Anjihai Grand Canyon: A Non-Scenic, Internet-Famous Spot

In the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains in northern Xinjiang, glacial meltwater cuts through the southern edge of the Junggar Basin, forming alluvial fans in several river valleys. Rivers meander through these valleys like braids, creating spectacular landforms known as grand canyons. Many have been developed or are under development, including Dushanzi Grand Canyon, Kuitun River Grand Canyon, Usu Grand Canyon, Hongshan Grand Canyon, and Anjihai Grand Canyon. Once upon a time, a short video on a social media platform made one canyon famous throughout the country. In the video, from a drone's "God's-eye view," a small car speeds up a cliff extending into a deep canyon, coming to an abrupt stop at the cliff's edge. The drone circles the sheer cliff face, accompanied by dramatic background music, creating a sense of awe and instantly overshadowing other popular scenic spots. This canyon is the Anjihai Grand Canyon. LP describes its unique beauty as having diverse geomorphic structures, rich color layers, hidden from view, waiting for discerning eyes to discover. In fact, if it weren't for that cliff, Anjihai Grand Canyon in Shawan County might just be an ordinary corner of Xinjiang's vast landscape. In reality, it has never been developed or constructed as a scenic spot and has long been a large mining area. The edge of the Anjihai Grand Canyon has a sandy soil structure, which is loose and prone to collapse (in fact, part of the cliff in the video has already collapsed). The edge of the canyon also lacks protective facilities, posing significant safety hazards. To prevent accidents, relevant authorities have issued a notice prohibiting organized tours, and wire fences have been erected on-site to prevent tourists from entering. If you come all the way just for the Anjihai Grand Canyon, you might be slightly disappointed. Even with two servings of authentic Shawan Dapanji (Big Plate Chicken), you might feel that the nearly 200 kilometers of fuel costs aren't worth it. However, if you're traveling north or south, you might consider taking the Duku Highway from Shawan via Dushanzi. The 561-kilometer-long Duku Highway starts from Dushanzi in the north, crosses four mountain passes in the Tianshan Mountains, and reaches Kuqa in southern Xinjiang. If you're traveling east or west, it is recommended to return to Urumqi via S101. This 409-kilometer provincial highway, built in the 1960s, passes eastward through Bayingou in Dushanzi, Lujiaowan in Shawan, Hongkeng Village in Manas, Que'ergou in Hutubi, Qicai Mountain Canyon and Toutun River Valley in Changji, and other less-known scenic spots, finally reaching Urumqi via Xishan Farm and the Geographic Center of Asia.