Golden Autumn Self-Drive Tour around Beijing｜Climb Ling Mountain and Encounter the Stunning Autumn Colors of Beijing’s Roof

Seas of clouds surge beneath your feet, and the birch forest dons a golden dress. This is not Tibet, yet it boasts breathtaking scenery comparable to the plateau! Ling Mountain—Beijing’s highest peak (2,303 meters above sea level)—is known as the "Mount Everest of Western Beijing." In autumn, Ling Mountain looks like a spilled palette, colorful and dazzling, making people feel refreshed and delighted! 📍 Transportation and Tips 📌 Address: At the border of Qingshui Town, Mentougou District, Beijing and Zhuolu, Hebei Province 🚗 Best by self-drive! Depart from the city via National Highway G109 directly, navigate to “Dongling Mountain Scenic Area Entrance” or “Jiangshuihe Village” ✅ About 1.5–2 hours in total, accessible by sedan (the last 8 kilometers of mountain road are narrow; beginners are advised to drive slowly) 🎫 Ticket: 40 RMB/person (purchase by scanning QR code on site), half price for students, free parking! 📅 Best time to enjoy autumn: Mid-October is the golden period, with fully yellow birch trees and golden meadows—perfect for photography! 📅 2 Days 1 Night Itinerary Overview 📅 Time: Weekend 2 days 1 night (suitable for Friday night or Saturday morning departure) 🚗 Route: Beijing → Ling Mountain Scenic Area → Stay at mountaintop guesthouse → Leisurely return the next day 🎯 Core experiences: Self-drive through colorful forest roads + summit viewing + stay above the clouds + shoot epic drone shots 🌄 Day 1｜Pass through the birch tunnel, stay in a cloud cabin 🚗 Afternoon｜Depart at 14:00, drive into a painting ✅ Scenic changes along the way: city → hills → high mountain forest ✅ Once entering Qingshui Town, Mentougou District, birch forests and shrubs line both sides, sunlight filters through leaves casting dappled shadows. ✅ Arrive at the scenic area entrance, buy tickets, then continue driving uphill, the last 8 kilometers are narrow; beginners should drive slowly, but every turn reveals even more stunning views! 🏡 Evening｜Check in before 17:00 to grab the best viewing room! 🏨 Recommended accommodation: Jiangshuihe Village guesthouses｜Yunqi Ling Mountain or Songyu Mountain Residence ✔️ Only 10 minutes’ drive from the scenic area entrance, excellent location ✔️ Open the window to see the forest, look up at the stars, some rooms face the meadow directly ✔️ Guesthouses provide stove + hot tea + local dinner (about 60 RMB per person) ✔️ Almost zero light pollution at night, you can see the Milky Way lying in bed🌌✨ 💡 Reminder: ✅ Rooms are limited! Especially viewing rooms, book 3–5 days in advance! ✅ Guesthouses are simple but clean and warm; don’t expect five-star hotels—this is wilderness, not a hotel ✅ After check-in, drop off your luggage, then walk a few minutes to a nearby high slope, wait for the stunning sunset from 17:30 to 18:30— the sun slowly sinks into the mountains, the entire meadow turns amber, cattle and sheep return to the pen, smoke rises from cooking fires, any photo you take is wallpaper-worthy📸🌇 🍲 Dinner｜Enjoy an authentic “wild mountain feast” Back at the guesthouse, the host has prepared a steaming hot dinner: ✔️ Hand-held meat ✔️ Roasted oat cakes ✔️ Wild mushroom stewed chicken ✔️ Homemade pickled cabbage After dinner, sit on the terrace, a cup of hot milk tea, a thick blanket, look up to see a sky full of stars, the Big Dipper clearly visible. 🌅 Day 2｜Wait for a mountaintop sunrise and take autumn home 🌞 Early morning｜Wake up at 5:30 for a soul-refreshing experience Put on your warmest clothes, bring your camera, walk 15 minutes to the “Meadow High Point Viewing Platform,” at this time the sky is already lightening, the sea of clouds flows like milk in the valley, the sun slowly rises, golden light shines on the birch forest, the whole world seems to be relit…☀️🌄 📷 Photo Tips: ✔️ Bring a tripod for time-lapse ✔️ Wear dark clothes for better shots ✔️ Use a drone for aerial shots, the effect is amazing! 🍁 Morning｜Light hike to the summit or meadow stroll, pack autumn in your suitcase After breakfast (millet porridge + roasted potatoes + milk tofu), start the core activities of day two: ⛰️ Option A: Climb to the top of Beijing (6 km round trip, 2.5 hours) Follow wooden plank paths and stone steps uphill, pass through birch forests, cross small streams, finally reach the “Beijing Highest Peak 2303m” stone marker! At the summit, look south to Hebei, north to Beijing, mountains are red with autumn leaves, forests dyed in layers. ⛰️ Option B: Leisurely meadow walk + collect autumn leaves (easy version, 1 hour) Suitable for families with children or elders, stroll on the mid-mountain platform, watch cattle and sheep graze, listen to the stream’s babble, pick a few intact leaves to press in a book as the most beautiful souvenir📖🍂 🚗 Noon｜Return at 12:00, stop by a farmhouse restaurant on the way Before descending, find a farmhouse restaurant in Jiangshuihe Village to pack hand-held meat + oat rolls, enjoy them as lunch on the way back, finger-licking good! If time allows, detour to the south wall of Longmen Gorge (30 minutes from Ling Mountain), the cliffs on both sides are dyed red, driving through feels like entering Flaming Mountain🔥🚗 💡 Practical Tips ✔️ Must bring: warm jacket, thermos, power bank, snacks, camera ✔️ Weak signal? Download offline maps in advance📱 ✔️ Guesthouses have no elevators, pack light ✔️ Want to shoot epic drone shots? Visit on weekdays for quiet, or arrive early on weekends! ✔️ Watch your fuel! The nearest gas station is in Zhaitang Town ✔️ Respect local ecology, take all your trash with you♻️ Stay one night at Ling Mountain, let the wind mess your hair, let the sun warm your back, let that golden birch forest rekindle your love for life.💛🍂