Visit Here: Yaji Mountain Scenic Area

As we continue our Visit Here series, we move away from the city center for a look at a few spots that we think, while they may not be on any Beijing top sights lists, are definitely worth going out of your way to visit.

It's time now for a trip outside the city center, for a climb and nice views around...

Yaji Mountain Scenic Area (丫髻山旅游风景区 Yājìshān Lǚyóu Fēngjǐng Qū)

Located in Beijing’s eastern Pinggu district, this scenic area is centered around two Taoist temples – constructed during the Tang (618-907) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties – atop a hill named for its resemblance to a girl’s hair bun from ancient times. It is still a local holy site to this day, and it makes for a great escape and hike that’s not too far from the city center.

Why Visit?

After all those steps to the top, the barren hilltop offers some commanding views of the surrounding area. Plus, once you’ve climbed and peeked around at the two temples for a bit, you can head down and spend a bit more time hiking the trails to be found in the surrounding area.

The Details

Entry to the scenic site is RMB 50 per person. To get there, you can take bus 852 from Dongzhimen to Guanzhuang Lukou (官庄路口) station. From there, transfer to bus 郊82 to Yaji Mountain (丫髻山) station. Or, you can visit the temples and surrounding area on a group tour with Beijing Hikers (bejinghikers.com) or FCN (WeChat ID: foreignerandchina), who both organize visits to Yajishan and Pinggu district. 

Yaji Mountain Scenic Area 丫髻山旅游风景区
Beijishan Village, Liujiadian Town, Pinggu District
平谷区刘家店镇北吉山村
Hours: Daily, 8am-4.30pm (Nov 1-Apr 30); Daily, 8am-5pm (May 1-Oct 31)
Contact: 010 6197 2535; 010 6197 4009

READ: Visit Here: Hong'en Taoist Temple

Images: Robynne Tindall