Overview

Xiangzhi (香植线) is Beijing’s most beloved entry-level hiking route — a point-to-point crossing from the Xiangshan Post Office (香山邮局) through the Western Hills to the Beijing Botanical Garden (北京植物园). The name is a playful pun on the classic “Xiangzhi” (香植线, Xiangshan–植物园 training route), swapping the destination to the Botanical Garden while keeping the same beloved ridge-line traverse.

It is easily the most popular hiking route in Beijing for good reason: it starts and ends at subway-accessible points, the trail is well-defined throughout, and the views over the Beijing basin from the ridge are outstanding. On any fine weekend the path will be dotted with local hikers — a reassuring sign for first-timers learning to navigate Chinese trails.

Why this route is so popular: It’s the perfect half-day escape from the city. Accessible entirely by public transport, no permit required, and with reliable cell signal for most of the way. The ridge section between Haohan Slope and Cherry Gully offers panoramic views of the entire Beijing plain.

The Route

This is a point-to-point trail — you start at Xiangshan and finish at the Botanical Garden, with no need to double back. Total distance is 9.5 km with 580 m of elevation gain, concentrated in the first hour.

Xiangshan Post Office → Haohan Slope (1.5 km, ~50 min) — From the post office at the bus station, follow the road northwest to the玉皇顶 parking lot, then take the stone steps up through the trees. This is the famous 好汉坡 (Haohan Slope / “Hero Slope”) — 380 m of steep climbing at once. Take your time; it’s the hardest section of the day.
Haohan Slope → Dayingwa (1.0 km, ~20 min) — The trail levels onto the ridge at 打鹰洼 (Dayingwa), a broad saddle with a fire-watch post. A well-earned rest stop with views back over Xiangshan.
Dayingwa → Cherry Gully (3.5 km, ~1.5 hrs) — Walk the undulating ridge trail northeast towards 樱桃沟 (Cherry Gully). The path is mostly flat with gentle ups and downs, winding through pine and oak forest. On clear days, the entire Beijing skyline stretches before you — the CBD towers, the Olympic Bird’s Nest, and the mountains beyond.
Cherry Gully descent (1.0 km, ~30 min) — A series of wooden boardwalks and stone steps descend through Cherry Gully. This section is shady and cool, with a small stream running alongside in spring and summer.
Beijing Botanical Garden (3.5 km, ~45 min flat walk) — From the bottom of Cherry Gully, walk south through the Botanical Garden to the main gate. The garden itself is a highlight — a world-class botanical collection with greenhouses, a bamboo grove, and a magnificent temple (卧佛寺) near the exit.

Getting There

Xiangshan and the Botanical Garden are both in Haidian District, roughly 20 km northwest of central Beijing — about 50 minutes by public transport.

Avoid driving or taking a taxi if possible. The roads leading to Xiangshan are notorious for severe traffic jams, especially on weekends. The subway and tram are incredibly convenient and bypass the traffic entirely. If you must drive, parking lots in the area charge about ¥10 per hour.

To the start

The easiest way to reach Xiangshan is the Xijiao Line (西郊线), a tram that runs from Bagou Station (巴沟站) on Subway Line 10 directly to Xiangshan. From Bagou, the tram takes about 20 minutes.

Route	Details	Time	Cost
Subway to Bagou	Line 10 (any route) → Bagou Station (巴沟站)	Varies	¥5–7
Xijiao Tram to Xiangshan	Exit Bagou and follow signs to the Xijiao tram platform. Get off at the Xiangshan terminus (香山站).	~20 min	¥4
Walk to the post office	From the tram stop, walk south about 200 m. The post office is at the bus station roundabout.	~3 min	—

Alternatively by bus

Bus routes 318, 360, 563, 698, and 505 all stop at Xiangshan. Get off at 香山站 and walk to the post office roundabout.

From the finish

Exit the Botanical Garden through the main gate (south gate). The Xijiao Line tram station is right outside — take it to Bagou to connect to the subway.

By taxi / DiDi

From central Beijing, DiDi to Xiangshan Post Office costs ¥50–80 one way (40–50 min). Returning from the Botanical Garden is similarly priced.

What to Bring

Water: 1.5–2 litres. There are no convenience stores along the mountain trail, meaning no places to buy bottled water or the classic trailside grilled sausages (烤肠).
Snacks / lunch. Bring your own food. Once you enter the Botanical Garden at the end of the hike, there are shops available, but expect the prices to be slightly higher than normal.
Hiking shoes with grip. The stone steps on Haohan Slope are uneven and slippery when damp.
Sun protection. The ridge section is exposed for 1–2 hours.
Light jacket. The ridge can be breezy and 5–8°C cooler than the city.
Cash: ¥50–100. The Botanical Garden exit fee is ¥5 (cash or Alipay or wechat).
Powerbank. GPS logging drains your phone faster than expected.

Pro tip: The Botanical Garden charges a ¥5 entry fee when exiting through the main gate sometimes. This is the only cost on the entire hike. Bring exact change or use Alipay/WeChat Pay.

Cell signal is reliable for most of this route — it’s one of the few trails near Beijing where you can use Google Maps or Apple Maps without issues. The trail is well-trodden and easy to follow, but a few points to note:

Haohan Slope junction: At the top of the gully, the path splits. Keep left (northeast) toward Dayingwa. The right fork descends back toward the Xiangshan tourist area.
Dayingwa to Cherry Gully: Stay on the main ridge trail. Any path heading sharply right (south) will descend into the Botanical Garden early — fine if you want a shorter hike, but you’ll miss the best ridge views.
Offline backup: The ChinaTrails app has the full Beijing Western Hills map available offline. Download it over Wi-Fi at your hotel as a safety net.

Tips & Warnings

Best time to go

March–May is prime time. The hills are green, the air is clear, and the Botanical Garden’s spring blooms are spectacular — especially the peach blossom and tulip displays.
Late September–Mid November is the second best season. The Xiangshan red leaves (红叶) are world-famous—the viewing period usually lasts from late September to mid-November, entering its absolute peak viewing stage after the first frost (Shuangjiang / 霜降) in late October. The autumn colours in Cherry Gully are also stunning. Note: October and November weekends are extremely crowded — go on a weekday if possible.
June–August: hot and humid. Start before 7am to beat the heat. The Cherry Gully section stays cool and shady.
December–February: possible ice on the stone steps. Microspikes recommended after snow.

Getting started on the right path

The trailhead is easy to miss. From the post office roundabout, face northwest (toward the mountains). You’ll see a road heading uphill with玉皇顶 parking lot signs. Walk up this road for about 200 m, then look for stone steps on your right — this is the start of Haohan Slope.

October red-leaf season: Xiangshan becomes absolutely packed during the “Red Leaves Festival” (mid-October to mid-November). The tram queues can exceed 1 hour. If you hike in this season, arrive at Bagou station before 8am, or take a bus instead.

Safety

Tell someone your plan before you go.
Haohan Slope is steep — take breaks and watch your footing on the descent.
The ridge has no shelter. In summer, avoid afternoon thunderstorms by starting early (before 9am).
Emergency numbers in China: 120 (ambulance), 110 (police).

Plan B — Payment & Language

The Xijiao Tram (¥4) and Botanical Garden fee (¥5) accept WeChat/AliPay. The route is entirely within urban Beijing — payment is unlikely to be a problem here. Still, carry ¥50–100 cash as universal backup.
English signage is limited at Xiangshan. Use the bilingual address card in the Getting There section or show the Chinese station names to station staff.

Language emergency card — screenshot and show if you need help:

「我需要帮助 / 我迷路了 / 请帮我指路回香山地铁站」 Wǒ xūyào bāngzhù / Wǒ mílù le / Qǐng bāng wǒ zhǐlù huí Xiāngshān dìtiězhàn “I need help / I am lost / Please point me back toward Xiangshan subway station”

More Beijing Trails

Mutianyu Wild Great Wall — 慕田峪野长城 · 12.4 km · Hard
Jiankou Wild Great Wall — 箭扣长城 · 15.2 km · Hard
North Ling Mountain — 北灵山 · 11.3 km · Moderate

About this guide. Route data was field-surveyed and the trail is one of Beijing’s most frequently walked — conditions are verified seasonally against hiker reports. GPS tracks are corrected for the GCJ-02 → WGS-84 coordinate offset. This is a well-trafficked entry-level route with subway access at both ends, making it the lowest-risk trail in the Beijing collection. If you encounter changed conditions (new entry fees, trail closures, altered bus routes), flag them and we’ll verify and update.

Accurate Trail Data. Due to China's mapping restrictions, standard apps often display your live location up to 300m away from the actual trail. ChinaTrails GPX files are survey-corrected to eliminate this GPS drift — what you see is where you actually are.

Hiking Xiangzhi Trail near Beijing — Xiangshan to Botanical Garden