2 Hours North of Chengdu! Enter the Free Colorful Forest Secret Realm and Encounter the Sichuan Version of Kanas

🍂 It's autumn viewing season again. Heading in the opposite direction—from Chengdu northward, just a 2-hour drive, you enter the hundred-mile colorful forest secret realm in Pingwu County. 🏔️ Here, there are no crowded crowds, no altitude sickness troubles, only snow-capped mountains, lakes, ancient villages, and layers of colorful forests forming a visual feast. 🚗 Trip Overview 🗺️ Day 1: Chengdu → Pingwu (Bao'en Temple) → Hundred-Mile Colorful Forest Corridor → Baima Tianmu Lake → Stay at Baxijia Ancient Village 🔄 Day 2: Baxijia Ancient Village → Baima Wanglang Scenic Area (optional) → Return to Chengdu 🍁 Must-Experience Highlights 🛣️• Hundred-Mile Colorful Forest Corridor (Free) The G247 highway from Pingwu County town to Baima Tibetan Township is known as the "Hundred-Mile Colorful Forest Corridor." 🍂 From late October to mid-November, the 70-kilometer mountain road looks like a palette spilled by God, with red, orange, yellow, and green interwoven. 📸 Multiple viewing platforms are set up along the way, where you can stop anytime to take photos. 🏞️• Baima Tianmu Lake (Free) Known as the "Sichuan version of Kanas," this plateau lake has crystal-clear water that shows emerald green, sapphire blue, and other colors under different lighting. 🖼️ The lake reflects the surrounding snow mountains and colorful forests, creating a stunning picture. 🚏 The viewing platform is near Tunnel No. 1 at Shuiniu Family in Pingwu County; a 1-2 hour stay is recommended. 🏘️• Baxijia Ancient Village (Ancient village free, some activities charge fees) This is the head of the six villages of Baima Shangzhai, preserving complete traditional Baima Tibetan architecture and lifestyle. 🧶 Strolling through the ancient village, you can see locals making felt hats, spinning hemp thread, and brewing honey wine. 🏔️ The village faces Tianmu Lake and backs onto a sacred mountain, an excellent location. 🏯• Bao'en Temple in Pingwu (Admission 40 RMB) Known as the "Deep Mountain Forbidden City," it is one of the best-preserved Ming Dynasty ancient architectural complexes in China. 🧱 The exquisite dougong and mortise-and-tenon structures were also filming locations for "Black Myth: Wukong." Worth spending an hour visiting. 🐼• Baima Wanglang National Nature Reserve (Optional, Admission 120 RMB + sightseeing bus 70 RMB) If time permits, visit this "hometown of giant pandas," where the park features primeval forests, alpine meadows, and many rare plants and animals. 🍜 Food and Accommodation Guide 🏠 Accommodation options: - Baxijia Ancient Village homestays: Recommended Tianyuan Inn and others, with lake and mountain views right outside the window. - Hotels in Pingwu County town: More complete facilities, and you can stroll the streets at night to experience local life. 🍽️ Food recommendations: - Baima Tibetan specialty meals: homemade cured meat, honey wine. - Local Pingwu snacks: jiaotuan (stirred dough), rice noodles, roasted potatoes with chili powder, very cost-effective. 📝 Practical Tips 📅• Best time: Late October to mid-November is the best period to view the colorful forests. 🚗• Traffic notes: G247 has many bends and steep slopes, with many large trucks; please drive carefully and slowly. Self-driving is recommended; set navigation to "Baima Baxijia Ancient Village." 🧥• Clothing: Large temperature differences between morning and evening in the mountains; bring down jackets or windbreakers. Strong sunlight during the day; sunglasses and sunscreen are recommended. 📶• Other advice: Mountain signals may be unstable; download offline maps in advance. Bring some snacks as supply points along the way are limited.