Front mountain
Forest steps.
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A forested mountain of 36 peaks in Dujiangyan, about 65 km north-west of Chengdu, counted among the birthplaces of Taoism: here in the 2nd century Zhang Daoling founded one of its first schools, and temples rose on its slopes from the Jin and Tang dynasties; together with the Dujiangyan irrigation system it has been a World Heritage Site since 2000. The front mountain is a climb of stone steps through dense green forest, past old temples and pavilions to a pavilion near the top, shortened by a ferry across Yuecheng Lake and a cable car. The back mountain, with its own ticket, is wilder, with gorges, waterfalls and plank walkways over streams, and takes most of a day. The front mountain costs CNY 80 and the back mountain CNY 20, booked through the official Qingcheng-Dujiangyan account, and the front cable car is CNY 35 one way or 60 return, per visitor guides. Trains from Chengdu reach Qingchengshan station in about an hour.
Forest steps.
Ferry and cable car.
Falls and walkways.
Dujiangyan, about 65 km north-west of Chengdu
The front mountain is shorter and has the temples and forest; the back mountain is wilder, with waterfalls, and needs a full day; each has its own ticket booked ahead, per visitor guides.