In Anning Town, Jinchuan County, a ribbon of asphalt leaves the Dajinchuan River Valley and repeatedly folds across the slopes of Muma Mountain. This is Jinchuan’s Muma Road — a remarkable mountain drive combining 49 consecutive hairpin turns, more than 1,200 meters of climbing and a very Sichuan sense of humor.

The main Muma Road section is about 12 km long and contains 49 turns. Seen from above, the road stacks across the mountainside like a black ribbon, a layout that has even invited comparisons with the famous Panlong Ancient Road in Xinjiang. Our complete drive is slightly longer, beginning on the streets of Anning Town and continuing for 13.6 km to Shanwaishan, rising from 2,105 to 3,354 meters.

But the hairpins are only half the reason this road became famous.

Along the climb are 24 playful scenic signs, deliberately separated from official traffic signs. One says, “Only one kilometer left — I’d be a puppy if I were lying,” only for the next sign to reply, “Woof, woof, woof.” Others joke that “cities have tricks, mountains have turns,” or congratulate you for reaching halfway and “beating 60% of veteran drivers.”

So why does a mountain road tell jokes?

Driving dozens of consecutive bends during a long climb can become tiring. Local officials, guesthouse owners and younger newcomers therefore turned humor into part of the journey. The signs are placed where they do not obstruct drivers’ sightlines and are clearly separated from genuine warning signs. Their purpose is to ease fatigue and make drivers curious about what the next bend will reveal. The fun of Muma Road is therefore not just an internet nickname — the road genuinely interacts with you as you climb.

Muma Road was not originally built as a tourist attraction. It grew from an old horse route and village road used for everyday travel and transporting goods. Parts were once rough dirt road. Rural infrastructure improvements eventually brought smooth asphalt, while Jinchuan’s pear-blossom tourism, road trips and rural guesthouses transformed a practical village road into a destination of its own.

Today, the Muma Mountain and Bajiaodiao Village area has more than 20 distinctive guesthouses, alongside cafés, creative studios and other rural tourism businesses. Below lies the Dajinchuan River Valley, a landscape associated with Jinchuan’s ancient pear orchards, Jiarong Tibetan villages and traditional stone watchtowers. Nearby Anning Town also preserves historical sites linked to the Qianlong-era Jinchuan campaigns.

We drove uphill on September 16 under an overcast sky. The low clouds added depth to the surrounding mountains as the valley gradually dropped farther below with every hairpin.

This is not an extreme off-road route. Muma Road is now fully paved and suitable for ordinary cars. What makes it memorable is the concentration of 49 hairpins, an actual elevation gain of 1,249 meters, constantly changing views over the Dajinchuan Valley — and a mountain road that keeps joking with you all the way uphill.

📍 Route Information
🚗 Route: Jinchuan Muma Road
▶️ Start: Streets of Anning Town, Jinchuan County
🏁 End: Shanwaishan
📏 Distance: 13.6 km
⏱️ Driving Time: 37 minutes
📅 Filmed: September 16
⛰️ Elevation: 2,105–3,354 m
☁️ Weather: Overcast

Immersive 4K driving with no narration and no music — only the real sounds of the road, vehicle and surroundings.

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