Wudalianchi Scenic Area
Mount Laohei, the highest of the 14 peaks in Wudalianchi,
is the most frequently visited dormant volcano in this region. A brisk hike to
the peak of this volcano rewards you with a panoramic view of the whole area.
The 516-meter-high hill is made up of old black lava; travelers can start their
trek up to the rim of the hill winding along cracked and lined lava and pumice
stone, from the eastern or northern routes.
Its funnel-shaped crater is 350 meters in diameter and 140 meters in depth.
There is a sideway around the crater for tourists to have a look inside. In the
northeast of the mountain, there are volcanic caves, where hanging lava of
different shapes can be found.
Smaller than Mt. Laohei, Mt. Huoshao is barely covered by
vegetation. The parched crater divides the whole mountain into halves, leaving a
ferocious-looking and odd-shaped crack. Volcanic balls of different sizes can be
seen here and there on the slope.
Surrounding the mountains Laohei and Huoshao is a large lava mesa, with a
total coverage of 650,000 square kilometers. With the volcanic eruption in 1719,
a huge amount of lava flowed to the south, forming a 10,000-meter-long stone
dragon - a rare scene in the world. Viewed from afar, it looks like the raging
waves in the ocean, and when seen at a closer distance, it resembles jagged
mountain rocks in various shapes.
Wudalianchi group volcanoes are the first among Chinese volcano groups to be
listed as a nature protection area, and according to plans will be developed
into a large volcano park and a place for health recovery and treatment.
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