Guanmen Mountain
Guanmen Mountain is known as the 'Little Huangshan of Eastern Liaoning' and 'Better than Jiangnan'. The scenic area is famous for its maple leaves, with countless varieties of maple trees. Friends have been enthusiastically recommending this spot even before setting off. If it's autumn, you definitely shouldn't miss Tianmen Mountain. Tip: Guanmen Mountain has three main attractions: the Forest Park, the Reservoirs (Hongye Lake, Guanshan Lake), and the Grand Canyon. All three spots have maple leaves, but personally, I think the autumn scenery in the Forest Park is the best. If time is limited, you might consider only visiting the Forest Park.
Benhuan Road
Benhuan Road in Benxi City has a nickname, 'China Maple Leaf Road'. In autumn, the area is filled with painters and photographers capturing the scenery. Despite the winding road, you can stop at any time to take photos of the scenery on both sides. The mountains are covered with red leaves of various colors and heights, creating a beautiful view. China Maple Leaf Road is a provincial road. If you drive east along it, you can reach the famous Painter's Village (Yanghu Valley), Old Village (Yanghu Valley), and Laobiangou.
Yanghu Valley
Yanghu Valley is located at the junction of Benxi and Huanren counties, and it still preserves its original secondary forest. According to a friend who traveled with me, before the Ben-Huan Highway was opened in 1999, many painters would trek to Yanghu Valley to paint, earning it the nickname 'Painter's Village'. In autumn, with the wind blowing and leaves falling, the shadows of the trees and the colors of the mountains make it look like a beautiful painting.
The forest is fully dyed, with colorful flower mountains and autumn ravines, creating a mysterious and colorful fairyland on earth. However, if you go too early, the maple leaves have not yet turned red; if you go too late, the maple leaves might have fallen. Choose the right time. Everyone has their own preferences; I personally prefer Tianmen Mountain, while my friends are particularly fond of Laogouzi.
Dashihu Lake
The ridges are covered with azaleas, and every mountain has red leaves. In spring, you can enjoy the flowers, and in autumn, you can admire the leaves. The autumn leaves did not disappoint me. I wonder if the spring flowers are equally stunning? After entering the Dashihu Lake Scenic Area, all you can see are red leaves. If you are lucky with the weather, the blue sky, clear water, colorful leaves, lakes, beaches, and waterfalls of Wulong Lake are connected in succession, as if God accidentally spilled a palette and created a beautiful landscape painting. So, traveling also depends on luck, and it was sunny all the way~
