Discover Zhangjiajie
Baofeng Lake
宝峰湖
A small reservoir held high among the peaks, toured by boat with Tujia singers calling from the shore. Low-effort and genuinely pretty, and the usual choice for a half day when your legs have gone after the park.
The story
What makes this place special
Baofeng Lake is a reservoir high in the hills near Wulingyuan, created by damming a valley, and the water sits in a basin ringed by sandstone peaks. It is a separate ticketed scenic area from the national forest park, and it is marketed around a boat trip on which Tujia singers perform from the shore and from small craft on the water. The staged singing is genuinely a performance rather than a tradition encountered by chance.
What you’ll discover
You go up to the lake - by stairs or a lift, depending on the entrance arrangement - and board a flat-bottomed boat for a circuit of perhaps 30 minutes among wooded islets and peaks, with scheduled song exchanges from boats and shoreline platforms along the way. There is a short walking path and a waterfall on the way in. The whole visit, including travel up and the boat, runs about two hours.
A little local insight
Good to know before you go
- This is the half-day filler, not a headline. It is the right thing to do if you have a spare afternoon, a tired group, or weather that has closed the clifftops.
- The boat trip is the attraction and the boats run on a cycle; you may wait for one to fill. Going at a quieter hour means a less packed boat and a better view.
- The Tujia singing is staged for the boat. Knowing that in advance avoids the disappointment of thinking you have stumbled on something spontaneous.
- Water levels change and the lake can look flat and ordinary in strong midday light. Morning or late afternoon, with mist or low sun on the peaks, is when it earns the ticket.
- It is close to Wulingyuan town, so it slots in around a forest park day without needing a long transfer - unlike Tianmen Mountain or the glass bridge.
When to come
Early morning for mist on the water, or late afternoon. April to June and September to October. Skip it in flat midday sun.
Getting around
Reasonable once you are up at the water. The boat is boarded from a level pontoon and the circuit is seated, which makes it one of the gentler things to do in the area. Reaching the lake involves a climb from the entrance, by stair or lift depending on which is operating, and a wheelchair user should check that the lift is running before buying a ticket. A bad knee manages with the lift. The side path to the waterfall has steps.
Worth knowing before you go
Under-14s go free on the entry ticket. The boat ride is the attraction and takes about 30 minutes, so do not arrive in the last hour before closing.
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