Dabie Mountains Self-Drive Family Trip: Ride the Martin Highway and Encounter the Autumn Charm of "Wanxi 318"

Parents brave enough to take kids on mountain roads, look here! We drove through the "Wanxi 318" Martin Highway, with daily drives ≤3 hours, picking autumn tea and visiting ancient villages along the way. Our 5-year-old excitedly pointed out the "Rainbow Tree" from the safety seat! 🗺️ Self-drive route: Jinzhai → Mazongling → Tiantangzhai → Mingtang Mountain Day 1: Hefei → Jinzhai (2.5h drive) • Stay at "Youran Nanshan Resort," with a dinosaur park plus horseback riding and archery to fully tire out the kids. • Set up a tent on the grassland at dusk to watch the sunset, and have a parent-child creative silhouette photo contest. Day 2: Martin Highway Highlights (80km, 3h) • Hairpin turn challenge: roll down the window to smell the pine fragrance, stop to photograph the gorge panorama with colorful foliage. • Mazongling light hike: walk the waterfall plank road and collect colorful leaves to make specimens. Day 3: Tiantangzhai Cross-Province Adventure • Take the cable car to the summit, step with one foot in Hubei and the other in Anhui provinces, kids jump and check in at the boundary marker. • In the afternoon, walk the glass plank road and wear Hanfu to take a "Cloud Knight" family portrait. Day 4: Mingtang Mountain Aerial Park • Take the magic carpet elevator up the mountain (a blessing for the lazy), kids walk the circular glass plank road looking for squirrels. • ATV off-road through colorful forests, parent-child co-driving, splashing fallen leaves for extra fun. 🚙 Self-drive essentials • Vehicle: SUV preferred (some gravel roads), bring anti-skid chains (possible frost late October). • Safety: Child safety seat mandatory, walkie-talkies for communication (weak signal in mountains). • Entertainment: In-car picture books telling Dabie Mountains revolutionary stories, snack box with chestnut cakes to satisfy cravings. 📸 Photo spots • Jiuzihe Town Chinese Tallow Forest: shoot red leaves close-up in the afternoon with side lighting, wearing white clothes makes the best photos. • Baima Peak Sea of Clouds: catch the sunrise early morning, kids holding binoculars silhouette like little explorers. The autumn of Dabie Mountains stretches endlessly beneath the wheels. See you next time with the Shennongjia guide! 🚗