Jingyue Lake Ring Trail (Jingyuetan National Forest Park)

The Jingyue Lake Ring Trail circles Jingyuetan, a reservoir lake inside Jingyuetan National Forest Park (净月潭国家森林公园) on the south-east edge of Changchun, Jilin Province, China. The park entrance sits on Jingyue Avenue in Nanguan District and is reached by Metro Line 3 to Jingyuetan National Park station, followed by a walk of about 500 metres (roughly 10 minutes) to the gate, or by city buses 102, 120, 160, 334, 335, 337 and 340. Entry costs ¥30 (about $4.50). Drivers can use the car parks near the main gate, and no separate hiking permit is required. The full loop is recorded at roughly 17-20 km depending on whether the ring road or the boardwalk sections are followed, with a Komoot route logged at 18.5 km. The terrain is gentle and rolling, with no verified elevation-gain figure, so the main challenge is distance rather than gradient. Surfaces alternate between paved ring road, packed dirt forest paths and timber boardwalks beside the water. Much of the route runs under planted pine and mixed forest, which gives good shade in summer, while open lakeshore stretches are exposed to sun and wind. Landmarks include the lakeshore viewing platforms, the forest-park gate area and the boardwalks that follow the shoreline. Because the loop is long, many visitors split it: the park sightseeing bus runs one way along the west ring road at ¥10 per ride or ¥20 for a day pass, so a hiker can ride one side and walk the other, or turn back at any point and rejoin the bus. Water and snacks are sold near the entrances but supplies thin out along the far side of the lake, so carrying water is sensible. There are no mountain huts; shelter is limited to pavilions and visitor buildings near the gate and viewpoints. In autumn the foliage draws the heaviest crowds, and in winter the park is used for snow activities rather than lake-loop hiking. Payment inside the park generally relies on Alipay or WeChat, and an offline Amap map helps with navigating the junctions between ring road and boardwalk.