Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve

Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve is situated in the east part of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Wulingyuan Scenic Area) in Hunan Province. Suoxi Valley, or Suoxiyu in Chinese, means “a foggy mountain village” in the local Tujia language, and refers to the distinctive climatic feature of the scenic area. It is featured by peculiar peaks, meandering rivers, and unique karst caves. Here are the most attractive spots:
 

Yellow Dragon Cave is praised as the “All-round Champion Karst Cave in the World”. With a length of about 7.5 km (4.7 mi) and a vertical height of about 140 meters (460 feet), it is the largest karst cave in China. Inside are various kinds of stalactites, stalagmites, and stone columns. The best-known site in the cave is the Dragon Palace, which consists of many unusual stones such as the Magic Cudgel. It is the tallest stone pillar in the cave and is more than 200,000 years old. Also, the scenic area is famous for Tujia cuisines. 

Surrounded by steep peaks, Baofeng Lake is the only water site in the core scenic area of Zhangjiajie. Due to supreme landscape, it won the title of “Classic of All Lake in the World” and was once selected as the film location of TV series Journey to the West. The scenic spot contains two major parts: Boafeng Lake and Yingwo Village. Visitors may take a boat to enjoy the clear lake reflecting the nearby mountains or admire the ancient temples in Yingwo Village. Moreover, there is a Folk Song Festival held here every April, where young lovers sing folk songs to express their affection for each other.   Located in the western section of the Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, West Sea actually is a basin-like gorge with a sea of peaks, trees and clouds. There are thousands of peaks standing in the deep canyon, covered by dense vegetation, looking like a green sea. Every time after it rains, the floating clouds resemble waves on the “sea”, showing visitors a splendid wonderland.
 Ten Miles Gallery is a strip gorge located in the northwest part of Suoxi Valley. It is also a highlight of Suoxi Valley. On both sides of the gorge, there are more than 200 rocks shaped like humans, birds, or other animals. The best-known is “Old Gatherer of Herbs”. It is about 91 meters (300 feet) tall and looks like an old man with a basket on his back gathering herbs. It is now the symbol of Ten-Mile Gallery. In addition, Couple Rocks consists of two rocks standing together. The left rock is steep and tall while the right one is gentle and short, resembling a couple whispering gently to each other. At Monkey Slope, which is at the end of the Gallery, you can often see monkeys playing around. 

This site is located in the western part of Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve and is close to the East Gate of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The 4 streams flow out from 4 valleys, join together here and run down to the Suoxi Valley, thus forming a scenic sandbar. Shuiraosimen is very close to other attractions, like Tianzi Mountain cable car, Ten-Mile Gallery, Baofeng Lake, and Yuanjiajie.
 The gorge is said to be an ancient battlefield. Because of the rough road, it has not been disturbed by too many visitors and the scenery is pristine and wonderful. Be careful on the roads, however, to avoid injury. The most wonderful sight is the 300-meter-high (985 feet) and 800-meter-long (2,625 feet) stone cliff.Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station (near Zhangjiajie Railway Station) and Zhangjiajie High Speed Rail Bus Station (beside Zhangjiajie West Railway Station) operate regular direct buses to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the bus journey takes about 40-60 minutes. The bus would take you to the East Gate of the Forest Park and bus fare is around CNY 13. Upon arrival, walk 6 minutes to Biaozhi Gate Bus stop, take Wulingyuan Bus No.1, and get off at Xibu Street Bus Stop. Then you can walk to Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve in 8 minutes.