I. Introduction
Hukou Waterfall is formed as the Yellow River reaches the area of Hukou, where the river is confined between steep mountains, creating a narrow canyon. The river water converges and rushes through this constriction, with the river mouth narrowing to a width similar to that of a teapot’s spout, hence the name Hukou Waterfall. Upstream of the waterfall, the Yellow River’s surface is 300 meters wide, and within a distance of less than 500 meters, it is compressed to a width of 20-30 meters. With a flow rate of 1000 cubic meters per second, the river water cascades from a cliff over 20 meters high, creating the grandeur of ‘a thousand miles of the Yellow River gathered in one pot.’
II. Climate
The region where Hukou Waterfall is located has a warm temperate, humid, semi-humid, and semi-arid climate. The average annual temperature is 9.9°C, with the hottest month (July) averaging 23.3°C and the coldest month (January) averaging -5.7°C, resulting in an annual temperature range of 29°C. The extreme highest temperature is 39.9°C, and the lowest is -22.4°C. The annual precipitation is 577.2 millimeters, with approximately 60% concentrated in the months of July, August, and September. The area experiences concurrent rainy and hot seasons, with frequent heavy rains. The region has distinct seasons, with a short and slightly hot summer, a slightly longer and dry cold winter, and mild and variable spring and autumn seasons.III. Best Viewing Time
The scenery of Hukou varies with the seasons, but there are two optimal times to view Hukou throughout the year. These are during the flood seasons when the water volume is at its peak. One is in April and May, known as the ‘Peach Blossom Flood,’ which is the time of the year with the greatest water volume. The other is in July and August of the second half of the year, during the rainy season when precipitation is abundant, also a period of rich water flow.IV. Unique Landscapes of Hukou
Water Mist Rising from the Bottom The rapid flow of water creates a large drop, causing water mist to rise and fill the air, sounding like thunder and resembling thick smoke billowing from the bottom of a pool, reaching the sky. The water mist covers the sky, with smoke swirling around. Land Boats The significant drop of Hukou Waterfall, combined with the long, narrow, and deep trench below the waterfall, makes navigation for watercraft challenging. In the past, boats traveling downstream from upstream of Hukou had to stop at Longwang Temple above Hukou, unload all the goods, and transport them along the riverbank using human porters and animal carriages to the downstream wharf. Meanwhile, the empty boats were pulled out of the water by hand, with round wooden rollers placed under the boats, allowing them to roll along the riverbank until reaching a slower section of the water downstream, where the boats were refloated, loaded with goods, and continued their journey. This manual dragging of boats on land was very labor-intensive, often requiring hundreds of people to pull the boats with great effort. Despite the use of round wooden rollers, the stone riverbanks were still scratched by the iron nails on the bottoms of the boats.Ice Waterfall Spectacle
Usually, the Hukou Waterfall is known for its ‘thousand cows roaring’ rapids, but in its ‘calmness,’ it presents a different charm. The Yellow River water flows down through ice formations of various shapes and layers of ice blocks, creating a beautiful rainbow in the water mist under the sunlight. A beautiful ice bridge is formed at the base of the waterfall, which makes people marvel at the extraordinary craftsmanship of nature.In the deep winter season when the Dragon Channel is frozen, the water columns formed by the overflow on both banks are like ice peaks of different sizes hanging upside down on the cliff. The rainbow appears and disappears from time to time, wandering among them. The colorful and crystal-clear colors set off each other, making tourists all sigh at the magic of nature.
The water mist formed by the repeated impact of the Hukou Waterfall rises into the air, causing the sunlight to refract and form a rainbow. Sometimes the rainbow is in an arc shape, inserting into the water from the sky, like a long dragon sucking water. Sometimes it is a straight ribbon lying across the water surface, like a colorful bridge spanning. Sometimes there are colorful clusters in the thick smoke and fog, colorful and erratic, confusing. In the Qin-Jin Grand Canyon, the Yellow River flows through. The surging waves are like thousands of troops and horses, galloping and roaring, and the sound shakes the river valley. When the waterfall plunges and repeatedly impacts the rocks and water surface, it produces a huge sound and echoes in the valley, just like thousands of drums sounding together. It is like a thunder in a dry day, and the sound can be heard tens of miles away. Only near the Hukou Waterfall can one truly feel that ‘the Yellow River is roaring’. Standing at the Hukou Waterfall, I am deeply shocked by the breathtaking power. Suddenly, I understand the artistic conception of the Yellow River coming from the sky and flowing into the sea without returning. I feel the majestic power of the Yellow River Chorus. Magnificent! Beautiful! Five. Precautions 1. The riverbanks on both sides of the waterfall are all relatively flat large rocks, covered with a layer of loess. There is no fence around the waterfall. Pay special attention to safety and don’t stand too close. 2. The journey is long and the travel time by car is long. It is best to bring some small snacks for eating on the way. 3. Pay attention to choosing a tour group that includes lunch. It is not easy to find a place to eat there. 4. Pay attention to sun protection. Wearing a hat is very important. 5. Travel civilizedly, take good care of the environmental sanitation of the scenic area and do not litter. 6. After the trip, when you get home, take a bath and apply a mask before going to sleep.
