Plan at a glance
Choose the stream valley or the high forest route first
Ruoliao Primeval Forest is in Likeng Village, Anmin Township, Songyang County. Dense forest, streams, waterfalls and high views are the focus. Navigate to Ruoliao Primeval Forest No. 1 Parking for the entrance; allow 2–3 hours for Long Waterfall and the valley, or 2.5–3.5 hours for the summit forest and Ruoliao Pass.
The two routes serve different visitors. The valley works for families, summer cooling and light walking, while the upper route suits walkers wanting rhododendron forest, Shirenji rocks and long views. Choose a route after checking weather and footing; completing everything is never the priority.
Tickets, parking and the latest entry time
Adult entry is about CNY 60, while visitors aged 60 and above are about CNY 35; some travel cards may have free-entry benefits. Booking is usually not needed and tickets are sold on site. Common hours are 08:30–17:00, entry normally stops after about 16:00, and parking is about CNY 10 per day.
Plan entry for the morning or before midday. Some mountain roads may restrict passage after about 15:00, and descent in the forest can take longer than expected; walkers on the longer route should complete ticketing early and confirm that day's rules.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
View Visit Optionsvia Trip.comChoose your visit
Stream, Nine-Tier Waterfall and Long Waterfall for cooling down
Streams run through the forest, and clear pools, Nine-Tier Waterfall and Long Waterfall are its most immediate summer highlights. The stone-paved line from Ruoliao Lodge through the cabins, Nine-Tier Waterfall and Little Jiuzhai to Long Waterfall combines shade, water and falls without requiring a summit goal.
Clear water does not mean every edge is safe for wading. Use open paths and designated waterside points for photos and rests, keep children in view, and avoid wet rocks, grass and fast-flowing edges.
Summit forest, rhododendrons and Ruoliao Pass for fit walkers
After driving to the summit car park, walkers can explore the Welcome Rhododendrons, Shirenji, millennial rhododendron forest and Red Army route, then look out from Ruoliao Pass. In clear weather it suits mountains, cloud sea or sunrise, but route length and weather introduce more variables than the valley line.
Visitors without a summit objective can stay entirely in the valley. Cool air and dense vegetation around Long Waterfall already deliver the forest's defining combination of water and trees.
Build your day
1.5–3 hours from the entrance to Long Waterfall
Enter by Ruoliao Lodge, pass the cabins, Nine-Tier Waterfall and Little Jiuzhai, reach Long Waterfall, then return on the same route. For a quick stop, the entrance-to-waterfall return is about 3 kilometres and mostly gentle; slower walking, photographs or children call for more time.
The aim is to stay dry and in control. After rain or when water is high, shorten pool-side stops, wear non-slip shoes and give way on wet stone steps; turn back at a nearer point whenever the weather changes.
A 2.5–3.5-hour high-forest walk
For the high view, drive to the summit parking area, walk toward Welcome Rhododendrons, Shirenji and the millennial rhododendron forest, and decide by energy whether to reach Ruoliao Pass. The full line is about 5–6 kilometres and is a mountain walk rather than a flat stroll.
Confirm road access, open sections and descent time before starting, and carry water and high-energy snacks. If weather is unsettled, the group is tiring or a restriction time is near, choose the valley line instead of treating a summit as the only successful visit.
Get there
Driving gives the best control over both routes
The approach via G25 Changshen Expressway or G60 Shanghai–Kunming Expressway and local roads is practical. Mountain roads in and around the forest are generally passable, but continuous bends still require slow driving. A car lets you choose between the valley entrance and summit parking areas.
Take valuables with you when parking. Mountain weather shifts quickly, so check fuel, rain gear and phone charge before walking; when only one route is planned, there is no benefit in repeatedly driving within the area to chase times.
Sparse public buses suit only a very loose schedule
Songyang Passenger Transport Centre has a service towards Anmin Township at around 08:00, with a return commonly around 12:00–13:00. Confirm the service and stops on the day, since the timetable does not suit every visit length; lock in the return before going up the mountain.
There is no metro or convenient turn-up-and-go connection. A private hire or self-drive is far more controllable for visitors combining valley and summit routes or carrying children's equipment, and a downhill vehicle should be arranged in advance.
Know before you go
Insect, snake and slip protection is more useful than a perfect outfit
Mosquitoes, snakes and leeches are possible in the forest. Wear long sleeves and trousers, use insect repellent and stay on paths instead of entering grass. Rain and post-rain steps, moss and stream edges are particularly slippery, so shorten the route whenever footing is poor.
Supplies beyond the entrance are limited, so carry water and high-energy snacks. Summer forest temperatures can feel 5–8 degrees cooler than outside, yet a light layer is still useful; pet access and other special rules should follow the day's on-site policy.
Give the forest a full mountain block of time
Ruoliao works best as a full Songyang mountain day, not squeezed together with distant villages. Staying at a nearby farmhouse can make a second route the following morning much calmer, and food can be arranged near the entrance or in Anmin Township.
Put Yangjiatang, Chenjiapu and other old villages on another day. The forest's strength is its slow, quiet character, and allowing a complete descent is much better than entering in a hurry late in the afternoon.