Explore the miraculous 'Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon'

In recent years, the newly discovered 'Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon' in Northern Shaanxi, which is gradually unveiling its mystery and has not been fully developed, stands as a natural wonder like no other. Being there in person allows you to truly appreciate what is meant by the miraculous works of nature. Some have dubbed it 'China's Antelope Canyon', and since 2017, this naturally formed spectacular landscape has been gaining increasing attention from people around the world. The Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon is like a beautiful scar on the Earth, a magical fissure that displays a kaleidoscope of colors under the sunlight. Therefore, the best time to visit the Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon is undoubtedly during sunny weather around midday (11:00----15:00), especially if you can be there during the moist rainy season when green moss grows on the rocks, making the canyon under the sunlight even more enchanting. The best way to get to 'Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon' is by self-driving. You can set the visitor service center established by the Ganquan County Cultural Relics and Tourism Bureau in Zhangjiagou Village as your navigation endpoint. Starting from the city of Yan'an, it's about a 60 to 70-kilometer mountain road, requiring roughly 2 hours of driving. As you approach the canyon, the road turns to dirt, with some sections being uneven, where cars kick up dust as they pass. Of course, along the way, you can enjoy the simple and unique scenery of Northern Shaanxi. Locals refer to the canyon as a 'gou' (ditch), and the 'Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon' is mainly composed of five ditches: 'Birch Ditch', 'Peony Ditch', 'Longba Ditch', and others. Along the road connecting these ditches, you can also see some earthen kilns and Jin Dynasty burial caves. Birch Ditch is the most beautiful of them all, named for the birch tree branches swaying at the top of the cliff, which can be seen from the bottom of the valley looking up through the crevices of the canyon. The ditch is sometimes wide and flat, allowing three or four people to walk side by side, and sometimes so narrow that only one person can barely pass through. Exiting Birch Ditch, you can reach 'Phoenix Ditch', followed by 'Peony Ditch'. Compared to 'Birch Ditch', 'Peony Ditch' is shorter, only about a hundred meters long, with no exit. You must return the same way you came. Although there is no stream inside, it is still very cold and damp. This ditch is even narrower, with lines frozen in time that are more beautifully defined, making it a great spot for photographers to capture stunning images if visited during the right season and time! Then you reach 'Longba Ditch', which is 2500 meters long, the longest of the ditches, filled with bizarre rocks and sandstone cliffs that create a bewildering play of light and shadow. Exiting 'Longba Ditch' and continuing along the dirt road for about 3 kilometers, you arrive at 'Leopard Split'. The dirt road ends at 'Leopard Split', so the only way out of the scenic area is to return the same way. Have you felt the miraculous craftsmanship of 'Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon'? If so, hurry to this divine masterpiece and discover its secrets for yourself.