China has numerous sacred and/or beautiful mountains and hills that are available for hiking by the genral public. However, they face a serious problem of how do you open to 1.3 billion people and not risk spoiling the very beauty that attracted the people in the first place. The solution to this dilema is a system of boardwalks and flagstone or otherwise paved paths that stretch for kilometer after kilometer. They are well contructed, maintained and provide a very enjoyable way to see the countryside for all Chinese.
Jiuzhaigou is a wonderful example of this. With 42 km of boardwalks stretching up two mountain valleys and passing numerous pristine lakes and dramatic waterfalls, one can easily spend a couple of wonderful days "hiking" Chinese style.
On the other side of the mountain range is Huanglong. Its major boardwalk is a 13 km trail extends up a single valley past numerous water fields formed by limestone deposits (with a little manual enhancement). A modern gondola takes you to the top for an additional charge if you do not want to walk both ways. Most tour groups opt for this option.
Located Northwest of Chengdu getting there can be a challenge. The bus ride that most tour groups use is 8-9 hours of mostly mountain roads. The alternative is the recently reopened airport in Huanglong (listed as Jiuzhaigou). Once there hotels from 5 star to no star are available in a wide arrange of prices. Getting between Haunglong and Jiuzhaigou is about an 1 1/2 ride over the mountain.
