The Laoyaoshan meadow hike is closed: don't let anyone take you up
Dongpo village, Hutiaoxia, Shangri-La
Laoyaoshan is a high meadow at about 3,700 m above Tiger Leaping Gorge, looking across to Haba and Jade Dragon snow mountains, and its meadow loop was still being promoted as a hike in 2025. It lies inside the Haba Snow Mountain nature reserve, and on 10 February 2026 the Shangri-La city government closed the reserve's undeveloped areas, naming Laoyaoshan and listing the meadow loop and four other routes that start or end there among the banned trails. Hiking, camping, horse riding and similar activities there are now banned, only research, monitoring and rescue teams can apply to go in, entering without approval can bring a fine of ¥100–5,000, and anyone who needs rescuing pays their share of the cost. On 29 September 2026 the reserve's managers and the Hutiaoxia and Sanba governments repeated the ban.
What locals sayWrite-ups from before the ban praise the June rhododendrons and the snow-peak views, but the notice now bans publishing route guides into the closed areas.
- In Chinese
- 老药山
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Based on what locals and regular visitors share, checked against current sources · Updated September 2026. Details change — check opening times locally.
