Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
17 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
17 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
17 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
17 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All China Zhangye Shi Zhangye National Geopark

Zhangye National Geopark

These layered sandstone mountains in China look like they are made of pressed crayons.

Zhangye Shi, China

Added By
hannahlund252
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Zhangye National Geopark   vil_sandi / CC BY-ND 2.0
Zhangye National Geopark   vil_sandi / CC BY-ND 2.0
Colorful geological strata   yymark4 / Atlas Obscura User
Danxia Landforms  
Danxia Landforms  
Moonrise over the badlands   yymark4 / Atlas Obscura User
Geological formations viewed from above   yymark4 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

What would you get if you mixed rainbow and rock? The Zhangye Danxia Landforms might be an example.

Found along the path of the Silk Road in Northwestern China's Gansu Province, this stupefying array of colorful geology awaits those who are willing to find it. Vivid reds, oranges, and yellows stripe along the mountains in technicolor harmony with rocks allegedly shaped like animals and mythical creatures. This geological park also offers several hiking areas and scenic overlooks to fully enjoy the color. That being said, visitors don't need to struggle to see the rainbow rocks.

Where did the rainbow come from? The answer is not as magical as one might hope: different layers of sandstone dating back millions of years. With erosion, wind, and weather, the colorful layers were formed.

But what matters isn't why there are rainbow mountains, but that somewhere out in the wild, a place like this actually exists. And no, it's not through the looking glass. 

Related Tags

Rocks Geology Geological Oddities

Know Before You Go

Zhangye is on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang railway line, and the Zhangye Danxia Landforms can be reached via bus from Zhangye. There are buses within the park to get between sites.

Community Contributors

Added By

hannahlund252

Edited By

kostas1964ath, Michelle Cassidy, yymark4

  • kostas1964ath
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • yymark4

Published

May 14, 2015

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.chinahighlights.com/zhangye/attraction/danxia-landform-geological-park.htm
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/rainbow-mountains-china-danxia-landform_n_3683840.html
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/9550531/Colourful-rock-formations-in-the-Zhangye-Danxia-Landform-Geological-Park.html
Zhangye National Geopark
Zhangye Shi
China
38.916126, 100.132244

Nearby Places

Mati Si

Zhangye Shi, China

miles away

Mystery Lakes of the Badain Jaran Desert

Alxa, China

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zhangye Shi

Zhangye Shi

China

Places 2

Nearby Places

Mati Si

Zhangye Shi, China

miles away

Mystery Lakes of the Badain Jaran Desert

Alxa, China

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zhangye Shi

Zhangye Shi

China

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

17 of the World's Most Beautifully Broken Places

List

By Kerry Wolfe

Related Places

  • Colorful sandstone cliff just west of the Colorock Quarry.

    Moapa Valley, Nevada

    Buffington Pockets

    The rocks exposed at Valley of Fire State Park also occur in a much less known but equally spectacular area a few miles to the southwest.

  • Fluorescent Andersonite from Utah.

    Tempe, Arizona

    Miners Rock Shop

    A family-owned store specializing in minerals, geodes, gemstones, and more.

  • Grampian, Pennsylvania

    Bilger's Rocks

    Rocky outcrops containing overhangs, caves, fissures, clefts, and alcoves that invite exploration and scrambling.

  • Mexican Hat

    Mexican Hat, Utah

    Mexican Hat

    This balancing rock is one of Utah's most unusual geological formations.

  • Mortana, Australia

    Murphy’s Haystacks

    These oddly shaped pink granite formations got their name after being mistaken for massive piles of hay.

  • Edmaier’s Secret

    Big Water, Utah

    Edmaier's Secret

    This hidden gem in Arizona is truly worth the rugged journey.

  • Mina de Mármol

    Cuatrociénegas, Mexico

    Mina de Mármol

    A former travertine mine traces the geological history of this unique desert filled with crystalline blue pools.

  • Brady’s Rocks are the southernmost surface exposure of the massive Niagara Escarpment.

    Eagle, Wisconsin

    Brady's Rocks

    These modest Midwestern formations are kin to Niagara Falls' impressive cliffs, more than 600 miles away.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.