Spring Hiking Guide | Free, Fun, and Close - Could There Be Such a Great Place?

Dengfeng Balongtan ⛰️ Balongtan If I were to describe it in one sentence, it would be: Everyone, go for it! This is currently my favorite hiking route around Zhengzhou. Attention ⚠️ Balongtan has so many praiseworthy features. It's only about an hour's drive from Zhengzhou, which truly allows you to save your best energy for the most beautiful scenery without exhausting too much energy on the drive. The scenic area is currently free of charge 🆓 It looks like a half-developed scenic area, but there is a local parking lot at the foot of the mountain charging 🅿️ 5 yuan per time 💰 Upon entering the scenic area, there is a forest fire safety registration, so there are people protecting this area, which means that even those who don't want to go too wild can feel at ease 😌 The whole scenic area is about an 8.7KM loop ♻️ You don't have to backtrack, and with appropriate stops for photos 📷 it takes about 4.5 hours ⌚️ The intensity is moderate, beginner-friendly, and extremely fun. Most importantly, the scenery is a mix of cool and warm, meaty and vegetarian, haha 🤣 Along the way, you can see flower clusters, dams, streams, waterfalls, and relatively gentle woods with crows flying over 🐦‍⬛ In the evening, descending the mountain even has a bit of a Twilight vibe 😆 The more challenging parts include the long stone steps near the waterfall, where you need to use your hands and feet to climb 🧗 Another is the place where you're about to reach the summit, with two sections of iron ladders that don't seem very safe 🪜 You need to hold onto the climbing ropes next to the ladders (see P1️⃣2️⃣). At this spot, I met two brave mothers with three kids 👧🏻 and I just... really had to give them a thumbs up 👍🏼 After the iron ladders, it's all downhill from there, with two great spots for a break. One is by the stream not far from the start of the descent, where the cool, clear water and the stone steps on the bank are a great place to relieve fatigue. The other is in the small forest two-thirds of the way down the mountain, where the path is flat, the sunlight filters through the gaps, warm but not hot. ⚠️ Most of the way, there will be club markers 🏷️ and obvious footprints. In places with stones or forks in the road where it's hard to distinguish the direction, it's recommended to rest in place briefly and wait, consult with other hikers you meet before continuing, and it's even more advisable to download the Two Steps Road app in advance 🔍, choosing the most recently updated route as a reference 🗺️ 🍖 For those who are hungry after descending the mountain, don't rush back to Zhengzhou. Instead, head to Dengfeng city's "Gao Ji Baked Bun with Chili Oil" for a Dengfeng baked bun with pork knuckle!!! Take it next door and order a portion of stir-fried knife-cut noodles 🍜 After eating, you'll feel that the twenty thousand steps of the day were worth it! Dengfeng is worth it! I'll come back again! - Spring Hiking Guide | Outdoor Hiking | Zhengzhou Hiking | My Snapshots | Off-the-Beaten-Path Travel Destinations | Chronicler of a Romantic Life | Mobile Photography | Where to Go in Zhengzhou on Weekends | Outdoor Mountain Climbing