2026 Juyongguan Great Wall Guide: How to Explore the “First Fortress Under Heaven”? National Treasures at Yuntai and Hiking Routes

Juyongguan is the “command center” of Beijing’s Great Wall defense line and the largest pass in the country.

This article provides a detailed guide to the Yuan Dynasty Yuntai National Treasure, the tactics of the barbican, hiking routes along the East and West Loops, and the filming location for “Train to Spring.”With no cable cars and steep steps, it’s perfect for those seeking a challenge that combines history and physical exertion.

Why is it said that if you don’t understand Juyongguan, you can’t truly understand the Great Wall?

Many foreign visitors coming to Beijing for the first time specifically ask to visit Badaling. That’s perfectly fine—Badaling is indeed spectacular. But if you visit only Badaling and think you’ve grasped the essence of the Great Wall, it’s like watching the vanguard charge forward without knowing where the central command is directing the battle.

Badaling serves as the “outpost” of Juyongguan. In ancient times, the garrison would first engage the enemy at Badaling, then dispatch messengers on horseback to alert the garrison at Juyongguan—located more than ten miles behind—to go on full alert. Without Juyongguan as the “brain,” Badaling is nothing more than an isolated wall.

Juyongguan is located in Changping District, just a 50-minute drive from downtown Beijing. It is not just a section of the Great Wall, but a complete fortified city—complete with a barbican, watchtowers, government offices, granaries, temples, and even an ancient “highway” checkpoint.

It is the largest Great Wall pass in the country, guarding “Jundu Pass,” one of the Eight Passes of the Taihang Mountains. For nomadic tribes from the north seeking to ride their horses into Beijing, there was virtually no other route available.

In this article, I won’t just take you “up the steps”; I’ll guide you into this living ancient military fortress. You’ll see the imperial stone carvings left behind by the Yuan Dynasty, experience firsthand what it means to “hold the pass with a single man” on the steep steps, and discover why the people of the Jin Dynasty, 800 years ago, listed this place as one of the “Eight Scenic Views of Yanjing.”

Military Insights: The True Danger of a Fortress Lies Not in Its Walls, but in the“Pass”

“Two Mountains Flanking a Gorge”: The 40-Li Guanggou—The Sole Chokepoint

Open a map and look toward the northwest of Beijing. The Yanshan and Taihang Mountains converge here, with a narrow, elongated gorge between them known as Guanggou. Stretching approximately 40 li in length, it is flanked by towering cliffs on both sides, with only a river and a road running through the center.

For northern nomadic tribes—whether the Xiongnu, the Turks, or the Mongols—this was the fastest and most viable route to ride directly toward Beijing.

Juyong Pass is situated precisely at the narrowest and most perilous point of this gorge. The ancient saying that “extreme danger is a product of nature” is no exaggeration.

The Synergy of the Iron Triangle: Juyong Pass is the Brain, Badaling is the Tentacle

Echoing the “Iron Triangle” mentioned in our overview, Juyong Pass is the command center, Badaling is the forward outpost, and Mutianyu is the flank.

How exactly do they coordinate? Suppose you are a cavalryman coming from the north; your first task is to breach Badaling. The moment a beacon is lit at Badaling, the smoke can be seen from Juyongguan, more than ten miles away.

The commander at Juyongguan immediately orders the entire city to be on high alert: the gates of the barbican are shut, archers take their positions on the ramparts, and rolling stones and wooden logs are positioned at the crenellations.

By the time you charge from Badaling to the foot of Juyongguan, you’re no longer facing a mere wall, but a fully fortified military stronghold.

As the old saying goes: “The peril of Juyong lies not in the pass itself, but in Badaling.” This means that the real battle had already begun at Badaling; Juyong Pass relied on an integrated defensive system, not merely a single wall.

108 Passes: A Three-Dimensional Defense Network

Juyong Pass was not an isolated outpost. It “oversaw as many as 108 passes.” What does this mean? It means that along the ridges on both sides of the pass valley, watchtowers, sentry posts, walls, and horse-barrier walls were densely distributed… No matter which path you tried to take to bypass it, you would inevitably encounter another defensive structure.

During the Ming Dynasty, the garrison stationed in the Juyong Pass area consistently numbered in the thousands, reaching over ten thousand at its peak. This was not merely a pass, but a theater of operations headquarters.

Key Landmarks and“National Treasures”: Focus on the Essence, Not Just the Spectacle

If you simply climb the city walls to snap a photo, you might miss out on Juyongguan’s most precious treasures. Here are the three things I believe are absolutely worth seeing.

1. Yuntai—Yuan Dynasty Stone Carvings, the Undisputed Star of the Show

Once you enter the South Gate of Juyongguan, you’ll soon come across a massive stone platform. Originally, it was topped by three Tibetan-style pagodas known in the Yuan Dynasty as the “Crossing-the-Street Pagodas.” The pagodas were later destroyed, leaving only the base—what is now known as Yuntai.

What’s most awe-inspiring about Yuntai isn’t its exterior, but the carvings on the inner walls of the stone cave.

Statues of the Four Heavenly Kings:

Each stands several meters tall, eyes wide and glaring, with evil spirits crushed beneath their feet. Though carved from stone, the lines of their sashes, armor, and muscles are incredibly lifelike. Standing beneath them and looking up, I couldn’t bear to leave even as my neck grew stiff.

Six Scripts:

The walls of the cave are inscribed with the Dharani Sutra Mantra in six scripts: Sanskrit, Tibetan, Phagspa, Uyghur, Western Xia, and Chinese.

The Phagspa script is a Mongolian script created during the reign of Kublai Khan, while the Western Xia script is a language that has long since been lost.

The juxtaposition of these scripts demonstrates that during the Yuan Dynasty, Juyong Pass was not only a crucial military passage but also a cultural crossroads along the Silk Road.

A quick tip for your visit:

As you pass through the arched gateway of Yuntai, take a moment to pause and look up at the intricate relief carvings and dense clusters of ancient script on the inner walls. Try to spot the Chinese characters
—They’re mixed in with Sanskrit and Tibetan.

The awe-inspiring sensation of being surrounded by six ancient civilizations in an instant is something no textbook can ever match. If you have a small flashlight, shining it on the details will make them easier to see.

Yuntai is a national treasure and a key national cultural relic protection unit. Standing before it, you can feel a silent power that spans seven centuries.

2. Barbican: A “Death Trap” for Trapping Enemies

Juyong Pass has two barbicans: the South Gate and the North Gate. What is a Barbican? It is a semicircular or square wall built outside the actual city gate, with a side entrance.

When enemies breached the first gate and charged in, they found themselves surrounded by high walls. The defenders on the walls rained down arrows, hurled stones, and poured boiling oil—a tactic known as “catching a turtle in a jar.”

Walk inside yourself, and you’ll feel the oppressive atmosphere: high walls all around, with only a small patch of sky overhead. If the gate were shut, there would be no escape route. The military designs of ancient times were cruel but effective.

 3. The “Everyday Life” Within the Pass: A Miniature Military City

Juyong Pass was not merely a battlefield. Inside, it contained:

• The Command Headquarters: Where the commander worked and lived.
• The City God Temple: A place where soldiers prayed for divine protection.
• The Temple of Guan Yu: Dedicated to Guan Yu, the Martial Saint and spiritual totem of soldiers.
• Warehouses: Where grain, weapons, and fodder were stored.

Walking through the fortress today, you can still see the ruins or reconstructions of these buildings. Imagine this: one day, hundreds of years ago, soldiers were drilling, the kitchens were cooking, and a messenger rode in on horseback shouting, “Enemy spotted at Badaling!”—and in an instant, the entire fortress shifted from daily life to a state of war. That sense of tension is more real than any movie.

Romance Across Time and Space: “Juyong’s Lush Greenery” and the Train to Spring

Juyong Pass is not just a place of military history; it is also deeply poetic.

Juyong Diecui: One of the Eight Scenic Views of Yanjing from 800 Years Ago

As far back as 800 years ago, during the Jin Dynasty, Beijing (then known as Zhongdu) was home to the “Eight Scenic Views of Yanjing,” and Juyong Pass was one of them—Juyong Diecui.

Flanked by two mountains, with layers of emerald waves, this describes the layered peaks on either side of the pass, which are covered in lush greenery during spring and summer.

Standing at the highest point of the fortress and looking down, the winding road in the gorge is the ancient path trodden by iron hooves—and today’s highway and railway. The scene is serene, yet you know that legions of soldiers and horses once passed through below.

The Train to Spring: A Limited-Time Spectacle Lasting Less Than a Month

If you visit Juyongguan between late March and early April, you’ll have the chance to witness one of Beijing’s most iconic spring scenes:

The white trains of the S2 suburban line wind through the valley at the foot of Juyongguan. On the slopes on either side, mountain peach and apricot blossoms are in full bloom, creating a sea of pink and white.

As the train emerges from this sea of flowers, with the winding Great Wall and lush mountain ridges as a backdrop, this is what netizens call the “Train to Spring.”

The best spots for photography are along the West Mountain section of the Great Wall within the Juyongguan Scenic Area, or at the viewing platforms on either side of the Guanggou Valley. The ideal time is between 9 and 11 a.m., when the slanting sunlight makes the petals appear translucent.

This has become a “secret to success” for spring photography in Beijing, attracting many photography enthusiasts who make special trips here with their professional gear to capture the moment.

Practical Travel Guide

Important Warning from the Blogger

• Juyongguan is a purely circular section of the Great Wall—there are no cable cars, no chairlifts, and no toboggan runs along the entire route!
• Some of the bluestone steps are severely worn, and some sections have a gradient approaching 70 degrees. The path is extremely slippery in rain or snow, so be sure to wear hiking boots with high traction.
• Your knees will definitely remember this day.
• If you’re used to the slide paths at Mutianyu or the cable cars at Badaling, adjust your expectations—at Juyongguan, you’ll be climbing on foot.

Two Routes: East Mountain (Challenger) vs. West Mountain

The circular Great Wall at Juyongguan is divided into two routes: East Mountain and West Mountain, both starting at the center of the pass.

Route	Features	Gradient	Suitable For
East Mountain Route	Relatively gentle, with fewer watchtowers, but it offers panoramic views of the entire pass and Yuntai	Moderate	Those seeking a more relaxed hike, wanting to take panoramic photos, or traveling with elderly family members or children (though some physical fitness is still required)
West Mountain Route	Extremely steep steps leading directly to the highest watchtower, offering a taste of the perilous “ one man guards the pass ”experience	Very Steep	Young people in good physical condition, hiking enthusiasts, and those seeking a challenge

My recommendation: If you’re not particularly fit, stick to the East Mountain loop (about 1.5 hours), then explore Yuntai and the temples inside the fortress. If you want to “be a true hero” and tackle the West Mountain route, be sure to wear non-slip hiking boots, bring plenty of water, and be mentally prepared for your legs to shake.

If the sight of these steep steps makes your knees ache and you’d prefer an easier section with cable cars and toboggans, check out my post next door: “Mutianyu Great Wall Guide: How to Choose Between Cable Cars, Ropeways, and Toboggans? Family Hiking Routes and Tips to Avoid Pitfalls (2026) ”; or return to my overview page, “Beijing’s 9 Great Wall Sections: Badaling, Mutianyu, and More (2026)”, to filter your destination using the comparison chart.

Transportation Options: The Closest to the City Center, the S2 Line Offers a Nostalgic Ride

• By Car/Ride-Hailing Service: Set your GPS to “Juyongguan Great Wall”; the drive from the city center takes about 50 minutes. Parking is available near the fortress entrance at a reasonable rate.
• Suburban Railway S2 Line: Board at Huangtudian Station (near Huoying Subway Station), ride to “Badaling” Station, then transfer to a bus or take a taxi to Juyongguan (about 10 minutes). The S2 Line itself is quite scenic, passing through Guanggou Valley, where wildflowers bloom profusely on both sides in the spring.
• Bus: Take Bus 919 from Deshengmen to the “Juyongguan” stop, but service is infrequent, so this option is not recommended.

Reservations and Ticket Purchases

All Great Wall scenic areas have implemented a real-name reservation system. Juyongguan is no exception.

• Search for “Juyongguan Great Wall” or “Changyou Great Wall” in the WeChat Mini Program, then select a date and time slot.
• Foreign visitors can make reservations using their passport number; present your reservation code and passport upon entry.
• Admission prices: 40 RMB per adult; half price for students; free for seniors aged 65 and over (a 0 RMB ticket reservation is still required).
• During peak season (April–October), we recommend booking 1–3 days in advance; book even earlier for weekends and holidays.

Recommended Gear

• Shoes: Hiking boots with good traction. Do not wear canvas, leather, or flat casual shoes. The blue stone steps at Juyongguan are very slippery.
• Clothing: Windproof in winter, sun-protective in summer. It is windy on the mountain, and temperatures are 3–5 degrees lower than in the city.
• Water and Food: There are only a few vendors inside the fortress. We recommend bringing 1–2 bottles of water and energy bars.
• Rainy or Snowy Weather: If it is raining or there is snow on the ground, we strongly advise against hiking the West Mountain Trail, as it is extremely dangerous. You may limit your visit to Yuntai and the fortress.

Tips to Avoid Pitfalls

1. Don’t try to complete both the East and West Loops in one go—unless you’re a marathon runner. Most people are already exhausted after finishing the West Loop, and attempting the East Loop afterward will leave you completely wiped out.

2. Take 20 minutes to explore Yuntai Cave: Many people rush through it, missing the details of the six scripts and the statue of the Heavenly King. Bring a flashlight—it’s quite dark inside.

3. The “Journey to Spring” along the S2 trail lasts only 3–4 weeks: Mountain peach blossoms have a very short blooming season, peaking from late March to early April. Don’t expect to see this scenery during other seasons.

4. Don’t spend too much money at the “costume photo” booths inside the Fortress: The prices are steep, the results are mediocre, and you’re better off taking your own photos.

5. If you’re bringing children: We recommend walking only the first half of the East Mountain Trail (turn back at the first watchtower) or sticking to the flat areas inside the Fortress. The steep steps on West Mountain are unsafe for children.

Next Stop: A Forgotten Ming-Dynasty Military Fortress at the Foot of the Great Wall

If you don’t want to just snap a photo at Badaling and leave, but instead wish to truly step into the military heart of the Great Wall, Juyongguan will not disappoint you. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a bottle of water, and a heart filled with reverence for history.