Huashan Central Peak (Jade Girl Peak) Trail

Central Peak, also called Jade Girl Peak after a legend involving a princess who is said to have become an immortal there, is the smallest and most central of Mount Hua's five summits near Huayin, Shaanxi, sitting at roughly 2,042.5 m. It functions as a short connecting link rather than a standalone destination, with the trail covering only about 1 km between the North, East, and South Peak routes as part of the mountain's linked ridge circuit. The path is stone stairway similar to the rest of the mountain, with modest ups and downs rather than a sustained climb, and can be walked in under an hour from either the North Peak cable car area or the East Peak junction. The summit holds the Jade Girl Temple, dedicated to the legendary figure the peak is named for, along with a small terrace offering views across the surrounding ridgeline toward the taller South and East Peaks. Because it sits at the junction of several routes, Central Peak sees a steady flow of foot traffic throughout the day, and there are small vendors near the temple selling drinks, incense, and souvenirs. There is no dedicated water source, but the peak's position between the busier North and East Peak areas means bottled water is easy to obtain nearby. Most visitors pass through Central Peak as part of a longer loop covering several summits rather than visiting it in isolation, given how short and central the trail segment is.