Stone Forest Travel Guide
An old local saying says that "If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time". Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.
The Stone Forest is in Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kunming. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres). It has long been one of the most famous scenic spots in China, at least since the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644 A.D.
The Stone Forest is divided into several scenic areas with names like Greater Stone Forest, Lesser Stone forest, Outer Stone Forest, Underground Stone Forest, Stone Forest Lake, and Da Dieshui Fall. Walking through the Stone Forest, visitors marvel at the natural stone masterpieces and are bewitched by the intricate formations.
Features
The Stone Forest was formed by karst two million to thirty million years ago. It contains peaks, pillars, stalagmites, depressions, underground rivers, and caves. The fantastic stone pinnacles rising abruptly from the ground resemble a huge, dense forest.