Ginkgo Waterfall, Mountains Covered with Red Leaves: A Lesser-Known Autumn Viewing Route Around Zhengzhou

Few people know that at the border of Henan and Hubei lies a quiet and low-key "Red Leaf Capital" of Central China. The gentle Huai River divides north and south. In November, the mountains are dyed red with autumn leaves. At the end of a deep, secluded path, golden autumn rain falls under a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree. This autumn, I spent two magical days in this small village. 📍 Tongbai County, Nanyang (suitable for self-driving from Zhengzhou/Wuhan/Nanyang and nearby cities, or take the high-speed train to "Xinyang East" and then rent a car for 1.5 hours) 🍁 Travel Route ✔️ In the morning, visit Tongbai Mountain Huaiyuan Scenic Area (the scenic area is located on the geographical north-south dividing line; from Taibaiding you can overlook the entire Tongbai County and the Henan-Hubei border) ✔️ Tongbai Mountain Qingquan Zen Temple Qingquan Temple (the ginkgo tree at the temple gate is over 1,200 years old and breathtaking! The path to the temple is very quiet and pristine, like entering a paradise) ✔️ In the afternoon, go to the Tongbai Red Leaf Scenic Area (thousands of acres of red leaves cover the mountains; the pavilion viewing platform halfway up the mountain is perfect for Hanfu photos~ if hiking up the mountain, reserve at least half a day) ✔️ Stay overnight at Hidden Village · By the Water Tongbai By the Water Homestay The homestay is designed as a traditional quadrangle courtyard; the pond and trees in the yard reflect the autumn atmosphere 🍂 Sitting in the study or living room looking out the window and quietly daydreaming is very satisfying~ The room also has large floor-to-ceiling windows that look like movie frames, perfect for photos! If you come in summer, you can also enjoy bamboo rafting on the Huai River~ (the parking lot has electric vehicle charging stations) ✔️ It’s very convenient to get from the homestay to several attractions or the county town. The best time to view the red leaves is until mid-November, and the ginkgo trees at Qingquan Temple are not fully yellow yet, so the viewing can continue until early December.