There were six or seven kinds of dawn redwoods during the Cretaceous Period and the Neozoic Era. It was believed that they were extinct until Chinese botanical experts found specimens of the rare world-renowned tree in Central China’s Hubei province in 1941. In today’s China dawn redwoods grow in areas to the south of Beijing. Thanks to its soft texture, the dawn redwood can be used for construction, panel veneer, paper making, and so on. The best time to appreciate its beauty is from the end of November to the beginning of December.
The dawn redwood is a fast-growing tree that loves sunshine. It is very adaptable to various environments and can grow in both soil and shallow water. It can also grow in temperatures between minus 34 C and 47 C. It usually grows on hillsides and in rivers and valleys with a mild climate and sufficient water.
1 Xuedou Mountain, Zhejiang province
An aerial view of colorful dawn redwood trees on the Xuedou Mountain in Shaoxing city, East China’s Zhejiang province. [Photo/IC]
Location: Zhibukeng village, Jidong town, Zhejiang province
General admission: Free
Best viewing period: Autumn to early winter
With a history of hundreds of years, the tranquil ancient road on Xuedou Mountain in Shaoxing city, East China’s Zhejiang province boasts fresh air and beautiful scenery of mountains, rocks, waterfalls, and sluiceways. In the autumn, the waterfalls, dawn redwood trees, ancient road, and wildflowers form an enchanting fairy-tale landscape.
The Xuedou Mountain will make your trip worthwhile. The steep slopes of the mountain create powerful flowing waterfalls. The stream resonates with the mountain, and the nearby lakes are as green as emeralds. The pure beauty there is the mountain’s gift to you, to be enjoyed as you wander its ancient roads.
2 Gutan Reservoir, Zhejiang province
In every late autumn, dawn redwood trees in the Gutan Reservoir, East China’s Zhejiang province dress in gold clothes. [Photo/IC]
General admission: Free
Best viewing period: Late autumn
Location: Guanlu town, Xianju county, Zhejiang province
Every late autumn, dawn redwood trees in the Gutan Reservoir, East China’s Zhejiang province dress in gold clothes, shining in the sunshine and resembling a fairy-tale world. The dawn redwood forest also draws many tourists to wander in the forest, take pictures, breathe the fresh air, and enjoy the tranquility of nature. In just a half month, the dawn redwood leaves will fall off the trees, and the glamorous scenery will be only a memory.
With a capacity of 9.56 million square meters, the Gutan Reservoir is famous among photography enthusiasts for its red pond cypress,(taxodium ascendens), so much so that n the autumn it is also a film shooting location.
3 Aixi Lake Wetland Park, Jiangxi province
Lush dawn redwood trees blot out the sun and resemble torches.[Photo/IC]
General admission: Free
Best viewing period: Winter
Location: Changdong Boulevard, Qingshanhu district, Nanchang city, Jiangxi province
In winter, the dawn redwood forest in the Aixi Lake Wetland Park, Nanchang city, East China’s Jiangxi province looks like a colorful oil painting from a bird’s eye view. The red dawn redwood trees add bright colors to the cold weather and bring vitality to the city. What’s more, the lush dawn redwood trees blot out the sun and resemble torches, creating a solemn atmosphere broken by bright lights. Sitting on the green grass and appreciating the graceful red dawn redwood trees will intoxicate you with beauty.
4 Changtan Hill, Hunan province
The dawn redwood forest in Changtangang matches very well with green trees and resembles a natural palette spilled on the ground.[Photo/IC]
Best viewing period: Early December
General admission: Free
Location: Fenghuang county, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture, Hunan province
In the winter, the dawn redwood forest in Changtangang, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture, Central China’s Hunan province looks magnificent and mixes with the shadows of trees and the blue sky and water like a natural palette spilled on the ground.
5 Xiaohe Seedling Nursery of Dawn Redwood, Hubei province
Lichuan city in Central China’s Hubei province has the largest dawn redwood tree community in the world. [Photo/IC]
Best viewing period: Late autumn
General admission: Free
Location: Zhonglu town, Lichuan city, Hubei province
As the hometown of the dawn redwood, Xiaohe in Lichuan city, Central China’s Hubei province is a seedling nursery that is home to more than 5,000 dawn redwood trees listed for protection, which is the largest dawn redwood tree community in the world. Late autumn is the best time to appreciate a dawn redwood garden in the city. The dawn redwood trees dress in red in the sunshine, and each tree looks like a beautiful lady wearing glamorous makeup. The scene resembles a fairy-tale world and draws many photographers who would like to capture the magic.
6 Baoying Lake National Wetland Park, Jiangsu province
In early winter, the dawn redwood trees dress in red in Baoying Lake National Wetland Park. [Photo/IC]
Best viewing period: Late autumn and early winter
General admission: 40 yuan($6.19)/person
Address: 1 Zhengrun Road, Yangzhou city, Jiangsu province
Early winter is the best time to appreciate the dawn redwood forest in the Baoying Lake National Wetland Park, East China’s Jiangsu province. The dawn redwood trees dress in red and look gorgeous in the sunshine. From a bird’s eye view, they resemble clusters of fire and form a beautiful scroll matching very well the green river, uniquely styled houses, and colorful bridges, attracting many tourists.
7 Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland Scenic Area, Jiangsu province
The dawn redwood forest is dressed in gorgeous colors in early winter in the Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland Scenic Area. [Photo/IC]
Best viewing period: Late autumn and early winter
General admission: 60 yuan($9.19)/person
Location: Chengtou township, Sihong county, Suqian city, Jiangsu province
In the Sihong Hongze Lake Wetland Scenic Area, East China’s Jiangsu province, the dawn redwood forest is dressed in gorgeous colors in early winter. From an aerial view, it looks like a spectacular red ocean. In recent years, relying on its dawn redwood resources, Sihong county has integrated forests with tourism to develop rural tourism. Covering 20 hectares , the dawn redwood forest in the scenic area is a heaven for wild animals and draws many nesting migratory birds.
8 Qingxi Suburban Park, Shanghai
The dawn redwood forest in the Qingxi Suburban Park is the only overwater forest in Shanghai.[Photo/IC]
Best viewing period: Late autumn and early winter
General admission: Free
Address: 500 Zilian Road, Jinze town, Qingpu district, Shanghai
Dubbed a "living fossil", the dawn redwood forest in the Qingxi Suburban Park in Shanghai covers an area of 5.53 hectares (83 acres). Decorated with birds and flashes of light from the lake, this overwater dawn redwood forest in Shanghai looks magnificent. In late autumn and early winter, the green leaves of the dawn redwood gradually turn bronze and red, which look glamorous in the sunlight and seem to demand that tourists take their picture.
9 Nandianchi Wetland Park, Yunnan province
Dawn redwood forests are dubbed the nature guards defending Dianchi Lake in the Nandianchi Wetland Park. [Photo/IC]
Best viewing period: Late autumn to early winter
General admission: Free
Location: Jinning district, Kunming city, Yunnan province
As a large estuarine wetland, the Nandianchi Wetland Park in Kunming is home to vast dawn redwood forests. Known as natural guards defending Dianchi Lake, the forests play an important role in purifying the water and improving the environment. In winter, they form a colorful gorgeous landscape and are a treat for visitors.
10 Songhua Dam Reservoir, Yunnan province
The colorful dawn redwoods resemble an oil painting in Dianwei village, Southwest China’s Yunnan province.[Photo/IC]
Best viewing period: Early winter
General admission: Free
Location: Panlong district, Kunming city, Yunnan province
The early winter is the best season to view the dawn redwood forests in the upstream of the Songhua Dam Reservoir in Dianwei village, Panlong district, Kunming city. On sunny days, the colorful dawn redwoods in the water resemble an oil painting, very refreshing to the mind and spirit.
The Songhua Dam Water Protection Zone is an important source of drinking water. A decade ago, the district, wanting to improve its ecological environment, began building forest buffer zones and purifying the water. Nowadays, the protection zone is a habitat of migratory birds, with beautiful villages, clear water, and a good ecology. The dawn redwood forest has become a special calling card for local tourism.
