The most worthwhile attraction in Jinchang, Gansu, National Mine Park
I spent a day in Jinchang yesterday. Before coming here, I had heard of Jinchang's reputation as the "Nickel Capital", so I went straight to the National Mining Park to experience the charm of the old industrial relics. It was drizzling in the afternoon when I arrived, and there was no wind. The temperature of 15 or 16 degrees was perfect for a walk. The gloomy sky and the mining ruins were a perfect match.
1
Transportation:
Train to Jinchang Station, Jinchang Station is in Hexibao Town, a certain distance from Jinchang City Jinchuan District. You can go to the bus stop on the left after exiting the station to take the Jinchang-Hexibao bus. The fare is 5 yuan, which can be paid in cash or with WeChat payment code;
After getting off the highway and entering Jinchuan District, you can greet the driver and ask him to stop by the roadside at the destination. The final stop is the Zijin Square East Exit Bus Station. For the specific bus route, you can search for "Jinchang-Hexibao Bus" on the map software;
To get to the Mine Park, you can take bus No. 1 to the "Sankuang" station, or ride a shared electric car. Taxi is not expensive either.
Tour route:
The main entrance of the Mine Park Staircase, not far from the bus stop, is closed, but there are several nice statues and stone tablets, as well as a railway crossing, where you can take photos if you are interested;
After reading it, walk along the asphalt road to the right for a while. You will come to several intersections. There are road signs in front of you, introducing that this is the old mine.
If you follow the signs to the ruins, you will see the huge mine ruins (Figure 2). The mine is 180 meters deep and several hundred meters wide, which is very shocking.
After visiting the mine, return to the intersection and turn left (northwest). You will see the road sign in Figure 6. Continue forward and start the hiking route. This is also the entrance and exit passage for vehicles in the mine area, so pay attention to safety.
Pay attention to the map software. There is a huge Bagua map in the northwest of the mine. Go forward along the hiking path and cross a railway bridge (Figure 1 and Figure 3). It is a good place to take photos.
After crossing the bridge, there is a five-way intersection. There is a stone staircase leading up the mountain, and an asphalt uphill road on the right. These two roads lead to the same destination, and both can lead to the viewing platform for viewing the Bagua map.
As for the Bagua diagram, it is really huge and the appearance of the Bagua cannot be seen clearly from the height of the observation deck. If you have a drone, you must fly to a certain height to take a picture (Figure 18).
③Return trip:
There are some other attractions I didn't visit. If you have enough time, you can look up the guides for other attractions and choose to visit. It is very convenient to stay in Zijin Square. On the return trip, you can get on the bus directly at the east entrance bus stop of Zijin Square and take the "Jinchang-Hexibao Bus" to Jinchang Railway Station. The fare is still 5 yuan, and the first bus leaves at 6:10 in the morning.
In summary, the experience of visiting Jinchang National Mining Park far exceeded expectations. If you like photography, hiking, industry fans, railway fans, and explorers, please rush here without hesitation. Friends who drive themselves can also come here conveniently. The asphalt driveway leads to all directions, but you must pay attention to the large trucks in the mining area at the turns. If you come to Jinchang, you must come here to have a look. Only here can you truly feel the blood and bones of this industrial city.