Fuyun Winter Wonderland: A 1-Day Ski and Culture Adventure

Keketuohai Scenic District is located northeast of Fuyun County in Altay, northern Xinjiang, and serves as a key attraction for visitors exploring the Kanas loop route. The area features deep canyons, crystal-clear rivers, and strikingly steep mountain peaks, offering breathtaking natural beauty. Expansive forests of birch, poplar, and pine trees thrive between the canyons, making autumn the ideal time to visit when the foliage turns golden and the mountain peaks behind the forests begin to accumulate snow, resembling picturesque snow-capped mountains. The harmonious blend of forests, rivers, and mountains creates a perfect setting for capturing stunning autumn landscapes.

The Keketuohai Scenic District in a broad sense refers to a large area near Keketuohai Town, which includes four parts: Kekesuli, Yileimu Lake, the Karaxian Geer Earthquake Fault Zone, and the Eerqisi Grand Canyon. Among these, Kekesuli, Yileimu Lake, and the Karaxian Geer Earthquake Fault Zone are located along the way to the Grand Canyon. These areas are not developed attractions and are open to visitors for free, making them worth a quick stop on the way to the canyon. The Eerqisi Grand Canyon is the main attraction of the entire Keketuohai Scenic District and is what most visitors refer to when mentioning the Keketuohai Scenic District.

Keketuohai Scenic District (also known as the Ertix Grand Canyon Scenic Area) is the source of the famous Ertix River in northern Xinjiang. The scenic area stretches approximately 20 kilometers and features over a dozen attractions along the Ertix River, including birch forests, Shuimogou, Shenzhong Mountain, and hot springs. The scenic area offers shuttle buses that operate round-trip between the main entrance and Shenzhong Mountain (a one-way distance of 17 km). These shuttle buses function like public transportation, making several stops where visitors can explore nearby attractions before boarding the next available bus. From Shenzhong Mountain, it's an additional 6.5 km hike to reach the hot springs deep in the canyon. For those who prefer not to walk, scenic patrol vehicles are available for transportation.

Key attractions along the route from the scenic area entrance to Shenzhong Mountain include Birch Forest, Shuimogou Valley, Red Leaf Valley, and Shenzhong Mountain. The path features numerous peculiar peaks and rock formations, with the stunningly clear Ertix River flowing through the middle, offering a wonderful sightseeing experience.

The birch forest near the attraction entrance and the Maple Valley by Shimen parking area are perfect for fall viewing, with leaves turning golden or fiery red in dazzling displays. During this season, the mountains behind the forests begin to accumulate snow, resembling beautiful snow-capped peaks. The interplay of colorful foliage, flowing rivers, and snowy mountains creates an ideal backdrop for stunning photography.

The Shuimogou area is best visited in summer. A short walk west leads to vast grasslands bursting with wildflowers, creating such a stunning sight that one meadow is aptly named the Hundred Flowers Pasture. Shenzhong Mountain, a striking granite peak, stands steep and solitary as the iconic landmark of the attraction.

Inside Shenzhong Mountain, you'll find attractions like Elephant Trunk Peak, Camel Peak, and Divine Eagle Peak, known for their peculiar rock formations and mountain waterfalls. The highlight is the Jilande Hot Spring deep in the canyon, with water temperatures around 39°C (close to body temperature) for ultimate comfort. If you have enough stamina, we recommend hiking from Shenzhong Mountain to the hot spring—this allows you to enjoy every scenic view along the way and experience the perfect relaxation of soaking in the springs after your trek.

For general visitors, a simple visit typically takes about half a day before returning to Fuyun County or Keketuohai Scenic District for accommodation, then heading toward Kanas or Urumqi the next day. Hikers or travelers seeking an in-depth experience can also stay overnight within the attraction. Local herders' yurts are available near the Shimen parking area, Shenzhong Mountain parking area, and hot springs. The campsite near the hot springs also offers free camping for visitors with their own equipment, allowing flexibility based on personal preferences.

Kekesuli Lake is located in Fuyun County, Xinjiang, about 25km away from the county seat, and is also known as Wild Duck Lake. The lake covers an area of ​​about 1.8 square kilometers, with an average water depth of 2 meters. There are more than 20 floating islands of various sizes in the lake, and rich aquatic plants. What is more peculiar is that the reeds in the water grow directly on the water without roots, drifting with the wind, and the scenery changes with the wind. The scenery on the lake changes with the changes of the reeds. Every summer and autumn, thousands of wild ducks and red geese gather here to reproduce. The wild ducks forage for food and play in the water in pairs, and they always stay together. Once one leaves, the other will never "marry" again for the rest of its life. It often hovers alone over the lake and flies low. The scene is miserable and moving. "

Wild Duck Lake has both the exquisite beauty of West Lake and the reed maze of Baiyangdian, presenting a beautiful scene of "sand gulls flying and gathering" and "fish swimming in the shallows". In the distance, tall mountains with wrinkled gullies can be vaguely seen. On the other side of the lake, there are more than 10,000 mu of open and flat grasslands scattered with leisurely animals, stepping on flowers and looking for grass, peaceful and comfortable, which makes people sigh how nature has created such an exquisite and beautiful landscape painting.