Chinese: 白领关
Pinyin: Bái lǐng guān
English: White collar pass
Coordinates: 40°40'30"N 117°21'45"E
The Bailingguan Great Wall is accessed from the south side from Toudaogoucun (Toudaogou village) at 40°39'40"N 117°20'44"E. From the village, the path north to the Great Wall splits in two directions. To the left, the path goes to the west section of Bailingguan, and to the right, the path goes to the eastern section.
The area to the east of Bailingguan is the highest in the Beijing area at 1190 meters (3900 feet) elevation.
The Bailingguan Great Wall is made of brick but it has deteriorated quite a lot and in some places is little more than a pile of broken bricks. There are a couple of large watch towers that are separate from the Great Wall and located on high peaks.
Bailingguan is in the Gubeikou area and is worth a visit if you are in this area. It is located to the east of Simatai. The path of the Great Wall from Bailingguan to Simatai is about 7.1 kilometers (4.4 miles). But this is not a continuous path; as the Great Wall heads west from Bailingguan, it ends soon and there are only watchtowers at high points with very precipitous terrain in between. Therefore, walking from Bailingguan to Simatai is very dangerous and difficult for anyone but an avid and experienced climber. The situation is the same to the east; the wall is not continuous and the terrain is very difficult. The best way to visit Bailingguan is to take the road there and back rather than to hike along the Great Wall from either direction.
While it's not a frequently visited location, Bailingguan is nonetheless the subject of some tour guides that specialize in remote Great Wall locations. Some companies offer a package that includes transportation, meals, and lodging in a local farm house in the Toudaogoucun area. This makes for a very memorable experience for the adventurous traveler.
Location summary: Bailingguan is about 117 kilometers (73 miles) northeast of downtown Beijing. It is about 5.8 kilometers (3.6 miles) west of Simatai.
Driving directions: From Beijing's north sixth ring road, drive northeast on G101 for about 76 kilometers (47 miles). Get onto the G45 Expressway and drive north for about 12.5 kilometers (7.8 miles) to Xiazhuangzi. Then take S312 east for about 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) to Zhaizi. Turn left and take 260 road north for about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) through Toudaogoucun to the end of the road.