
Driving the scenic Panshan Highway to Lishan Mountain
China, asia
9.5 km
1,034 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up, adventurers! I just discovered this unreal mountain road in China called Panshan Highway, and you HAVE to add it to your bucket list.
Picture this: you're in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, ready to tackle Mount Li (or Lishan Mountain, if you’re feeling formal). This isn't just any mountain; we're talking about a peak that hits 1,034 meters (3,392 feet)!
The road? Epic. Nine and a half kilometers (5.9 miles) of pure, paved switchback bliss winding up from Lintong city into the Qinling Mountains. And when I say switchbacks, I mean serious hairpins! Some of these climbs get STEEP – we're talking a maximum gradient of almost 15%!
But trust me, the views from Lishan National Forest Park are worth every white-knuckle moment. Every time the sun is out, expect bikers and tourists galore, all stopping at overlooks to snap the ultimate panorama. Trust me, you’ll want to, too. Get ready for some serious scenery!
Where is it?
Driving the scenic Panshan Highway to Lishan Mountain is located in China (asia). Coordinates: 33.8253, 103.8676
Road Details
- Country
- China
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 9.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,034 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 33.8253, 103.8676
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