Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Areas Travel Guide

Brief Introduction
The scenic and historic area at Huanglong has an area of 700 sq km. Huanglong by itself is 600 sq km. The partial area of Mounigou extends 100 sq km. The outlying conservation zone measures 640 sq km.

The geological structure of Huanglong encompasses glacial traces and river sources, which have well preserved landform. In addition to its mountain landscape, diverse forest ecosystems can be found, as well as spectacular limestone formations, waterfalls and hot springs. The area also has a population of endangered animals, including the giant panda and the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey. The water from melted snow and the karst emerging from below the earth flow together in the Huanglong Valley. The calcium carbonate in the water concentrated to form solid travertine dikes. This gives rise to groups of colored ponds. Colored travertine ponds are the main landscapes in Huanglong. Altogether Huanglong has over 2,300 colored ponds in eight groups. Different layers of ponds are joined together just like terraced fields.

Large ponds are dozens of square meters, and the small ones are only a few square meters. The calcium carbonate in the ponds deposited to form travertine bodies together with organic and inorganic substances. The water in the ponds is in different colors when the sun shines on it. So the ponds in Huanglong are called five-colored ponds. On the hillsides by the two sides of the Huanglong Valley are virgin forests. Different types of flowers and plants are found in the forests.

The evergreen coniferous trees and precious flowers and plants add to the beauty of Huanglong. According to statistics, Huanglong has a forest coverage of 65.8% and a vegetation coverage of 88.9%. Huanglong´s main attraction is its huge travertine formation, noted for size and color, exquisite structure, prim environment and great variety and types.

There are travertine ponds and calc-sinter shoal, lake, spring, terrace, fan, water fall, cavern and miniature landscape. The abundance of travertine formation makes Huanglong a distinctive calcsinter museum. The calcsinter formation of the Huanglong Valley measures 3,600 m in length. The longest calc-sinter flat is l,300 m long and 170 m wide. There are as many as 3,400 colorful ponds. The Zhaga calc-sinter waterfall is 93.2 m from top to bottom. These are seen nowhere else but in Huanglong--a unique wonder in China.

Features

Precious and Rich Natural Heritage
Huanglong is situated at the juncture of three major geo-tectonic units: the Yangtze quasi-platform, Songpan-Garze fold system and Qinling geo-synclinal fold system. Due to the transitional state of its spatial location, the geographic phenomenon of the region is particularly complex, much of which remains a mystery of nature. Some 3,000 m above sea level Huanglong has many snowcapped peaks, seven of which rise above 5,000 m. Traces of glacial relief of the Quaternary period are characterized by complex assortment and concentrated distribution, the most typical of which is Xuebaoding, the main peak of MinshanRange.

It has complete topographical features of steep mountains, deep valley and head-waters that are wide in the upper, deep in the bottom, straight in the south and winding in the north There are precious species of flora and fauna. The high-grade plants number l,500, most of which are rare species. About l1 enjoy first-or third-class state protection. The giant panda, golden monkey, takin, Yunnan leopard, white-lipped deer, Temminck´s tragopan and white-eared pheasant enjoy first-or third-class state protection.

Huge Travertine Formation--a Wonder of China

Huanglong´s main attraction is its huge travertine formation, noted for size and color, exquisite structure, prim environment and great variety and types. There are travertine ponds and calc-sinter shoal, lake, spring, terrace, fan, water fall, cavern and miniature landscape. The abundance of travertine formation makes Huanglong a distinctive calcsinter museum.

The calcsinter formation of the Huanglong Valley measures 3,600 m in length. The longest calc-sinter flat is l,300 m long and 170 m wide. There are as many as 3,400 colorful ponds. The Zhaga calc-sinter waterfall is 93.2 m from top to bottom. These are seen nowhere else but in Huanglong----a unique wonder in China.