Plan at a glance
Gates and visit length
Yunlong Mountain is free and open all day. The North Gate faces Xuzhou Museum and the former Qianlong Palace, making it the best choice for a route that combines hiking with historic buildings. The West Gate is close to Yunlong Lake and suits a lake connection after the descent. The East Gate leads toward Pengcheng Qili and works better for visitors with a separate eastern-city route.
Walking quickly from the North Gate to the summit and back takes about 1 hour. A route linking the former Qianlong Palace, Fanghe Pavilion, Xinghua Temple, the summit viewpoint and a descent through the West Gate needs about 2–3 hours. The mountain is free; the cableway and slide are optional paid transport rather than requirements for the climb.
Fee layers
The mountain itself is free and does not require reservation. Xinghua Temple is free, with internal hours listed at about 08:00–17:00. The cableway costs CNY 40 one way, with half-price tickets for children under 1.4 metres. The slide charges per cart: CNY 120 for the downhill ride and CNY 100 for the uphill ride; children under 1.05 metres cannot use it.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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The summit viewpoint
The summit viewpoint looks over Xuzhou and Yunlong Lake, placing the city and lake in the same view. Late afternoon is a good time to wait for sunset, but it is also when the cableway and slide can have their longest queues on weekends and holidays. If you want sunset, leave time to walk down.
Xinghua Temple and the Great Stone Buddha
Xinghua Temple contains a Great Stone Buddha carved during the Northern Wei period and the architectural feature known as the “three-brick hall covering a three-zhang Buddha.” The temple has its own hours; its 08:00–17:00 schedule does not define the opening hours of the whole mountain. Follow the areas open on the day of your visit.
Choosing a gate
The North Gate suits first-time visitors and people interested in historic buildings, with the former Qianlong Palace, Fanghe Pavilion and Xinghua Temple along the route. The West Gate is better for continuing to Yunlong Lake. The East Gate is more useful when the mountain is part of a Pengcheng Qili or eastern-city plan.
Build your day
A one-hour quick route
Enter through the North Gate and follow the main path uphill. Walk quickly for about 20–30 minutes to the summit viewpoint, look over Yunlong Lake and return by the same route, or descend through the West Gate if your energy and transport plan allow. Walking the full route avoids the queue for the cableway and slide.
A two- to three-hour complete route
Enter through the North Gate and visit the former Qianlong Palace, then Fanghe Pavilion and Xinghua Temple before climbing to the summit viewpoint. After a break, walk down through the West Gate and continue into Yunlong Lake. This route avoids backtracking and combines historic buildings, the temple, the mountain view and the lake.
Choosing between rides and walking
The cableway and slide reduce part of the uphill or downhill effort, but queues can last 1–2 hours on weekends, holidays and especially around sunset. Walking from the summit down to the West or North Gate takes about 15 minutes, so it can be easier to control your schedule when the queue is long. Families should check the slide's height restriction before joining the line.
Get there
North Gate transport
Take Xuzhou Metro Line 2 to Shida Yunlong Campus Station (师大云龙校区站), Exit 1, then walk about 10 minutes to the North Gate. You can also take a bus to Yunlong Mountain and choose the North or West Gate according to your route.
West and East Gates
The West Gate is close to Yunlong Lake and works well for a lake walk after descending. The East Gate leads toward the Pengcheng Qili Digital Experience Centre and suits an eastern-city route. When taking a taxi, specify North Gate, West Gate or East Gate rather than saying only “Yunlong Mountain.”
Driving and parking
Parking around Yunlong Mountain is difficult on weekends. A practical option is to park at a public car park farther away and continue by public transport. If you go up from the North Gate and descend through the West Gate, plan how you will retrieve the car before setting out.
Know before you go
Slopes and weather
Both the main and smaller paths include slopes, so wear non-slip walking shoes. Avoid the hottest part of summer afternoons. If you climb near sunset, keep enough daylight and energy for the descent; steps and stone surfaces can be slippery after rain.
Paid rides and restrictions
The cableway is CNY 40 one way, with half-price tickets for children under 1.4 metres. The slide costs CNY 120 per cart downhill and CNY 100 uphill; children under 1.05 metres cannot use it. These rides cover only part of the mountain transport, and you still need to walk according to the open stations and on-site route.
Viewpoints and the return trip
The sunset view depends on the weather, and cloudy conditions may hide the city-and-lake panorama. Weekend evening queues for the cableway and slide can be long, while the walk down takes about 15 minutes. If you leave through the West Gate and continue to Yunlong Lake or central Xuzhou, confirm the ride-hailing pick-up point first.