# Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Mandarin: 湖南张家界国家森林公园; Pinyin: Húnán Zhāngjiājiè Guójiā Sēnlín Gōngyuán, Literal Translation: Hunan Zhangjiajie National Forest Park) is a National Forest Park located in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China. It is one of the four scenic spots within the Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

## Understand
### History

There are more than 3,000 soft rock formations in the park. They were formed by an uplift of the ground caused by tectonic activity. This uplift displaced rivers, which then started to cut through the uplifted sandstone and softer siltstone rocks found below the rivers. The river's water pressure caused the siltstone to erode or even collapse entirely, leaving narrow, deep troughs.
Over the years, climate factors such as rain and wind have continued to erode the remaining pillars. Another factor in the continuing change in the shape of these pillars: Various plants have colonized the rock formations. The roots of these plants decrease the ability of the sandstone to avoid weather damage, resulting in the rocks disintegrating in spots where the plants grow.
Fast forward to 1982, when a 48.1-km² tract of the mountains in Zhangjiajie City was approved by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration as Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. It is China’s first national park. It is part of a much larger 397.5-square-kilometer Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area. In 1994 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2001 it was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources (then known as the Ministry of Land and Resources) as Zhangjiajie Sandstone Peak National Forest Geopark. In 2004, it was claimed a UNESCO Global Geopark. Later on, it built the Bailong Elevator (literally Hundred Dragons Sky Lift), the world's tallest outdoor lift at 326 meters high. In 2007, it was designated a 5A-level tourist attraction by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was used as the background of the hit science-fiction movie Avatar (2009). In January of 2010, one of its mountains was renamed Hallelujah Mountain.

### Landscape

The park is comprised of dense forests, deep ravines, deep canyons, unusual peaks, caves, and pillar-like rock formations blanketed throughout the park. These pillar rock formations are what the park is renowned for around the world.
The pillar rock formations are not typical limestone-eroded pillars. The pillar rock formations are comprised of quartz-sandstone and formed from physical erosion caused by the abundant rains.
The landscapes created by the mountains, pillar rock formations, dense forests, and clouds are the epitome of Chinese landscapes that inspire so many different types of artwork.The park is comprised of dense forests, deep ravines, deep canyons, unusual peaks, caves, and pillar-like rock formations blanketed throughout the park. These pillar rock formations are what the park is renowned for around the world.
The pillar rock formations are not typical limestone-eroded pillars. The pillar rock formations are comprised of quartz-sandstone and formed from physical erosion caused by the abundant rains.
The landscapes created by the mountains, pillar rock formations, dense forests, and clouds are the epitome of Chinese landscapes that inspire so many different types of artwork. The landscape is not entirely natural. The Bailong Elevator and Glass Bridge, both engineering surrealities, add to the incomprehensibility of the panorama of the forest.

### Flora and fauna

Plants in the top five largest families including Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, Leguminosae, Rosaceae, and Gramineae can all be found here. In terms of rare trees, it has dove trees and dawn redwoods which are listed in China national first-level protected trees and has bretschneidera sinensis, ginkgoes, emmenopterys as well as Liriodendron chinense, Fragrant-leaf Nanmu, Eucommia ulmoides, Salix, Decaisnea, Tapiscia sinensis, Chinese yew trees and so on listed in the national second-level or third level protected trees. Zhangjiajie Scenic Area is a true storehouse of forest.
According to the Zoogeographical or Faunal division, Zhangjiajie belongs to the Central China Sub-region of the Oriental Region. The complex terrain, various ravines, deep canyons, mild climate, abundant rainfall, and dense forests provide the best possible natural conditions for the reproduction of animals and plants.
Overall, there are a lot kinds of animals and plants in Zhangjiajie. According to a survey conducted by the South China Wildlife Investigation Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: within the Wulingyuan area, there are roughly 22 orders, 58 families and 149 species of terrestrial spine wildlife in total, of which birds account for 46.9%, beasts account for 28.9%, reptiles accounts for 16.1% and amphibians accounts for 8.1%.

### Climate
## Get in
### By train

To get to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, it is recommended to take a train to Zhangjiajiexi Railway Station, 21 km from the park, which serves both high-speed-rail and regular trains. That way, it takes 40 minutes and costs 15 yuan. However, Zhangjiajie is also served by Zhangjiajie Railway Station, 40 km from the park, which only has ordinary trains. That was, it takes 1 hour and costs 33 yuan. Then, take a direct bus to the park.

### By plane

First, fly into Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport in Huhua, Yongding District. Then take the No. 4 city bus to Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station. After that, take a direct bus to your destination. It takes 1.5 hours and costs 15 yuan.

### By coach

Get to Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station by taking a coach. Then, take a direct bus to the scenic spot. A coach timetable is shown below.
From Changsha: departs at 14:00 from Changsha West Bus Station, journey is 4 hours
From Wuhan: departs at 08:50 from Wuhan Hongji Bus Station, journey is 6.5 hours
From Tongren: departs at 10:30, 11:50, 13:00, 14:10, 15:20, 16:40, 17:40 from Changsha High-speed Railway Bus Station, journey is 5 hours
From Changde: departs at 11:10, 13:20, 14:30 from Changde Bus Terminal Station, journey is 2.5 hours