Heshigten Global Geopark

[5] Five scenic areas in the granite forest are nicknamed the moon castle (月亮城堡), sworn brothers (桃园结义), eagle with folded wings (雄鹰敛翅), fortress besieged (围城), and live folk entertainment (民俗生活娱乐).

The two-square-kilometer area contains over 300 potholes ranging in size from 50 cm to a few meters, with shapes resembling pots, jars, spoons, buckets, and basins.

[9] Dali Nur (Chinese 达里诺尔 or 达来诺尔) is a lake in the western part of Hexigten Banner, with several park areas near its shores.

Volcanic features include a basalt plateau and the large "plugs" of extinct volcanos, which once formed islands in the lake when water levels were higher.

It is an ecologically sensitive region, undergoing rapid desertification because of overgrazing: from the 1960s to 2000, the fraction of Hunshandake occupied by sand dunes increased from 2% to 33%.

Location of Heshigten Global Geopark in China
Dali Nur lake, with craters in the volcanic area to the northwest. Hunshandak Sandland is to the south of the lake. NASA Landsat imagery.