Our first stop for today was Longshuixia Fissure Gorge (龙水峡地缝). It is a breathtaking V-shaped karst canyon carved deep into the earth by millions of years of groundwater erosion and tectonic uplift. Known as a "crack in the earth," the gorge plunges 200 to 500 meters deep, featuring towering vertical cliffs, dense primitive forests, and thundering waterfalls.
We started by walking down a flight of steps in a tunnel towards the sightseeing elevator.
The elevator descended rapidly down an 80-meter vertical cliff face. Through the glass, we saw the dramatic transition from the vast mountain scenery above into the narrow, dark rift yawning open right beneath us.
Stepping off the elevator onto the upper boardwalks brought us to this panoramic vantage point called Bathing Crane Platform (鹤沐群峰). This area gets its poetic name because the craggy rocks, mist, and clinging pine trees resemble cranes bathing on the mountain walls. It offers the best perspective of the sheer scale of the canyon before the walls narrow completely.
As we followed the path deeper, the trail transitioned into dark, echoing rock tunnels and cavernous chambers carved directly into the mountain.
Yinlong Cold Cave (蚓龙寒窟) is a damp, mysterious underground cave filled with ancient stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes. The air temperature dropped significantly here, and we could hear the subterranean rivers roaring right beneath the rocky floor.
Certain parts of the path were quite wet, so we had to walk over them very carefully.
Emerging from the tunnels, we reached the most iconic landmark of the entire gorge, Milky Way Waterfall (银河飞瀑). This spectacular waterfall plunges 80 meters straight down from the upper cliff edge into the canyon floor. The spray filled the narrow gap with a heavy mist. The roaring sound was deafening, and we would walk close enough to feel the cool spray on our face.
We then walked behind the waterfall to continue our hike through the gorge.
Next was the narrowest and most claustrophobic section of the canyon floor hike called "One Line Sky" Fissure (一线天). The vertical karst walls closed in so tightly on both sides that they almost touch, blocking out the sun. Looking straight up from the boardwalk, the sky was reduced to a thin, glowing thread of light cutting through the darkness
Moving past the tightest squeeze, the canyon floor opened up slightly into a series of crystal-clear pools and stone formations.
Weathered rocks were jutting out of the rushing river and resembled a divine elephant playing in the water. As such, this is called Holy Elephant Water (圣象戏水).
Nearby, the deep, still pools caught reflections of the sky and the surrounding greenery, creating a stark, peaceful contrast to the rushing waterfalls earlier in the trail.
Near the final stretch of the trail, we passed underneath a massive, natural stone archway spanning the gorge called Little Tiankeng Bridge (小天坑桥). This acts as a miniature version of the famous Three Natural Bridges nearby. Strung with vines and lush vegetation, it serves as a beautiful natural gateway marking the transition out of the deep inner core of the earth.
The remaining hike was on proper flat path. We had a relaxed stroll back to the exit where our tour coach was waiting.
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