Longgang National Geopark in Yunyang County, Chongqing
Yunyang Longgang National Geological Park is a 550 meter deep pit (the third deepest in China and fifth deepest in the world). Its shape has made it a natural rock quarry. Legends abound about this historic place. Yunyang Longgang's greatest appeal lies in its beautiful scenery. It has beautiful karst landforms, rivers and canyons. There are two glass pathways: the lunar shadow path and the hand-rail path that give viewers an even more intimate look at the scenery.
English Name: Longgang National Geopark in Yunyang County, Chongqing
Chinese Name:重庆云阳县龙缸国家地质公园
Opening Hours:Summer 8:30-18:30, Admission stopped time: 16:00; Winter 8:30-17:30, Admission stopped time :15:00 .
Admission Fee: 100 yuan per person
Recommended Visiting Hours: 3 hours
Address: Qingshui Township, Yunyang County, Chongqing
Longgang National Geopark
Yunyang Longgang Scenic Area is located in the southeast corner of Yunyang County, Chongqing City. It is close to Lichuan City, Hubei Province. It integrates Tiankeng, canyon, karst cave, alpine grassland, forest and Tujia customs.
Why is Longgang National Geopark So Special
Dubbed as the “Bright Pearl of Chongqing,” Yunyang County in Chongqing attracts visitors from all over the world with its abundant natural resources, beautiful landscapes, and numerous historical relics. Get a chance to see some of the area’s best natural wonders with a visit to Yunyang Longgang National Geological Park, which has been rated as an AAAAA scenic area, the highest level of the China National Tourism Administration’s rating categories. See lush forests and green grass as you walk towards the Longgang Heavenly Pit, a stunning oval pit with a maximum depth of 335 meters. Stand on top of the Cloudy Lounge Bridge, a glass bridge with a height of over 700 meters that takes on the appearance of a petal extending towards the sky! The geological park also has a couple of caves, such as the Dragon Cave and the Daan Cave, filled with natural mineral deposits and neon lights for an enhanced visual effect that makes it perfect for exploration.
Introduction of Longgang National Geopark
Main Scenic Spots
The main scenic spots include Longgang Tiankeng, Yunduan Langqiao, Longdong Scenic Spot, Longcave Gorge, Qishan Grassland, Youcao Ancient Great Wall, Qiyangguan Ancient Road Site, Xiaba Lake, etc. Among them, Longgang Tiankeng is 335 meters deep, ranking third in the country and fifth in the world. The wall of Longgang Tiankeng is arched by cliffs with a slope of nearly 90 degrees. This form of straight up and down is extremely rare in the world and enjoys the reputation of “the first cylinder in the world”.
“Karst”
Longgang karst heavenly pit attracts worldwide attention as a typical representative of karst geomorphology. Its main cause is karst collapse and dissolution. The heavenly pit is located at the intersection of multiple sets of joints and cleavages. Rocks are very fragile. In these strata, multi-layered karst caves formed by water-flow erosion are crisscrossed and crisscrossed. Under the action of natural gravity, rocks in the fractured zone collapse, and collapses are immediately dissolved by dark rivers. Corrosion takes away, so the Longguan Tiankeng is formed gradually in repeated corrosion-collapse. In Longgang National Geopark, there are many karst caves with different locations and heights. By studying the stratification of several caves in the area, the evolution history of erosion datum can be analyzed and the stable and shear periods of rivers can be inferred.
What you can do
- Explore the Dragon Cave and the Daan Cave.
- See Yunyang County in Eastern Chongqing, dubbed as the “Bright Pearl of Chongqing”
- Marvel at the massive Longgang Heavenly Pit, a stunning oval pit with a depth of 335 meters.
- Take photos of the lush forests and the stunning mountain background.
- Stand on the Cloudy Lounge Bridge, a petal-shaped bridge that’s over 700 meters tall.
How to Get There
- Self-driving tour route
Chongqing departure: The main urban area departs into Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway. The expressway is about 300 kilometers under Yunyang Road. The toll is about 200 yuan. Then it takes the National Highway to Lichuan and reaches the scenic spot through Panshi, Fengming, Longjiao and Qingshui. The whole journey is 375 km/6 hours and 51 minutes.
Chengdu departure: The main city departs into Hurong Expressway, passes through Guang’an, Dianjiang, Shanghai and Chongqing Expressway, goes down Yunyang Road, then to Lichuan direction, and arrives at the scenic spot through Panshi, Fengming, Longjiao and Qingshui. The highway is about 550 kilometers and the toll is about 350 yuan. The whole journey is 635 km/10 hours and 14 minutes. - Chongqing North-Wanzhou, Wanzhou-Qingshui bus arrives at the scenic spot, the whole journey takes about 5.5 hours.
- Chongqing North-Yunyang (Lianhua Station), turn to Yunyang (Dongcheng Station) – Qingshui bus to reach the scenic spot, the whole journey takes about 5.5 hours.
Main Attractions in Chongqing
- Zhuoshui Ancient Town in Qianjiang District
- E’ling Park (Goose Neck Park) in Chongqing
- Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing
- Ciqikou Ancient Town in Chongqing
- Ningchang Ancient Town in Wuxi County
- Kanggu Scenic Area in Chengkou County
- Huaxia Peony Garden in Dianjiang County
- Chiyou Jiuli City in Pengshui County
- Hong’an Ancient Town in Xiushan County
- Qianye Grassland in Shizhu County
- Taohuayuan Scenic Area in Youyang County
- Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing
Edited by Lynette Fu/付云锐