Hunan · China
Tongtian Avenue
Y104Zhangjiajie to Tianmen Mountain
Tongtian Avenue, the Road to Heaven, climbs 11 km up the sheer face of Tianmen Mountain on 99 consecutive hairpin bends, rising 1,100 m to a natural rock arch at 1,300 m.
The road begins at the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park entrance on the edge of Zhangjiajie and climbs in a tight spiral of 99 switchbacks, nearly all approaching 180 degrees, up the limestone face. Built 1998-2005, each bend is numbered in countdown; it ends at Cave Square below the 131 m Tianmen Cave arch. Tourist shuttle buses run year-round.
Scenery
Where it runs
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Character
More hairpins than 9 in 10 roads · steeper than 9 in 10 roads here in the catalogue.
Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%329 – 1,185 mHazards
- open to tourist buses only, private vehicles not permitted
- 99 hairpin bends cause severe motion sickness
- summit 10C colder than the base
- frequent fog on the upper sections
- vertical cliff drops off the road edge
Sources: Road geometry © OpenStreetMap contributors
Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Tongtian Avenue.
