfalls are full
• in winter there is occasional rime, but some paths may be restricted because of ice.