Breaking into the 80-li Colorful Forest Gallery! The Autumn in Naizigou is So Beautiful It Leaves You Speechless

Breaking into the 80-li Colorful Forest Gallery! The Autumn in Naizigou is So Beautiful It Leaves You Speechless

> Driving freely on the freely open canyon road, I found a more pristine autumn fairy tale than Jiuzhaigou

**Contents**
- Trip Highlights: Understand at a glance what to do
- Detailed Itinerary: Follow along for 3 days and 2 nights
- Practical Tips: Transportation and accommodation suggestions

✨ Trip Highlights at a Glance

- **🌳 Asia’s Largest Colorful Forest**: 80-li canyon colorful forest corridor, free to enter
- **🏞 Snow Mountains and Colorful Forest in One Frame**: Overlook the stunning scene of colorful forests intertwined with snow mountains at Dagu Glacier
- **🛖 Tibetan Village Experience**: Visit Yangronghade, the "place where immortals live"
- **🚗 Self-Driving Paradise**: No entrance fees throughout, stop freely for photos
- **📸 Photographer’s Treasure Land**: Colorful forest tunnels, stream reflections, and Tibetan village cooking smoke all in view

🗓️ Detailed Itinerary

🏞️ Day 1: Chengdu → Heishui County

**Morning**: Depart from Chengdu, drive along the Du-Wen Expressway toward Heishui. I specifically chose Provincial Road S302, which is the core area of the colorful forest. After passing through the Yakexia Snow Mountain Tunnel, I stopped at the first viewing platform to gaze at the Yakexia Snow Mountain, over 4000 meters high and snow-covered year-round.

**Afternoon**: Arrive at Heishui County (about 2350 meters elevation) and check in. I chose a Tibetan-style hotel to recharge for tomorrow’s colorful forest journey. For dinner, I tried local specialties like Tibetan fragrant pork and sour vegetable noodles, paired with a cup of mellow barley wine, instantly immersing myself in rich Tibetan culture.

🍂 Day 2: Full-Day Deep Trek in Naizigou Colorful Forest

**Early Morning**: To capture soft light and avoid backlighting, I set off before 7:00 AM. As the car entered the Naizigou Colorful Forest Corridor, it felt like stepping into God’s palette—vivid reds, purples, golden yellows, pale yellows, dark greens, and other colors of leaves dancing among the mountains.

**Morning**: Drive slowly along the road, stopping to shoot whenever you want. I especially recommend these spots:
- **"Colorful Forest Tunnel"**: Red maple and yellow green ash trees droop on both sides of the road, forming a natural oil painting archway
- **Luolico**: Known as the "Lake of Reflections," this alpine lake’s water has decreased compared to a few years ago, but under the autumn sun, the colorful forest reflects in it, still as beautiful as a fairy tale
- **Yangronghade**: This Tibetan village, called the "place where immortals live," is surrounded by mountains on three sides and water on one side. Each household has a small vegetable garden and flower garden at the door

**Afternoon**: Continue to Qicai Jiazu, a Tibetan village with brightly colored house exteriors using traditional Tibetan color schemes, like stepping into a fairy tale. If time allows, visit Hongse Changde, a place once passed by the Red Army during the Long March. Autumn Changde, embraced by colors, has a unique charm.

❄️ Day 3: Dagu Glacier Day Trip → Return

**Morning**: Head to Dagu Glacier and take the world’s highest sightseeing cable car (4860 meters elevation) directly to the Glacier Eye. Standing atop the glacier, I witnessed a unique national spectacle—the golden colorful forest and pure white snow mountains in one frame. The red leaves against the white snow were breathtakingly beautiful.

**Afternoon**: Begin the return to Chengdu. If time permits, make a brief stop at Mao County or Songpinggou to catch some lesser-known autumn scenery along the way.

💡 Practical Tips

Transportation Guide

- **Self-driving**: Depart from Chengdu, navigate directly to "Naizigou Scenic Area," about 5-6 hours drive
- **Independent travel**: Daily buses run from Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station directly to Heishui County

Accommodation Recommendations

- **Heishui County**: Many hotel options, convenient for dining and shopping, prices around ¥180/night
- **Yangronghade**: Experience Tibetan-style homestays and Tibetan family life

Budget Reference (3 days 2 nights)

| Item | Cost (per person) |
|------|-------------------|
| Round-trip transportation (self-driving/carpool) | ¥600-1000 |
| Accommodation (2 nights) | ¥300-500 |
| Meals + Tickets (Dagu Glacier) | ¥500 |
| Guide/Local transport | ¥200 |
| **Total** | **¥1600-2200** |

Best Travel Time

- **Mid-October to early November** is the best viewing period for the colorful forest, with a golden period of about 12 days
- Recommended to visit around **October 20th** for peak colors

Notes

1. **Clothing Guide**: At 2500-3500 meters elevation, temperatures near 0°C in the morning and evening, prepare **down jackets + hats** and other warm gear
2. **Footwear**: Recommended to wear **non-slip hiking shoes** as the forest floor is covered with thick, wet fallen leaves
3. **Photography Gear**: If you have a **drone**, definitely bring it. Aerial shots of the colorful forest spreading like a giant carpet in the valley are stunning
4. **Altitude Sickness Prevention**: Bring oxygen bottles, chocolate, cola, etc. to prevent altitude sickness

Standing on the way back, I still savor every moment in Naizigou—the morning cooking smoke in the Tibetan village, the colorful forest reflections in Luolico, and the golden snowy peaks of Dagu Glacier. This free "80-li gallery" gave me the most brilliant autumn in the simplest way.

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle this autumn and find a colorful pure land, Naizigou is definitely worth your visit. I believe this free colorful forest corridor will bring you a different kind of shock and emotion!