There was an interesting story about how the place got its name. Legend goes in ancient time, the King of Xiang united five different tribes of Ba people and became their captain. One day he came across a place with three strategically significant mountain passes in a row. So the captain named this place “Suobuya”, because in Ba language, “sobu” means“three”and“ya” means “mountain pass”. Suobuya stone forest, its limestone sediments formed more than 460 million years ago, corded by water, gradually developed into different layers with horizontal textures. #hiking#nationalpark#roadtrip#summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer

Brief Introduction. Suobuya stone forest is the world's first Ordovician stone forest and is an AAAA grade China national tourist attraction. It is located 54km north to Enshi City, Hubei province in central China. ... And this is what distinguishes itself outside the other karst formations in southwest China. There are more than 100 classic natural scenes in the Suobuya Stone Forest. The Orsun Co. which is the operator and developer of Suobuya would invest 15 billion Yuan to upgrade the Suobuya Stone Forest scenic area. At present, there are four main scenic spots open to the public. They are Qinglong temple, Lianhua village, Mozi Gully and Jiulonghui. Each scenic spot has its own characteristics and fossils were often found here, it is truly an amazing natural ancient geological landscape museum. Besides, many attractions centered on sports and adventure will also be available. Tourists will get a chance to explore the stone forest and the river valley. In addition, scientific educational attractions like the 4D cinema and fossil museum will be built. Suobuya offers both beautiful natural scenery and fascinating folk custom. Twenty nine ethnic groups including the Tujia, Miao and Dong have created a colorful and splendid ethnic culture around this area. #hiking#nationalpark#loveflowers#summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer

Enshi Trip (Stay in the same hotel throughout, try various modes of transportation)

🚗🚗🚗Travel Itinerary: Day1: Enshi Tusi City→Enshi Tujia Daughter City Day2: Tenglong Cave Scenic Area Day3: Enshi Geopark→Enshi Suobuya Stone Forest Scenic Area Day4: Pingshan Canyon→Wenlan Bridge (Xuanen) Day5: Enshi Grand Canyon Day6: Enshi Grand Canyon Day7: Luyuanping 🛏【Hotel Strategy】 Return to the hotel in Enshi every day, choose the hotel closest to the train station and bus station (the train station and bus station are just across the street). 🚉Transportation Strategy: Enshi's various attractions are quite scattered and far apart, basically one attraction, special forces two attractions in one day High-speed train (12306) Bus (12306) Carpool (WeChat public account "Enyun Group Changjiao Company") Day tour (Ctrip) Taxi (Gaode) —————-Manual Separator—————- ⛰【Attraction Strategy】 Enshi Tusi City 🚗Transportation Strategy: City taxi ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️ Enshi Tujia Daughter City 🚗Transportation Strategy: City taxi ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️ 📝Note tips: Half a day is enough for Tusi City➕Daughter City Tenglong Cave Scenic Area 🚗Transportation Strategy: 【To】High-speed train (Enshi Station➡️Lichuan Station)➕Taxi 【Return】Taxi➕High-speed train (Lichuan Station➡️Enshi Station) ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️ 📝Note tips: It's cold inside the cave, pay attention to clothing Enshi Geopark 🚗Transportation Strategy: 【To】High-speed train (Enshi Station➡️Gaoping Station)➕Taxi 【Return】Taxi➕High-speed train (Gaoping Station➡️Enshi Station) ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️❤️ Enshi Suobuya Stone Forest Scenic Area 🚗Transportation Strategy: Bus station bus (Tickets to the scenic area can be purchased in advance on 12306, tickets back to Enshi from the scenic area can be bought directly on the bus after getting off, ask the bus driver) ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️❤️ 📝Note tips: One day is a bit tight for Geopark➕Stone Forest Pingshan Canyon 🚗Transportation Strategy: Carpool (Originally planned to return to Enshi after Pingshan and then go to Xuanen, only carpooled from Enshi to Pingshan Canyon, the driver recommended us to go directly to Xuanen after Pingshan to see the night view and eat grilled fish, just planned to go so added some money and ran to Xuanen) ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Xuanen·Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture 🚗Transportation Strategy: Carpool ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️❤️ 📝Note tips: Eating grilled fish in Xuanen, taking a boat trip, and combining with Pingshan for one day is just right Enshi Daqing River Scenic Area 🚗Transportation Strategy: Day tour (cheap and worry-free) ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️❤️ 📝Note tips: 1. The one-way journey takes about 2-3 hours 2. Daqing River boat trip takes about 5 hours round trip, lunch needs to be resolved on the boat Enshi Grand Canyon 🚗Transportation Strategy: Bus station bus (Tickets to the scenic area can be purchased in advance on 12306, tickets back to Enshi from the scenic area can be bought directly on the bus after getting off, ask the bus driver) ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 📝Note tips: 1. The one-way journey takes about 2-3 hours 2. Queuing is required for the ground cable car, and queuing is required for the mountain cable car, pay attention to time arrangement Luyuanping 🚗Transportation Strategy: Bus station bus (Tickets to the scenic area can be purchased in advance on 12306, the bus can only stop at the large parking lot of the scenic area, after arriving, you need to walk to the entrance of the scenic area, for the return trip, find the staff at the exit of the scenic area, take a free minibus to the large parking lot and take the bus back, ask the bus driver) ❤Recommendation Index: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 📝Note tips: 1. The one-way journey takes about 2-3 hours 2. Queuing may be required for the Luyuanping elevator ✅Written at the end: This year's Labor Day mostly encountered rainy days☔️, shoe covers, raincoats, and trekking poles are essential

Enshi Suobuya Stone Forest Self-Driving Camping Guide

Suobuya Stone Forest includes four major scenic areas: Qinglongtai, Lianhuazhai, Mozigou, and Jiulonghui, each with its own characteristics. The entire stone forest is like an underwater maze, very beautiful. The natural environment within the scenic area is beautiful and ecological. Online introductions suggest a playtime of three to four hours, but if you have the time, it's worth bringing snacks and immersing yourself for a whole day. 🗓 Itinerary: For friends who, like me, are self-driving on a budget, I suggest driving directly to the Suobuya Stone Forest parking lot after coming down from other scenic areas or the highway the day before. Look for the highest position, where there is a mountain spring water pipe. Self-driving friends have conducted water quality tests, and it's even better than the water at home, so you can drink it with confidence. The next morning at 8 am, you can avoid the crowd peak, buy a ticket to enter the mountain, and take beautiful photos. ⏳ Playtime: Normally 3-4 hours, but if you like, wandering around for a whole day won't be boring. 📝 Tips: The parking lot I recommend for overnight stays usually has other self-driving vehicles, so it won't be too lonely, but it's not a dedicated self-driving campsite. The restroom requires a trip to the entrance of the scenic area, about a 10-minute walk back and forth.

Enshi is not only famous for its Grand Canyon, but also for its stone forest, which resembles a labyrinth on the ocean floor

The first stop on our Enshi tour was the relatively less physically demanding Suobuya Stone Forest. Formed during the Ordovician period, the entire stone forest is like a labyrinth on the ocean floor, stunningly beautiful. 🚗【Travel】 It takes about 1 hour by car from downtown Enshi. 🎫【Tickets】 Tickets are 78 yuan, and a shuttle bus within the scenic area is 30 yuan (if purchased separately, it only goes to the visitor center of the scenic area). Package ticket: includes scenic area admission + shuttle bus + 5D dome movie + Time and Space Cave (Shan Hai Jing), with discounts available online in advance for 150+ to 160+ yuan. 🪨【Scenic Area Introduction】 The scenic area includes 1⃣️Qinglong Terrace 2⃣️Lotus Fort (including Rhino Gully) 3⃣️Mozi Gully 4⃣️Jiulong Confluence. 📍The most exquisite spot is Lotus Fort, and the best part of it is Rhino Gully (where you can take 318 photos, the gully is super cool, narrow and dark, a world of its own). If you're short on time, just visiting this area is enough. 📍Even during peak season, Qinglong Terrace and Jiulong Confluence are not crowded, so if you want to take photos without people, go to these two areas. 📍Mozi Gully and Lotus Fort are connected. ⛰️【Tour Route】 1⃣️First, go to the transportation area and take the bus, which first stops at 🪷Lotus Fort station. Don't get off, continue to Qinglong Terrace. 2⃣️Visit Qinglong Terrace (about 1 hour). Follow the signs in the scenic area without retracing your steps. 3⃣️Take the bus to Lotus Fort 4⃣️Visit Lotus Fort — Rhino Gully — Time and Space Cave (Shan Hai Jing) — 5D movie — Mozi Gully. (This area is often crowded, with narrow paths causing congestion, and the 5D movie requires queuing. We spent 2.5 hours in total.) 📍The 5D movie is very popular with children, and adults can take it or leave it. It lasts 10 minutes and accommodates 48 people per show. 📍Again, follow the route without retracing your steps, but there are several forks in the road. If you can't walk anymore, you can leave early to the exit. 5⃣️Take the bus to Jiulong Confluence 6⃣️Play in Jiulong Confluence, where you walk down to see the waterfall, then circle around and climb back up, taking about 20 minutes in total. 7⃣️After exiting, walk 200 meters to the large exit, and the entire tour ends here. 📝【Summary】 This is one of the less tiring scenic areas in Enshi. Our family often hikes, so we found it quite manageable, and our 6-year-old child also walked the entire way. The stones inside are very lifelike, and the path involves bending down to pass through caves, descending to the bottom of gullies, walking through narrow slits, and experiencing the Time and Space Cave, which is quite interesting. 📌tips: After we finished, we drove towards Luyuanping and saw the famous 'Ten Turns' mountain road, with a viewing platform where you can stop and take a look.

Enshi Travel Guide: Suobuya Stone Forest

Suobuya Stone Forest, known as the skirt of nature! Worth a visit! The key point is that it's not hot even in the scorching summer! Due to the dense layers of stone forest, there are many crevices where you can feel the cool and breathable air. The wind carries a hint of coolness, making it incredibly refreshing amidst the heat, just like having the air conditioning set to 19 degrees Celsius! TIPS: 1. It is advised not to bring a walking stick, as the terrain is quite uneven, and walking sticks are not very convenient. 2. Some places are really narrow, just enough for one person to pass through, but it's not so exaggerated that you can't carry a bag; a backpack is still OK. 3. Avoid long skirts, leather shoes, and holey shoes, they are not suitable. You'll understand how difficult it is once you go, speaking from experience... 4. There are places in the stone forest where you can buy cucumbers and drinks, so don't worry if you didn't bring enough water. 5. There are local dishes at the entrance, which are quite spicy. The smoked meat noodles are good, and the prices are all similar, as you would expect in a tourist area....

Shilin of Suobuya

Shilin of Suobuya is located in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province, and is a natural scenic area dominated by the karst stone forest landscape. This stone forest covers a vast area, approximately 21 square kilometers, and boasts unique natural scenery and abundant geological resources.

The Enshi Submarine Labyrinth Suobuya Stone Forest is a perfect spot for photography

Suobuya Stone Forest is known as the world's first Ordovician stone forest. The 'Ordovician' period was the warmest time since the Earth's formation, with the highest sea levels. During that time, the dominant creatures at the top of the food chain were massive marine organisms. 460 million years ago, this place was an ocean floor. After such a long period of changes, the crustal movement lifted it up, allowing us to touch them. The stone forest area is filled with rocks of various shapes, with the most impressive being the arc-shaped stones. Some are concave arcs, others are convex. Some stand as tall as a thousand feet, while others are stacked like blocks, leaving visitors in awe. Taking photos here is incredibly rewarding, and the weather doesn't matter; whether it's sunny, rainy, or foggy, it all looks good. During the off-season, it's especially enjoyable, almost like having the place to yourself. There's no need to queue for the popular photo spots, allowing you to take pictures until you're satisfied.

Suobuya, a place more beautiful than its name, is worth another visit

Enshi Suobuya Stone Forest is the most beautiful in the Rhino Gorge Suobuya Stone Forest is known as the world's first Ordovician stone forest, The entire scenic area has four attractions: Recommended route from far to near without going back (Qinglongtai, Lianhuazhai, Mozigou, Jiulonghui Play all, walk 3-4 hours~ Jiulonghui is not on the same route, alone about half an hour. Lianhuazhai and Mozigou are connected together, the most beautiful geology is in the Rhino Gorge of Lianhuazhai, go out to see the 5D cinema Shanhaijing (more suitable for children) Compared to Qinglongtai and Lianhuazhai, Mozigou is not very interesting~ It is a must-pass road to the exit, but there is a small hole inside, those weighing more than 180 jin may not be able to pass. Ticket 168/person (including scenic bus) We bought the Hubei annual card, free admission, but does not include scenic area transportation. There are homestays in the scenic area, 120/room (the environment is very general if you are in a hurry) No need to drive the scenic bus directly stops at the door for 3-4 hours 18:00 closing You can go here even when it rains (Enshi has too many canyons that can't be visited when it rains) Of course, the viewing is better when there is sunlight. I personally like rainy days

The ancient call from Suobuya Stone Forest in Enshi

Again, the Ordovician period, the last time I saw the Ordovician was in Wensu, Aksu, Xinjiang, and the Suobuya Stone Forest in Enshi is a mysterious world: Known as the "world's first Ordovician stone forest", narrow crevice mysteries and fossil relics can be seen everywhere, it can be called an ancient geological museum, formed in the Ordovician period 460 million years ago, with a total area of 21 square kilometers, it is the second largest stone forest in China after the Yunnan Stone Forest. Entering the stone forest scenic area, pieces of stone forest come into view, which is spectacular. Ordovician stone forests in the world are very rare, those above 2 meters are considered rare treasures in the world. Due to the special geological structure of the Suobuya Stone Forest, the stone forest has reached more than 20 meters, which is 10 times that of the Yunnan Stone Forest, and it can be called a world miracle. The Suobuya Stone Forest is surrounded by green screens, with peaks competing for beauty. There are strange rocks and strange stones scattered in the stone forest. Some look like eagles gazing at the moon, some resemble fairy girls looking back, some look like dragons and tigers fighting, and some look like lotus flowers. They are in various poses and with various expressions, which are breathtaking.

May Day in Enshi's Suobuya Stone Forest

To avoid the crowd on May Day, it's important to stay near the entrance of the scenic area. There are not many accommodations near the Stone Forest, and the one we stayed at is a few kilometers away from the Stone Forest, with relatively good facilities, convenient for self-driving. This Stone Forest is unique compared to the one in Kunming, with a different style. If you have enough time, it's nice to check in. There is also a zip line project inside. However, since we played the super exciting zip line at Jigongling the day before, this one is just a piece of cake. If you get up early, be sure to go to the core Lotus Village first, and there is no need to go to the later Qinglong Stone. If you have good physical strength, you can stroll around.

I survived the curves & narrow paths!

I spent my October holiday in Enshi, Hubei. This place has truly a poetic beauty and wonders. The stone forest park even in a rainy weather wasn’t any less beautiful. I am amazed to see the natural curves and patterns of the stones. Moreover, the place is also teeming in greens. It is a highly recommended place to visit whenever you are in Enshi. You won’t regret it! #nature #relax #trip #instatravel #enshi #hubei #travel #hikingtrails #hiking #wanderlust #china

Enshisuobu Stone Forest is a mysterious world: it is known as the "world's first Ordovician stone forest", and the slits and fossils are everywhere. It is called an ancient geological museum. Formed in the Ordovician period 460 million years ago, with a total area of 21 square kilometers, it is the second largest stone forest in China after Yunlin. Entering the Shilin Scenic Area, a piece of stone forest leaps into the eye and is spectacular. The Ordovician stone forests in the world are very rare. More than 2 meters is the world treasure. Due to the special geological structure, the stone forest reaches 20 meters or more, which is 10 times that of Yunnan Stone Forest. It is a world miracle. Shubu Stone Forest is surrounded by green screens, and the peaks compete. There are many rock formations in the stone forest, some of which are like the eagle looking at the moon, some gods like the fairy back, some like dragons fighting, some cool Xiaolian flowers, thousands of different styles, styles, amazing.