503 Core Journey Loop: Fuling's Abyss Actually Won an 'Oscar'

Outdoor enthusiasts are definitely familiar with the Golden Rhino Award. Known as the “Chinese Outdoor Oscar,” it represents the highest honor in China’s outdoor exploration scene.

Flashback to 2009, when the fourth Golden Rhino Awards were announced, and the Chongqing Cave Expedition Team took home the Best Team award.

This win was a big deal. It marked the first time a Chinese local caving team claimed the top spot on the national outdoor stage, completely shifting the dynamic where ultradeep cave exploration had long been dominated by foreign teams.

Exploring the 841-Meter Underground World

The venue for this award-winning feat was the Abyss of the Earth (formerly known as Myriad Pit), located deep within the “503 Center-of-the-Earth Roaming Loop,” with a verified vertical depth of 841 meters.

Liu Jia, now deputy captain of the Chongqing Cave Expedition Team, still feels a rush of adrenaline when recalling the days exploring the Abyss as a young team member.

Unlike horizontal limestone caves, the Abyss is a pure vertical pit, with steep, slick walls and a darkness so profound it seems to swallow everything.

Driven by curiosity and respect, Liu Jia and her teammates, loaded with hundreds of meters of rope, set out on their first expedition in December 2007. But they only reached about 200 meters deep before running out of rope. The sound of dropped stones echoing below suggested the shaft’s depth was far beyond anyone’s expectations.

Danger crept in quietly. On the way back from the first cave dive, Liu Jia was climbing with a rope bag when, roughly 150 meters from the entrance, the nearly 50-pound bag suddenly slipped. The immense pull yanked her off the rock face, sending her swinging wildly in the deep shaft—to the point where her head slammed into the wall.

Her helmet and headlamp were knocked off. With no protection and total darkness, the situation was extremely perilous! But relying on her solid professional skills, she felt for anchor points and blindly climbed those 150 meters, ultimately escaping safely.

From 2007 to 2009, Liu Jia and her team made four deep dives into the Abyss (professional surveys are required, so tourists should proceed with caution, though they can enjoy the 503 Loop). On the fourth dive, they spent nine days and eight nights in the pitch-black cave. In the freezing winter, the team was soaked through, groping downwards in wet gear.

An extremely narrow passage loomed before the Chongqing Cave Expedition Team, like the Abyss’s final challenge.

In the end, Liu Jia, the slimmest team member, along with a male teammate, successfully reached the bottom of the Abyss, securing data proving its 841-meter depth and witnessing an extraordinary subterranean spectacle unseen anywhere else.

This also allowed the public to glimpse the mysterious and vast world 841 meters underground.

How Does a Regular Person Do “Center-of-the-Earth Exploration”?

Traditionally, “center-of-the-earth exploration” implies extremely high professional standards and physical demands. But for tourists seeking both comfort and experience, do these natural wonders have to be out of reach?

To let more people deeply experience the geological features of the Wuling Mountains area, Fuling District planned a route: using high-quality tourism roads to string together the natural landscapes and cultural elements deep in the mountains, creating the 81.6-kilometer “503 Center-of-the-Earth Roaming Loop.” No specialized exploration gear needed—just a step on the gas, and you can delve deep into Wuling Mountain’s treasures.

Wuling Mountain Grand Fissure & Wuling Mountain Forest Park & Qiluping Meadow

The Wuling Mountain Grand Fissure was torn open by violent crustal movements. Walking over the Tianmen Cave suspension bridge at the bottom lets you directly feel the spatial pressure of geological shifts.

Beyond the immense natural forces spanning eons, the “Cliffside 503 AI Café” on the precipice offers an immersive new experience combining “AI + cultural tourism.”

As you ascend from the gorge, the landscape transitions to the mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests of Wuling Mountain Forest Park. Amid the high-altitude forest sea, you reach the alpine meadow of Qiluping. The canyon, forest, and meadow together create the dramatically layered ecosystem of Wuling Mountains.

816 Project & Jiaoshi Ground Fire Village & Shale Gas Meritorious Well

The 816 Project is an underground nuclear industrial base hollowed out of the mountain during a special era. Its intricate pipelines and huge cauldrons in the gloom display a raw industrial aesthetic and astonishing engineering scale.

Extending outward, Jiaoshi Ground Fire Village showcases the “eternal flame” spectacle of natural gas seeping through cracks and burning, with the primal energy of fire dancing among rugged rocks.

Nearby, the Shale Gas Meritorious Well is an industrial mark of modern humanity extracting energy from deep rock. From underground bases to wild ground fires and modern drilling, this completes a “center-of-the-earth dialogue” across eras.

Yixian Cave

Yixian Cave is a hidden space carved out over millennia by karst groundwater systems. Inside, it avoids elaborate artificial decorations, preserving untouched primitive geological textures. Underground rivers and naturally growing stalactites and stalagmites intertwine, making you feel like you’ve stepped into a slice of billion-year-old karst geology.

Sea of Clouds Hydrangea Theme Hotel

Perched high up, the Sea of Clouds Hydrangea Theme Hotel is an ideal resting place inspired by Fuling’s city flower, the hydrangea.

Open the window to a vast sea of clouds. What’s special is its subtle integration of modern technology into daily living—using AI smart scene sensing and environmental adjustment to create a “sea of clouds healing space” that can sense and breathe, offering rest for weary travelers.

Wanglang Cliff & 1314 Love Tree Viewing Platform & Longtang Lake Wetland

Wanglang Cliff retains its steep cliff face and rich local character. The 1314 (meaning “forever” in Chinese) Love Tree Viewing Platform, built along the cliff’s edge (along with Feiyun Platform and Guanhai Tower), provides the best vantage point to overlook dangerous gorges and observe the rolling Wuling Mountains and surging clouds.

Beyond the majestic Wanglang Cliff, the local ecology has also nourished Longtang Lake Wetland Park. The high-altitude water system interacts with surrounding vegetation, adding a gentle waterside experience, perfectly balancing the visual and sensory extremes of cliff vistas and wetland strolls.

Wubai Road & Dedicated Motorcycle Riding Route

Connecting all the geological wonders and ecological landmarks is Wubai Road, the skeleton of the loop. In road planning, this loop designates over 50 kilometers as dedicated motorcycle riding sections, with anti-slip, noise-reducing road treatment for the more than 1,000-meter elevation difference and over 30 continuous curves, greatly improving riding safety.

Along the way, motorcycle-themed coffee shops and a free-admission policy for riders make this road, weaving between bedrock and clouds, one of China’s most representative high-quality riding and self-driving routes.

Tips

[Transportation] Self-driving: Navigate to Baotao Toll Station on Zhibai Expressway, then follow G319 and S527 into the loop. For high-speed rail: Get off at “Fuling North Station” and transfer to a tourist shuttle bus.

[Accommodation] High-altitude cloudside stays (like Wuling Mountain Sea of Clouds Hotel) or forest-hidden boutique guesthouses.

[Food] Recommended: The “medicine and food homology” herbal meals at Zhiren Hotel and Sea of Clouds Hotel, and Fuling pickled vegetable fish from the “Chongqing Taste 360 Bowls” selection.

[Gear & Weather] The loop has a large elevation range (500 to 1,980 meters), with a “four seasons in one day” vertical climate. Bring a windproof jacket and comfortable hiking shoes.

One road links the Wuling Mountains under one sky; one leisurely tour reveals the marvels at the center of the earth. Avoid the crowds—welcome to Fuling’s “503 Center-of-the-Earth Roaming Loop.” Be a child of nature for a few days, and embark on a journey that’s both comfortable and hardcore!