Plan at a glance
The geopark and nearby volcanic sites
Xilingol Grassland Volcano National Geopark is in Baiyin Kulun Ranch (白银库伦牧场), Xilinhot. It covers 91.27 square kilometers and includes the east and west areas of Gezi Mountain, with 57 important geological sites. Around Xilinhot, you can also visit Pingdingshan (平顶山), a group of flat-topped volcanic hills, and the Volcano Geology Exhibition Hall at Beilike Ranch (贝力克牧场). All three offer ways to learn about volcanic landforms, but confirm entrances, tickets, and shuttle arrangements separately with each operator.
Exhibition hall location and season
The Xilingol Grassland Volcano National Geopark Exhibition Hall is at Beilike Ranch, about 35 kilometers south of downtown Xilinhot. Its displays cover grassland volcanoes, rocks and minerals, and local nature and culture. In September 2026, the league's science and technology bureau listed the hall as an autonomous-region science education demonstration base. A 2024 notice listed its season as June 8 to October 8, with hours of 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; the geopark and the exhibition hall may have different opening schedules. Before setting out, call 0479-8114670 to confirm which site is open, its dates, and shuttle arrangements.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
Choose your visit
The lava plateau at Pingdingshan
More than ten flat-topped hills line the grassland around Pingdingshan. Up close, you can see exposed tuff; in the evening light, the hills appear red. Stay on routes open that day, keep behind barriers, and do not approach closed crater edges.
Volcanic features at Gezi Mountain
The national geopark in Baiyin Kulun Ranch has east and west areas at Gezi Mountain, with lava plateaus, composite volcanic cones, fumarolic cones, and volcanic craters. Visitors interested in landforms and nature observation can plan a separate daytime trip and follow the paths open in the park that day.
Grassland volcano displays
The main exhibition hall has 580 square meters of floor space and displays on volcanoes, minerals, grassland scenery, and science films. Earlier descriptions also mentioned an outdoor viewing platform, rock displays, a science corridor, and a rock garden; ask the operator which facilities are currently available. A city event in 2026 called the venue at Beilike Ranch the “Grassland Volcano Geology Museum.” It is a different venue from Xilingol Museum in the city.
Build your day
A half-day visit to Pingdingshan
Allow half a day for Pingdingshan. Before leaving, confirm the season's open parking area and hiking entrance. If you also plan to visit the Volcano Geology Exhibition Hall at Beilike Ranch, check its hours and shuttle arrangements separately. A family event in May 2026 included a hall visit and a shuttle ride to the mountain; that one-off event does not establish a regular daily shuttle service.
A separate trip to Gezi Mountain
Gezi Mountain is in Baiyin Kulun Ranch, about 1.5–2 hours each way by car from downtown Xilinhot; allow roughly 3–4 hours for the round-trip drive, plus time to visit the east and west areas. Before setting out, contact the protected area management center to confirm the entrance and road conditions. The off-road dirt track at Dajiguan Mountain is not part of this route; ask management which areas vehicles may enter.
Get there
Confirm each entrance and route separately
From downtown Xilinhot, Pingdingshan is about an hour's drive away, while the one-way drive to the Gezi Mountain area takes about 1.5–2 hours. There are no direct buses to the park areas. Confirm each site's open entrance, parking area, and permitted route with its operator before leaving. Bring enough fuel and drinking water, and plan your return trip.
Driving, supplies, and return
The exhibition hall is at Beilike Ranch, about 35 kilometers south of downtown Xilinhot, and requires a separate visit planned around the hours published by its operator. Call 0479-8114670 before leaving to confirm opening dates, parking, and shuttle arrangements. There is no direct bus to the hall.
Know before you go
Tickets, reservations, and opening hours
The exhibition hall has previously offered free group visits. A Pingdingshan event in May 2026 also opened the hall free of charge and arranged a shuttle. Call 0479-8114670 to confirm current prices for the park and sightseeing vehicles, reservation requirements, and hours for individual visitors. Event shuttles do not imply a regular service.
Backcountry roads and volcano protection
No public trails or vehicle access have been confirmed for undeveloped volcanic sites around Gezi Mountain or for the dirt track at Dajiguan Mountain. Stay on roads and paths approved by management. Do not drive onto grassland, take unopened side roads, enter closed protected areas, or cross barriers. The Dajiguan Mountain dirt track can be muddy and deeply rutted after rain; ordinary two-wheel-drive cars and city SUVs should not use it. Xilinhot designates the volcanic geopark as a year-round fire-prevention area: do not bring fire-starting materials, smoke, or light fires outdoors, and follow fire-control instructions when entering by vehicle. Confirm that the park is open before setting out. Inside the exhibition hall, do not touch non-interactive displays or climb over railings.
Dining back in the city
For trips to Pingdingshan or Gezi Mountain, bring drinking water and a simple meal; plan restaurant stops back in downtown Xilinhot. After returning, you could try Saiyide Mongolian Restaurant or Nuoyin Stew House. Neither is inside the volcanic park area; check the day's opening hours.