Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon Hiking Guide

The “Not-Tiring at All” Route — Tested in Person

If you’re hesitating because you’ve read things like:

“The regular route is exhausting”
“You need the deep tour to finish it”
“The ladders are too scary”

Let me say this upfront:

Listen to this advice — the regular route is NOT tiring.
And after walking it myself, I can honestly say the experience is even more impressive than Zhangye Rainbow Danxia.

This guide is written for first-time visitors who want to walk the best route once, avoid detours, and see everything worth seeing.

Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon

1. Ticket Options: Which One Is Really Worth It?

🎫 Official Ticket Prices

Regular Tour: ¥130
Includes entrance ticket + sightseeing shuttle bus
Deep Tour: ¥328
Includes entrance + shuttle bus + adventure vehicle + camel ride + camel cart

⭐ Honest Conclusion

The deep tour gives you more “activities,” but it does NOT save time or physical effort.
Everyone — deep tour or regular tour — must walk out of the canyon on foot in the end.

👉 If you’re here for scenery and canyon experience, the regular tour is more than enough.
👉 Only consider the deep tour if you’re traveling with seniors or children who absolutely don’t want to climb.

💡 Budget Tip

I booked a half-day group tour for ¥139 (via Meituan), which included:

Entrance ticket
Shuttle bus
Round-trip transportation

For budget travelers, this is an absolute steal.

2. Getting There Without a Car (Highly Practical)

🚍 Public Transportation (Tested Route)

Outbound

09:00 – Arrive at Zhangye Bus Station (West Gate Station)
Buy round-trip tickets to Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon
- Adult ¥60 | Child ¥30
09:45 – Depart
10:50 – Arrive at Pingshan Lake Visitor Center

Return

15:00 – Depart from visitor center
16:00 – Back in Zhangye city

⚠️ Notes

The West Gate Bus Station and the “Scenic Shuttle” near Zhangye West Railway Station are two different systems
In low season, buses may not run daily — confirm in advance
Want more time inside the canyon? Choose the West Gate station
Want stable daily departures? Choose the scenic shuttle near Zhangye West Railway Station

Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon

3. Real Timeline (For Anyone Nervous About Time)

09:20 – Arrive at the scenic area
09:30 – Board the shuttle bus
09:47 – Arrive at Viewing Platform No.1
10:45 – Reach Canyon Entrance
11:05 – Pass through One-Line Sky Ladder
11:50 – Reach Lingzhi Valley Spiral Ladder
12:25 – Arrive at Viewing Platform No.4 (Exit)
12:30 – Shuttle back to visitor center

👉 3.5–4 hours is more than enough
👉 Add another 30 minutes if you love photography

4. The Most Energy-Efficient Route (Key Takeaway)

✅ Recommended Order

Viewing Platform 1 → Platform 3 → Canyon Entrance → Canyon Floor → One-Line Sky Ladder → Lingzhi Valley → Platform 4

Why this route works best:

No backtracking
Covers all highlights
Energy consumption is evenly distributed

5. Step-by-Step Route Breakdown

① Viewing Platform No.1 (Must-See)

After a 10–20 minute shuttle ride, you’ll reach the best panoramic viewpoint.

This is the true “God’s-eye view” of Pingshan Lake Canyon.

📸 Tip:

5–10 minutes is enough
Don’t spend too long here if you’re on a schedule

② Viewing Platform No.3 (Optional)

Very close to Platform 1, with similar views.
👉 Platform 2 requires extra stair climbing and offers nearly the same scenery, so I skipped it.

③ Canyon Entrance (Where the Walk Begins)

From the viewing platforms, walk about 800 meters to a very long downhill staircase.

⚠️ Many people think they’ve gone the wrong way — you haven’t.
This staircase is the canyon entrance.

④ Canyon Floor Walk (Easiest & Most Beautiful)

Once you reach the canyon bottom, the walk becomes surprisingly easy.

Mostly flat paths
Very few people
Immersive, dramatic rock formations

Honestly, standing here makes you realize:
Even Antelope Canyon feels overrated in comparison.

Pingshan Lake Grand Canyon

6. One-Line Sky Ladder (Most Fun Section)

Near the signs pointing to the “Canyon Exit,” look to the left — that’s the entrance.

What It’s Really Like

A short chain-assisted climb
Then about 60 meters of nearly vertical ladders (around 90°)
Split into two sections

👉 I have mild fear of heights and still managed it easily
👉 Actual climbing time: less than 5 minutes

⚠️ Must Bring

Gloves (metal railings are freezing in cold seasons)
Wet wipes (no restrooms in the canyon)

❌ Not Recommended For

Severe fear of heights
Seniors or young children

7. Lingzhi Valley (Tiring but Absolutely Worth It)

After exiting One-Line Sky Ladder, you’ll reach the only fork in the entire route.
⚠️ The sign to Lingzhi Valley is very easy to miss — go downward, not upward.