Which mountain range contains the ancient rock towers of Zhangjiajie in China?

The Wuling Mountains contain the ancient quartz-sandstone rock towers of Zhangjiajie in China.

The Wuling Mountains are a range in central China, crossing parts of Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, and Guizhou. Their dramatic landscapes include the sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the surrounding Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

The pillars were shaped over immense periods by uplift, weathering, erosion, and the action of water. Dense vegetation, mist, and steep cliffs give the area its distinctive appearance. Wulingyuan was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 for its exceptional natural scenery.

The landscape is sometimes linked in popular culture with the floating mountains shown in the film Avatar, although the real formations were not literally floating and the film’s direct inspirations are described in different ways. Zhangjiajie is a scenic area within the wider Wuling mountain region, not the name of the entire range.