Conquering Shenzhen's "Number One Peak": An Adventure on Dayangtai Mountain

Dayangtai Mountain Forest Park is located at the junction of several districts in Shenzhen and is known as the "urban oxygen bar". The park features two peaks: Dayangtai (587.1 meters) and Xiaoyangtai (460.7 meters), with hiking trails starting from Shiyang Square and Dalang Square. My destination today is the taller Dayangtai. Shiyang Square has multiple parking spots, offering both a steep trail and a gentle path for ascending the mountain. Despite the steepness of the steps, I chose this route. Along the way, I encountered water carriers, witnessing the popularity of Shenzhen's mountain spring water. Feeling tired, I switched to the longer but gentler path. Along the way, I passed the "Guancanghai" viewpoint and the "Fengmen'ao" archway with a vending machine, marking two-thirds of the journey completed. Upon reaching the summit, I looked around at the scenery, which felt less grand than that of Xiaoyangtai. For the descent, I continued on the step trail. Although it put more pressure on my knees, I discovered that there were several sections and small scenic spots along the route that connected with the ascent path.