Like Iceland, Sichuan's Mysterious Stone Forest
Many people say this place is very similar to Iceland, and many people also say it is China's most alien-like place. Where is it? It’s the destination I’ve always wanted to check in – ‘Moshik Park’. It’s a small, niche secret spot in the west of China that has quietly gained popularity domestically.
What is the charm of Moshik Park?
Moshik Park is located in Kamar Village and Chuduo Village, Daojie Town, Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, located in the core area of China’s 318 National Highway, ‘China’s Eighth Most Beautiful Scenery’. It is about 6 kilometers from Daojie Town and covers an area of 5 square kilometers, with an altitude of about 3500 meters.
Before 2017, Moshik Park was an unknown ‘stone forest’. It was artificially created as a park until July 2017, when it was only officially rated as a 4A-level scenic area, and its popularity was not high. Therefore, many tourists traveling the west of China will usually visit nearby well-known scenic areas such as Danba Meiren Valley, Kangding Xindu Bridge, and Yajiang Kangba Hanzi Village, often overlooking this seemingly alien stone forest.
Due to Moshik Park’s location in a geologically active area affected by the Quaternary New Structure Movement and the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, combined with the flow of the famous Xian Shui River, the rocks in the fault are constantly squeezed, sheared, broken, and, forming this stone forest. Furthermore, due to the abundance of minerals such as Montmorillonite and Kaolinite, when influenced by humidity, the stone forest appears in light gray and light blue in dry seasons, and in moist seasons, it turns into a dark black color, hence it is also known as ‘Variable Stone Forest’.
Moshik Park is one of the origins of the King Gesar, and is also one of Daojie’s Eight Beauties, known as ‘China’s Eighth Most Beautiful Scenery’. It is the only high-altitude stone forest landscape in China, integrating tourism, experience, scientific research, and popularization. This type of stone forest is also very rare in the world, hence its name ‘China’s Geodesic Point’.
In early April, Sichuan Province, all 112 scenic areas in the province offered free admission for all tourists in April, including Daojie Moshik Park. This means that if you visit Moshik Park in April, you can only pay the 20 yuan for the sightseeing car, saving you a travel fee, which is simply great!
Travel experience
We also went to this strange variable stone forest during the Qingming Festival. The sightseeing car took us to the best viewing platform of Moshik Park. We walked to the highest point, and in front of us was a scene of bizarre, jagged rocks. Even someone who has traveled around the world for 2 years can’t help but marvel at the magnificent landscape of China, which doesn’t lose out to foreign landscapes at all!
Standing at the highest point, you get a feeling of seeing all the mountains, with endless ‘stones’ of, stacked layer upon layer, forming mountains upon mountains. Whether it's a large scene or a small detail, it’s a great shot.
I specially prepared a red cape, which creates a more cinematic effect when I enter!
I used to always think that beautiful scenery should be found abroad, but now I just want to explore China’s most beautiful secret spots domestically, to experience China’s magnificent scenery!
Let others know that there is alien beauty called China Moshik Park.
Travel guide
Location: Daojie ‘Moshik Park’
Transportation: Drive, the road conditions are easy to drive.
Tickets: Originally 60 yuan, free in April, only need to pay 20 yuan for the sightseeing car.
