Huangshan is a popular tourists city in Anhui Province of China best known for being home to Mount Huangshan. Hikers and nature lovers from all over the world travel to Huangshan to witness the magnificent mountain range and visit the ancient Hui-styled villages. Hiking is the best way to explore the mountain and to get close to the local village life.
This article will present you with the best Huangshan hiking trails to take, including trails to explore the highlights of the Yellow Mountain and hidden pathways around ancient villages.
The best time for hiking in Huangshan is usually considered spring and autumn. Although different seasons offer different sceneries, Huangshan weather is the most suitable for trekking during those months.
Top Mount Huangshan Hiking Trails
1. Monkey Watching the Sea – Flying Stone – Welcoming Pine
Length: 1 day, 4-5 hours
Difficulty: easy
Route: ascend on Yungu Cable Car – Beginning-to-Believe Peak (Shixin Peak) – Monkey Watching the Sea – Paiyun Pavilion – Flying Stone (Feilai Shi) – Bright Summit (Guangming Ding) – Aoyu Peak – One-Line Sky (Yixiantian) – Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder – Welcoming Pine – descend on Yuping Cable Car
This is one of the easiest Huangshan hiking trails. It starts from the east to west and ascends from the back mountain, but you can also go the other way. It is relatively short with a large part of it being downhill. However, it won’t take you to the West Sea Grand Canyon or Celestial Capital Peak.
2. Monkey Watching the Sea – West Sea Grand Canyon – Welcoming Pine
Length: 1 day, 5-6 hours
Difficulty: mid
Route: ascend on Yungu Cable Car – Beginning-to-Believe Peak (Shixin Peak) – Monkey Watching the Sea – West Sea Grand Canyon – take the tram up – Bright Summit (Guangming Ding) – Aoyu Peak – One-Line Sky (Yixiantian) – Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder – Welcoming Pine – descend on Yuping Cable Car
Also starting from east to west, this trails only allows you to ascend from the back mountain. It is a little more difficult compared to the one above. You’ll have the chance to take the tram up from the West Sea Grand Canyon and take in the view along the way. It is one of the highlights of Huangshan hiking tours. Note that you won’t be able to reach the Flying Stone (Feilai Shi) on this trail.
3. Classic Huangshan Hiking Trail
Length: 1 day, 6-8 hours
Difficulty: challenging
Route: ascend on Yungu Cable Car – Beginning-to-Believe Peak (Shixin Peak) – Monkey Watching the Sea – Grand King Pine (Dawangsong) – Bright Summit (Guangming Ding) – Flying Stone (Feilai Shi) – West Sea Grand Canyon (Xihai Grand Canyon) – take the tram up – Aoyu Peak – One-Line Sky (Yixiantian) – Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder – Welcoming Pine – descend on Yuping Cable Car
This classic Huangshan hiking trail will take you to all the highlights of Mount Huangshan. The trek will be full of excitement and rewarding. It is relatively challenging compared to the other two one-day hikes as it will take longer.
Recommended Mount Huangshan Hiking Day Tours:
4. Two-Day Leisurely Huangshan Hiking Trail
Length: 2 days
Difficulty: easy
Day 1 Route: ascend on Yungu Cable Car – Beginning-to-Believe Peak (Shixin Peak) – Black Tiger Pine – White Goose Ridge – Bright Summit (Guangming Ding) – West Sea Grand Canyon tram – Flying Stone (Feilai Shi) – Paiyun Pavilion – accommodation in Mount Huangshan
Day 2 Route: watch the sunrise at Danxia Peak or Lion Peak – explore the North Sea Scenic Area – descend on Taiping Cable Car through the North Gate
This two-day leisurely Huangshan hiking trail is perfect for those who want to take their time and make the best of their trip to Huangshan. You will have a rewarding hiking experience on the first day and hit most of the highlights. On the second day, wake up to see the stunning sunrise and Sea of Clouds, two of the most magnificent scenes of Mount Huangshan.
With two days, you can slow down your pace and fully take in the views. It’ll give you more time to rest, admire the sceneries, and take photos. This trail will not be too difficult.
5. Two-Day Challenging Huangshan Hiking Trail
Length: 2 days
Difficulty: challenging
Day 1 Route: ascend on Yungu Cable Car – Beginning-to-Believe Peak (Shixin Peak) – Black Tiger Pine – North Sea Scenic Area – Paiyun Pavilion – West Sea Grand Canyon first ring – West Sea Grand Canyon second ring – take the West Sea Grand Canyon tram – accommodation in Mount Huangshan
Day 2 Route: watch the sunrise at the Bright Summit (Guangming Ding) – Flying Stone (Feilai Shi) – Aoyu Peak – One-Line Sky (Yixiantian) – Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder – Lotus Peak (Lianhua Feng) – Welcoming Pine – Halfway Temple (Banshan Si) – Ciguang Pavilion – exit through the South Gate
This two-day Huangshan hiking trail is more challenging, but it’ll allow you to see almost everything the scenic area has to offer. To take this trail, make sure you have the physical capacity. Get enough rest during the night. And if you need to, you can always take the cableway down the mountain instead of hiking down.
Recommended Mount Huangshan Multi-Day Hiking Tours:
- 2 Days Huangshan Private Tour: Yellow Mountain, Hongcun Village
- 3 Days Mount Huangshan Hiking Tour
- 4 Days Huangshan Winter Tour with Hot Spring
Best Huangshan Ancient Village Hiking Trails
6. Xihong Ancient Trail
Length: 11.6 km (7.2 miles), 4-5 hours
Difficulty: easy
Route: Yuanyang Valley – Qishu Lake (Dongfanghong Reservoir)
Xidi Ancient Village and Hongcun Village are the two most famous ancient villages of Huangshan with nearly a thousand years of history. They are both listed as world cultural heritage sites by UNESCO representing and preserving China’s Huizhou culture. What most visitors don’t know is that there’s a hidden ancient trail connecting those two villages that would make an amazing hiking experience.
Xihong ancient trail is one of the most beautiful Huangshan hiking trails. It starts from Yuanyang Valley in the south, about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) north of Xidi Ancient village. The trail takes you northward and ends at Qishu Lake of Hongcun Village.
Start your hike in the early morning. You might see the morning fog rises up against the hills and mountains, adding a sense of mystery and spirituality to the surrounding. Local village residences are reflected in the calm water.
As you continue along the trail, it’ll take you to Xikeng Village. This small village is no longer populated with villagers as it is too hard to reach in the mountains. Then you’ll follow along a small stream deep into the mountain, until you reach Qishu Lake, or Dongfanghong Reservoir.
7. Tongling Ancient Trail
Length: 8 km (5 miles), about 3 hours
Difficulty: easy
Route: Shuyuan Village – Chengkan Village
Tongling Ancient Trail is a pathway that connects Shuyuan Village in the east, Chengkan Village in the west, and Lingshan Village in the north. Along the trail, you’ll see lush forests, mountain spring, terraced fields, and bamboos. If you happen to visit Huangshan in spring, you’ll see vast, golden rapeseed fields across the hills.
The trail also runs beside many hidden Hui villages with traditional residences, pavilions, stone archways, a total of 47 cultural sites. Take your time and explore local life and history during your hike. Afterwards, you can go on a Huangshan ancient village tour to learn more about Huizhou culture.
8. Mengli Ancient Trail
Length: 5 km (3.1 miles), about 1.5 hours
Difficulty: easy
Route: Zuyuan Village – Mulihong Village
Mengli Ancient Trail is a pathway that connects Zuyuan Village and Mulihong Village. Even though it’s not a long trail, it is reputed to be the most beautiful Huizhou ancient trail. Most of the trail is paved with stone slabs. It may be a relatively easy hike, but it’s important to note that visitors usually complete the round trip in one day, as Mulihong Village has limited facility, which makes the total hike 10 km long.
Zuyuan Village is a small traditional Hui village built on the mountainside. There are many terraced fields and ancient residences built in Hui architecture. This hidden village is known as the village in a dream. It is especially beautiful in March when the rapeseed is in full bloom across the hills.
Also built on the mountainside, Mulihong Village is surrounded by lush forests. It is known as the most beautiful mountain village in Huangshan for its stunning landscapes, especially the Sea of Clouds. Usually after it rains, you’ll see clouds and mist rise up in the mountain, slowly turning the village into a fairyland.
Recommended Huangshan Ancient Village Tours:
