Hiking Fern Forest

The breathtaking scenery that can't be seen in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Thanks to the team leader for the patient and professional guidance and companionship.

In Dali, entering the fern kingdom of happiness to the point of dizziness.
In the fern forest kingdom, meeting like-minded friends, then repeatedly exclaiming the beauty of life.

@Dali Cangshan Hiking Home. Huanhuan led us to taste the red azaleas, white rhododendrons, green peppercorns, sword-shaped acid membranes, and delicious homemade snacks.

Met many fern friends. The biggest, most beautiful, and my favorite is Libai. Carried all the way, spores scattered all over, sowing everywhere.

Photographer Xiao Zou kept praising "Good Ferns" along the way, more frequently than I did, exclaiming happiness. Captured dreamy memories, then took me to Silver Bridge Market to enjoy the fried fern vegetables I had been craving all day (not Xiao Zou’s reminder, I had already forgotten when ordering).

I enjoyed today very much. Extremely happy.

Following Wangwang and the feeling of 'Furball' makes the 5 hours pass by quickly. Hiking wasn't as exhausting as I imagined; overall, it was more joyful. I will come back during the mushroom season next time!

An extremely satisfying hiking experience! Guide Li was very professional and enthusiastic, introducing us to various plants and teaching us some hiking tips. Plus, the adorable dog 'Furball' accompanied us throughout, and the kids were excited all along. Although it’s not mushroom season, we were very lucky to find a porcini mushroom! Highly recommended!

Visiting those introverted friends
Sense of natural order, Cangshan Fern Forest

The activity was well organized. Wanwan introduced plants along the way, showing her love and familiarity with nature. The feeling was especially wonderful. Next time, I want to come back and pick mushrooms.

If your guide is Huanhuan, you'll learn how to eat various plants along the way~

A wonderful experience, walking is not tiring. Recently, the azaleas have bloomed beautifully and vibrantly, especially stunning!

A special hiking experience begins the moment you get into the small van. Leader Wang Wang carries a bamboo basket and takes us along a path through the fields into the mountains—an authentic outdoor experience. Climbing upwards, we encounter many plants; spores and single-celled plants, once pictures in biology classes, are now real and present around us and at our feet.
The ancient fern, White Fern, which has existed since the dinosaur era, grows wildly and vigorously. At an altitude of over 2,000 meters, it loves sunlight, covering large slopes layer by layer, with the longest reaching over 3 meters.

Maungqi Fern, Silver Fern, Back Fern, Wolf's Tail Fern—each fern species looks similar but is entirely different. First time seeing the immature Yunnan Walnut Tree, smelling the pure pine aroma from the natural pine on the pine tree, very refreshing. Tasted Wang Wang Test's rare edible rose, with a slightly sour taste. Under the microscope, fern spores look like eggs, and the leaf shape resembles ancient war halberds—small flowers. Also, wild strawberries, wild tea, and numerous complex plant species whose scientific names are hard to remember—Wang Wang knows them all thoroughly.

During walking and stopping, I felt the energy brought by the mountains, forests, and trees, and also enjoyed the simple, honest communication with Leader Wang Wang and fellow companions. On the way down the mountain, I asked Wang Wang if walking the same route so many times would become less interesting, and Wang Wang shared that plants in different seasons have completely different appearances and discoveries.

Yes, in the world of plants, there are always new stories happening—long, quiet interactions with the world in their own way.

Encountered a 'magical' fern forest in Cangshan

I have brought friends and family to Cangshan three or four times before, each time taking the cable car and walking the Yudai Yunyou Trail. Honestly, the scenery was somewhat monotonous

★This time, the fern forest route
was the most fun and enriching experience I’ve had, completely refreshing my understanding of Cangshan. Turns out there’s such an interesting plant world hidden here

The route is beginner-friendly: about 6-7 km total, around 4 hours. The children in the group easily completed it without needing tickets (non-scenic area route). Note: There are many forks in the forest, stay close to the guide

At the start of the hike, each person received a small notebook for collecting specimens. Team leader Wangwang was very professional

He carefully introduced each plant we casually picked

And used a microscope to let us observe the different fern spores, truly impressed by the guide’s knowledge

A few ferns are my favorites:

Fire White (p1-2)
is the main character of the entire trip
Growing densely with broad, large leaves
The leaves can grow over a meter long, forming a green waterfall that is very spectacular

Silver Powder Fern (p3)
is one of my favorites
The underside of the leaves has silvery spores, which can be lightly pressed onto dark clothing
and will leave a leaf-shaped imprint, very fun

Vavé (p4)
is the guide’s favorite
Although it depends on trees to grow, it fully relies on itself to absorb sunlight and rain, not competing for nutrients with the trees. It’s a delicate yet resilient plant. The guide even embroidered it on his hat

(I heard that Hiker’s Home sells plant-themed hats. Nature lovers might want to follow them)