Mount Huping National Nature Reserve

The photo shows verdant Datongshan Afforestation Community in the Huping Mountain Natural Reserve in Changde’s Shimen County. This natural reserve is a precious species gene bank of Central China. Covering only 3% of the total area, it reserves 60% of species genes of the province. (Photo/Yang Changwei)

Mount Huping or Kettle-shaped Mountain - Roof of Hunan, with 2,099 meters above sea level, stands north of Shimen County. It is a state-listed nature reserve and one of the 200 global key ecological areas. This nature reserve boasts the highest mountain, the oldest primeval forests, the longest canyon, the highest waterfall and the largest wildlife reserve in Hunan Province. There are 98 rare tree species, over 1,000 kinds of medicinal herbs and more than 150 rare animals including South China tigers and albino animals.

The canyon here, over 200 kilometers in length, with a relative height of peaks and valleys varying from 800 meters to 1,000 meters, exposes a great deal of typical annual sections, including the largest Cambrian Stratum section in the world. The waterfalls, large and precipitous, are the scenery not to miss. The largest waterfall of Mount Huping is 400 meters high and 20 meters wide. Also, Rafting in Mount Huping is breathtaking. It has more than 80 dangerous shoals, with 22 kilometers in length and a head drop of over 90 meters.

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn

Photo source: hunan.gov.cn