Beijing Places Where Pets Can Go Wild
Beijing is not exactly a city crawling with spas for pets. But there are places you can take your furry friends on fun outings.
Mutianyu Great Wall
Mutianyu is 70 kilometers from downtown, and less crowded and commercialized than Badaling and Juyongguan.
It was built in the sixth century and refortified in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).More than 22 watchtowers dot the 2.25-km bulwark, surrounded by forests and water. There are many local and Western restaurants.
US first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters, Sasha and Malia, visited the site last year.
7:20 am-6 pm, daily. Mutianyu village, Huairou district. 010-6162-6873.
Xiangshuihu Great Wall
This stretch of Ming Great Wall 80 km from downtown covers 18 square kilometers.
It features mountains, streams and stone inscriptions. It is next to a huge spring that can be heard kilometers away. There is also an ancient city built by a local tribe. It is said the wall is paved in such a way the stones make music as you walk.
8 am-5 pm, daily. Dazhenyu Village, Bohai county, Huairou district.
Eighteen Ponds
Pools flank the Yongding River 50 km from downtown. Valleys, rocks, ponds and plants make a perfect setting for an outdoor barbecue. Wooden trestles zigzag in and out of the mountains.
The site is about 50 km from Beijing. Maple leaves blaze red in late autumn.
7:30 am-6:30 pm, daily. Anjiazhuang village, Mentougou district. 010-6183-3199.
Yinshan Tower Forest
Yinshan Tower Forest's rolling slopes are perfect for a stroll. A flatland halfway along the route is studded with towers built in the Liao (916-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties said to contain parts of Buddhas' body.
8 am-6 pm, daily. Humen village, Changping district. 010-8972-6426.
Dongxiaokou Forest Park
Dongxiaokou Forest Park allows pets and has long been a meeting point for neighborhood dog owners. The forest is wild rather than landscaped, and there are few man-made features. There is a lake where pets can swim, and clean water for pets is provided.
8 am-6 pm, daily. Lijun Lu, Dongxiaokou county, Changping district.
Baihujian Forest Park
This is the place to see maple trees burn red in autumn without the crowds that clog the Fragrant Hills' paths. The mountain takes its name from its anthropomorphic resemblance to a tiger and abundant streams.
The area is said to host 1,000 peaks. The main uphill trek slopes gently but pet owners will need to carry their creatures down a long ladder that leads down from the mountaintop.
The park is part of a larger scenic area called Beijing Houhuayuan, or Beijing's Backyard Garden, beset with vast ponds, ancient temples and unusual stones.
7 am-5 pm, daily. Houbaihujian village, Yangfang county, Changping district. 010-6070-7588.
