Kunming: Jing'an Pass 68 Bends
In the west of Yiliang County, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, there is a winding mountain road leading to Jing'an Pass. The road is built along the mountain ridge and is very winding. In just 7 kilometers, there are 68 bends. This winding road is regarded by relevant experts as a miracle in the history of world highways.
Zhangjiajie: Chongshan Highway
This is a local 'secret' spot that is little known to outside travelers and is also the birthplace of Zhangjiajie's historical culture. There is an ancient saying that 'Fuxi's Eight Trigrams originated from Zhangjiajie's Chongshan.' What is most precious is that, unlike commercialized scenic spots, self-driving vehicles can enter for free. From an aerial view, the most striking feature of Chongshan is the winding and spiraling highway. The road is extremely dangerous, and driving on it feels like traveling through the clouds.
Beijing: Hongjing Road
Hongjing Road in Fangshan District is a winding rural road that meanders through the towering mountains of Beijing's Fangshan District. It starts at Honggangkou in Wolong Village, Shidu Town, and ends at Jing'eryu in Xiayunling Township on National Highway 108, with a total length of 18.94 kilometers. Hongjing Road is the most winding and scenic mountain road within Beijing.
Xiangxi: Aizhai Highway
Known as a marvel, the Aizhai Highway is adjacent to the famous Aizhai Bridge. It is a very special attraction in Xiangxi, renowned for its perilous terrain and ingenious engineering, making it the crown jewel of national highways. This highway stretches about six kilometers but is built on a slope with a horizontal distance of less than 100 meters, a vertical height of 440 meters, and a gradient of 70-90 degrees. This specific space forces the highway to move left and right, making thirteen sharp turns and forming twenty-six nearly parallel, overlapping road sections.
Aba Prefecture: Balang Mountain Pass Highway
Balang Mountain Pass is not considered a hidden gem. Whether cycling the Sichuan-Tibet line or driving to Siguniang Mountain, this is a must-pass route. It is the highest highway pass in the eastern part of the Qionglai Mountains and is regarded as one of the most beautiful passes in China. At an altitude of 4481 meters, it is often shrouded in a sea of clouds. If the approach to it makes you drowsy due to lack of oxygen, the moment you cross it, you will be instantly awakened—the winding mountain road on the right, like a 'ladder to heaven,' stretches across the alpine meadows, with a beauty that seems almost unreal.
Changdu: Nujiang 72 Turns
'Nujiang 72 Turns' is a road located in Baxoi County, Chamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. It is also situated on the southern Sichuan-Tibet line between Bangda in Chamdo and Baxoi. This road is also known as the 'Sichuan-Tibet 99 Bends'. Starting from the lowest point at an altitude of 3100 meters, it ascends to the highest point at Yela Mountain Pass at an altitude of 4651 meters, then spirals down to Bangda Town at an altitude of 4100 meters. It is approximately 12 kilometers long. As a must-pass route on the southern Sichuan-Tibet line, it is precisely because of its danger that it holds more challenge value for many riders or drivers. Every year, travelers passing through this road are filled with awe.
Zhangjiajie: Tianmen Mountain 'Avenue to the Sky'
The Avenue to the Sky is a winding mountain road located in the famous Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie. Tianmen Cave, with its ground-to-sky posture, has become a gateway to the heavens in people's hearts, and the winding mountain road leading to Tianmen Cave is thus called the 'Avenue to the Sky'. The Avenue to the Sky has a total of 99 bends, symbolizing the idea of 'nine layers of heaven and nine levels of clouds'. It stretches over 10 kilometers, with an elevation rising from 200 meters to over 1,200 meters. Many of the bends feature 180-degree sharp turns and winding corridors! Known as the 'Number One Wonder of Highways in the World', it is recognized as the 'Top Mountain Road in China'.
Enshi: Cliffside Sky Road
The Cliffside Sky Road is located in the Chegenpo section of Shuangmu Road, Xintang Township, Enshi City, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province. It is approximately 4.4 kilometers long and resembles a jade belt hanging on a cliff with an altitude difference of over 800 meters. Looking up, it reaches into the clouds, as if descending from the sky.
Zunyi: Tongzi 72 Turns
Tongzi 72 Turns is a nationally famous 'devil's section' due to the steep mountains around Liangfengya. The road is built along the mountain's natural contours, resulting in large and dense curves. It is known as the 'most densely curved mountain road in Guizhou.'
Qianxinan: Qinglong 24 Bends
The Qinglong 24 Bends Anti-Japanese War Road is a symbolic representation of the 'Stilwell Road.' Historically known as 'Yaguan,' it is characterized by its grandeur, uniqueness, danger, and steepness, with a strategic position that is easy to defend and hard to attack. The straight-line distance from the foot of the mountain to the top is about 350 meters, with a vertical height of about 260 meters. Built along the mountain slope at an angle of about 60 degrees in an 'S' shape, it winds and spirals up to the pass, covering a total distance of about 4 kilometers.
