Zhongpo National Forest Park is located on Zhongpo Mountain, only 500 meters from the urban area of Huaihua City. This prime location offers exceptional advantages for tourism.
Approved by the Hunan Provincial Government in 1992, Zhongpo Forest Park was established on the foundation of the former Huaihua Forestry Research Institute. In October 2003, it was upgraded as a national forest park, making it the only one of its kind in Huaihua.
Covering an area of 1,688 hectares, the park boasts a forest coverage rate of 94.1%. It features a network of valleys and streams as well as vibrant forest landscapes. The park is home to over 100 species of wildlife and more than 690 species of woody plants across 93 families, including over 30 species of nationally protected trees. The well-preserved thousands of acres of original secondary forests and extensive mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests create a natural vegetation community that showcases distinct seasonal changes, offering breathtaking views of blooming flowers in spring, lush green leaves in summer, vibrant red leaves in autumn, and verdant cypress in winter. Visitors can experience the unique charm of the mountainous wilderness throughout the year.
The park is easily accessible, featuring a prominent terrain and expansive views, with its highest peak reaching 636 meters. A paved mountain road connects the city to the summit of Zhongpo Mountain, and a network of walking paths crisscrosses the area. Essential infrastructure, including scenic spots, roads, water and electricity supply, communication facilities, and services, is well established. Currently, the park offers various tourist facilities and attractions, including a wildlife rescue center, a butterfly specimen museum, a rare tree garden, a flower appreciation garden, a resort, the Wuxi Scenic Area, a mountaintop observation deck, and a children’s playground. It supports a range of activities such as ecological tourism, science education tours, mountain running, forest exploration, camping, barbecuing, and rural tourism, making it an urban ecological forest park that integrates forest resource conservation, forestry research, and forest tourism.
The cultural and natural landscapes within the park complement each other. Due to its significant geographical position, Zhongpo Mountain has historically attracted pilgrims from a hundred-mile radius, leading to the establishment of numerous temples in the area. Although many were destroyed during years of conflict, the remnants still exist, and the restoration of temples is now included in the park’s overall plan. The newly built Wuxi Scenic Area showcases Huaihua’s folk customs and distinctive architecture, featuring thirteen unique attractions such as the Dong people’s wind-and-rain bridge, the Dong drum tower, the Miao totem pole, Furong Tower, and Swallow Cave, all harmoniously integrated with floral arrangements and the natural landscape, making it one of the park’s most attractive areas. The only place in the country to feature the newly discovered plant species, the large red camellia garden, spans over 70 mu (about 4.7 hectares). From winter to early spring, the garden bursts into a riot of color, becoming a distinctive botanical landscape that draws numerous visitors. Qiongding Peak, the highest point in the park, offers breathtaking views and is the best spot for gazing over the bustling urban landscape of Huaihua City, as well as for enjoying moonlit nights and spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
(Translated by Yang Hong)
