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Top 10 Canyons in China w. Google Earth Links (II)

Jan 2, 2010

This post continues a previous post “Top 10 Canyons in China w. Google Earth Links (I)

[sources]: 1. sifter | 2. shanbei.cn | 3. zengzi | 4. peoplexz.com | 5. 14215061

A canyon, or gorge, is a deep valley between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. –wikipedia

You can view all these 5 beautiful canyons with Google Earth here.

6. Taroko Gorge 太鲁阁大峡谷
Google Earth | Wiki | location: Taiwan

Taroko Gorge, located in downstream of Liwu Creek, near the entrance of the Central Cross-Island Highway. Taroko Gorge in eastern Taiwan is one of the most famous scenic mountain resorts. Taroko means “great mountains” in native language. As Liwu Creek water erosion constantly cuts through the uplift crust, the marble rock is exposed, thus forming the steep Taroko Gorge landscapes. 20 km-long Taroko Gorge is the world’s largest marble canyon.

7. Yellow River Jin-Shan Valley 黄河晋陕大峡谷
Google Earth | Wiki | location: Shanxi / Shaanxi

Jinshan Grand Canyon is the longest continuous Yellow River valley, ranging from Hekou Town of Inner Mongolia to Yumenkou of Shanxi . In the Loess Plateau, the valleys are mostly 100 meters more deep, and its narrowest point is only 30 to 50m at Hukou Waterfall. 56% of the total sand carried by Yellow River is taken from this section. Literally, Yellow River becomes truly “Yellow” at this section.

Due to the Yellow River’s natural water power, wind power, and the role of external forces such as freeze-thaw cycles, this river valley formed a poetic and picturesque landscape of natural wonders of water erosion, in a highly artistic form. Some are like the closely-packed “Double Dutch”, the other are shaped like human statue, plants and animals, music notes, symbols, or winding “Labyrinth”. It is called a true portrayal of the soul of the Yellow River.

Visit this link for more amazing pictures

8. Dadu River Jinkou Gorge 大渡河金口大峡谷
Google Earth | Wiki | location: Sichuan

Dadu River Jinkou Grand Canyon is the longest, most dangerous, narrowest, deepest, most powerful, most homogeneous and most secluded Grand Canyon in Sichuan Province, 542 meters deeper than 2133 meters depth of the world-famous Colorado Grand Canyon of the United States , only 10 meters at its narrowest point, narrower than 20 meters width of the previously known world’s narrowest Grand Canyon – Tiger Leaping Gorge. This is truly an incredible adventure, tourist attraction.

It is China’s most typical cliff valley on large rivers, which is characterized by upright valley slope, deep narrow valleys, bottom almost entirely occupied by the river channel, undeveloped flood land. Jinkou Grand Canyon has a rare stereo access channel for tourists: Jin-wu Road and Chengdu-Kunming Railway go along the river in parallel, on the mountains a road built during World War II winds its way among the adventures.

9. Grand Taihang Canyon 太行山大峡谷
Google Earth | Wiki | location: Shanxi/Henan

Grand Taihang Canyon is a typical example of the northern China landscapes. It is located in two regions of Taihang Mountain Range.

The southern section of Grand Taihang Canyon is located in the northwest of Henan Province, southwest of Lin City, 50km long from north to south, 4 km wide from east to west. The western section of Grand Taihang Canyon is located in Huguan County, Changzhi City in Shanxi Province, consists of Fingers Gap, Longquan Gap, Wang-Mang Gap and Zituan Moutain, covers an area of 5848 hectares, a total of 44 landscapes, more than 400 scenic spots.

10. Tianshan Kuche Grand Canyon 天山库车大峡谷
Google Earth | Wiki | location: Xinjiang

Kuche Grand Canyon, located in southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, Kuqa County, Aksu Prefecture (in ancient times known as Kucha). It is about 5,000 meters long and 200 meters deep in average, 53 meters at its widest point, 0.4 meters at the narrowest.

Kuche Grand Canyon was recently discovered by a young shepherd in 1999 in mid-summer grazing. Besides its unique red cliff landscape, lots of ancient remnants were also discovered in this region. Some Tang Dynasty caves was found on a 35 meters high cliff, 1.4 km away from the entrance; there are also remnants of wall paintings rock carvings and Chinese characters.

[Scenic Splendor of China Series]
This is one post of the Scenic Splendor of China Series. In 2005.10, Chinese National Geography (CNG) selected 114 “most beautiful places” covering 17 different types of scenic patterns. The complete list is here. In Chinese. These scenic places will be covered individually in future.

[Chinese Keywords]
中国最美的地方 峡谷



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