Hike! Gubeikou trek

[Kim]

Can anyone help me answer this question? I've never been to the Gubeikou section myself.

I’m planning a trip from gubeikou to simatai… we have our own car and driver so drop off and pickup is no problem. Where is the best place to approach at gubeikou? And, do you know how to get pas the military area?

[Fauster]

I just did this hike with a private guide and driver a couple of weeks ago. Forgive me that I don't know the name of any of the roads or towns...

We drove up from Beijing and pulled over in a large car park just past the ruins of a few watchtowers on the left side of the road. From there, we walked back (south?) for a minute before turning left on a small driveway. After passing through a cluster of dwellings, we veered off to the right onto a trail and started climbing. My guide (as best as I can tell) took the wrong path and we ended going back downhill. No problem... he just led me through the brush straight up the mountain until we reached the Wall.

As far as the military reservation, it was pretty easy to figure out where to get off the Wall. The entrance to one of the watchtowers was sealed off with plywood and we had to back-track to the last tower and follow a parallel trail on the left side of the Wall.

I don't know if we made a wrong turn or what, but we descended down into a valley and ran into some local folks that were not happy to see us. My guide had to pay a trespass fee to the first one and then argue with the next two. After regaining the Wall, it was a short distance to Jinshanling.

Hope that helps.

[Bryan]

It looks to me like I went in around the same area as Fauster.

Driving north from Beijing through Gubeikou on the Jingcheng Expressway, you will see a hotel and a Wohushan Great Wall sign on the left (west) side.


Shortly before this on the right you can park. On the Gubeikou map, it's near where it says "Jing Cheng road".

There is a side street which leads up a hill to a courtyard. On the Gubeikou map, it's labeled Gubeikou old street.

There are temples and a very small museum in the courtyard.

View of Gubeikou from the old street.

[Bryan]

They were rebuilding a part of wall.


Here it is from the other side.


The original wall

[Bryan]

From here the wall was immediately accessible, but I was discouraged from going this way. I guess it was more dangerous.


Instead, I followed this obvious path through the woods


Which led to this path up to the wall


Which went to a large watch tower with many inscribed bricks.


From here, Jinshanling is to the right.

It's common for people to charge you when you cross their property when going around the military area.

[Kim]

Thank you very much guys

It's nice to have the Great Wall Forum to help solve these questions

Just had a look at some of the picture on Fauster's website - great stuff I definitely have to do that trek some day soon.

[HouMenPao]

"On the Gubeikou map, it's near where it says "Jing Cheng road"."

So, esentially, according to the map, drive through the tunnel on JingCheng Highway, take the first right, go right again up a hill, when you hit the wall, follow the path to the less dangerous approach, and then take to the wall. Is that correct.

I have a suggestions. In the future, map directions, such as North, South, East, West, would be helpful. Although it is generally understood that GBK (GuBeiKou) is north and west of SMT (SiMaTai).

I did this hike 10 years ago and we approached via a remote village, not via GBK town, so I'm a bit fuzzy on details.

[Bryan]

Hi HouMenPao,

Your directions sound correct except I can't be totally sure that it's the first right turn after the tunnel. And after you turn right, you go straight up a hill, there is no second right turn to be made.

I was last in Gubeikou nearly 3 years ago and my memory is vague too. Fortunately, all the local people are so friendly. They will point you in the right direction if you are alone or have no guide.

Also, there is most likely more than one way to reach the Wall and the way I went wasn't necessarily the best way, although it was easy enough. The Wall is clearly visible from the road, so it's not too hard to find your way to it.

This September I am planning to go back to Gubekou. I will visit Wohusan (west side of town) and Panlongshan (east side of town). Then I will pay more attention and have more information.

You are also correct that the map has no indication of north. Sorry about that! North is up on this particular map but it would be a lot better if it showed north, and in the future I will try to make sure maps show which way is north. Thank you for your suggestion.