Tianmen Mountain (Tianmen Shan)

Most visitors reach the mountain by riding the world’s longest aerial tramway—a 4-mile (7-kilometer) journey that takes about 30 minutes. Once on the mountain, visitors can choose to test their courage on a cliff-hanging walkway or a pair of glass skywalks. A 2-person chairlift ferries visitors to the summit of Tianmen Mountain, and a tourist bus winds along the 99 Bends to a natural cave in the mountain face. Tianmen Mountain features on virtually all multi-day tours of Zhangjiajie.

• Tianmen Mountain is popular with outdoor enthusiasts and families.

• The mountain area is quite large with little signage in English, so it’s a good idea to visit on a guided tour.

• Dress in layers, as temperatures can vary greatly depending on where on the mountain you are.

• Public restrooms with squat toilets are located at every major scenic spot on the mountain.

Tianmen Mountain is situated just south of Zhangjiajie City outside the bounds of the national park. While Zhangjiajie has a small airport, most visitors take a bus or train from Changsha, located about four hours away.

The period between April and October tends to offer the best weather for taking in the scenery on Tianmen Mountain. You’ll want to visit on a clear day, and September is a good bet. Avoid visiting on Chinese national holidays, as the mountain is hugely popular with Chinese tourists.

Travelers can get a workout during a visit to Tianmen Mountain by conquering the 999 steep and narrow steps known as the Stairway to Heaven. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the top, where you’ll find a water-eroded hole through the mountain, as well as a small cave. While the views aren’t the best, the bragging rights are hard to beat.

The most common climb on Tianmen Mountain is not from the base to the summit. It’s the ascent from Cave Square to the mountain’s towering “Heaven’s Door” keyhole cave. Fit travelers take about 30 minutes to complete this climb via 999 steps that locals call the Stairway to Heaven.

The main Tianmen Skywalk, known as the Coiling Dragon Cliff, is suspended about 4,600 feet (1,400 meters) above sea level. The sheer vertical drop below the 100-meter-long (110-yard-long) skywalk, however, while terrifying, is much smaller: The entire mountain is less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) high.

Tianmen Mountain is a hugely popular attraction, so you should plan your visit outside weekends: Tuesdays and Wednesdays are good days. Be careful to avoid China’s Golden Week holidays at the start of May and October as both draw domestic tourists to Zhangjiajie and Tianmen Mountain.

Yes, if you have time, Tianmen Mountain is definitely worth it, particularly if heights fill you with thrills, not fear. If you only have a day or two to explore all of Zhangjiajie, you may choose to focus on Zhangjiajie National Forest Park instead.

No, you can’t drive on Tianmen Mountain. Tempting as the dramatic and winding 99 Bends road is, it’s closed to everything but official tour buses. The road has, however, hosted special events, including cycle races, a Red Bull “drift king” race, and a racing driver’s world record attempt.

No, Tianmen Mountain is not dangerous. There have been no accidental deaths on the skywalks, and the cable car has a 100% safety record, although a cyclist did die in a race on the 99 Bends road. Travelers with cardiovascular issues should not try to climb the Stairway to Heaven.