Review
Yinhushan 银湖山 is a great example of a type of hiking that can be both rewarding and challenging. Following a ridge, the trail offers hikers incredible scenic views of the surrounding area, but with a lot of elevation gain and loss, some may feel like they are not working towards anything substantial, such as a viewpoint or summit. This hike features both paved and dirt trail sections.
Location: I would suggest starting at Yinhu 银湖 Metro station, Line 9, and walking to the trailhead. This trail ends at Hanling 韩令 station, Line 6. See map for details.
I would consider this a medium difficulty trail. It is a mix of paved and dirt but there are some steep sections and the distance of the whole trail can be exhausting, around 10km/6.2miles. Overall the hike took me about 3 hours.
I started my hike at 8am on a weekday and as with most hikes the earlier the better. Morning makes for a cooler temperature and better light for those beautiful views. I’ll arrive earlier next time.
The viewpoints are nice but you don’t get the panoramic type views you see on mountain top trails like Wutongshan 梧桐山. This trail meanders in and out of trees so make sure to wear sunscreen and add some bug spray while you’re at it.
Speaking of nature, I was lucky enough to find a small rat snake on this hike. A reminder to keep your camera ready and your eye out for more dangerous critters.
There are no bathrooms at the Yinhu 银湖 trailhead so I would make sure to you be prepared by using the metro station restroom. However, there is a nice restroom at the end of the trail on the Hanling韩令 side. It even has a vending machine if you’re desperate for a beverage.
