Due to its northerly location, often under control of non-Chinese nations, the mountain has a weaker history of pilgrimage than its four fellows.

The main peak is a lovely hike of around three hours round trip from the parking lot (a few miles up the mountain from where you buy the ticket), with the summit covered in fragrant lilac blossoms in June, and temples set into the cliffs.

The slopes are largely covered with hemlocks, pines, elm, fir, poplar, and hawthorn, in the barer areas.

During the Han dynasty, a temple called the Shrine of the Northern Peak (Beiyue Miao), dedicated to the mountain god was built on Hengshan's slopes.

While periodically destroyed and rebuilt, this temple has an uninterrupted history from Han times to the present day.