Sheshan National Forest Park (佘山国家森林公园)
Park · Songjiang · Shanghai. Shanghai's only hills: a hilltop basilica, an old observatory and bamboo trails.
Source: https://chinafootnotes.com/places/sheshan-national-forest-park · Data checked 2026-10-02 · Rendered for 2026-10-03 (Asia/Shanghai). Facts carry their status; "not found yet" means we searched and found no reliable source.
Notices in effect
- 2026-09-23 to 2026-10-25: 'Forest Encounter Sheshan' forest tourism season: nature, sports and art activities.
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-03: Metro Line 9 runs extended late service.
Why go
Shanghai is flat, so Sheshan's low wooded hills in Songjiang are its weekend mountains. Climb West Sheshan (西佘山) through bamboo to a Song-dynasty pagoda, China's oldest modern observatory and the twin-towered Sheshan Basilica (佘山圣母大殿) on the summit. It is a mix of nature and history you will not find in the city.
What to do
- Climb West Sheshan to the basilica. Paved steps and a one-way wooden trail climb the 98.8 m hill past the Xiuzhu pagoda and the Stations of the Cross to Sheshan Basilica, built 1871–1935.
- Visit the old observatory. The Sheshan Observatory, China's oldest astronomy observatory, is now a museum with historic telescopes. Entry was ¥12 in the 2023 tourism guide.
- Walk East Sheshan's bamboo. East Sheshan (东佘山) is free and quieter: 368 steps take you to the 74 m top through bamboo groves known for their shoots.
- Bag Shanghai's highest hill. Tianmashan (天马山, 99.8 m) is the city's highest point (¥10), and small Xiaokunshan (小昆山) costs ¥6.
- Don't miss: The view of the basilica's twin towers from the observatory terrace on the way up West Sheshan.
- Best time: Clear weekdays in spring or autumn
- Skip if: Skip it if you expect real mountains; the highest hill is under 100 m.
Practical details
- Hours: 08:30–17:00; from 8 Oct 08:30–16:30
- 1 May–7 Oct (05-01 to 10-07), Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 08:30–17:00
- 8 Oct–30 Apr (10-08 to 04-30), Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 08:30–16:30, last entry 16:00
- Seasonal times from a 2023 tourism-bureau article; a 2026 travel-agency page gives West Sheshan 08:00–16:30.
- Admission: East & West Sheshan free · observatory ¥12
- Sheshan Observatory museum: ¥12 — 2023 guide
- Tianmashan (天马山): ¥10 — Separate hill
- Xiaokunshan (小昆山): ¥6 — Separate hill
- Paid hills: children under 1.2 m free, 1.2–1.4 m half; age 60–69 half, 70+ free with ID.
- Booking: Advance-booking rule unconfirmed
- Passport accepted: unknown — Entry is free, but whether ID is checked or a passport works for any real-name requirement is not confirmed.
- For the May Day peak in 2024 (30 Apr–31 May), West Sheshan used real-name QR booking capped at 33,300 visitors a day.
- Last admission: 16:00 (8 Oct–30 Apr)
- Time to allow: 2–4 hr
- Getting there: Line 9 · Sheshan, then Songjiang bus 92
- Metro Line 9 to Sheshan (佘山), about 3 min walk
- Show a taxi driver: 佘山国家森林公园西佘山园（松江区佘山镇）
- Map: Apple Maps · Amap 高德
- Address: 9258 Qingsong Highway, Sheshan Town, Songjiang district, as listed by the official tourism directory. East and West Sheshan have separate gates; choose the specific hill.
- Foreign visitors: Free hills; Mass at the basilica is in Chinese
Not found yet
- transport.metro[0].exit: No official exit number for the bus 92 stop at Sheshan station; only an aggregated search snippet mentions Exit 1. (searched: official, WebSearch, media, blog)
- booking.required: A 2024 May Day real-name quota notice does not establish ordinary-day booking or ID rules in 2026; the tourism guide only establishes free admission. (searched: People’s Daily 2024 notice, official tourism guide, government web search)
- booking.passport.accepted: Free entry does not establish whether ID is checked or whether a passport is accepted. (searched: People’s Daily 2024 notice, official tourism guide, government web search)
- foreignVisitors.idToBring: No current official statement on which ID visitors must carry. (searched: People’s Daily 2024 notice, official tourism guide, government web search)
Traveler tips
- Closing moves to 16:30 from 8 October. From 1 May to 7 October the park opens 08:30–17:00. From 8 October to 30 April it closes at 16:30 and stops letting people in at 16:00. Leave central Shanghai by about 11:00 if you want time to climb West Sheshan and see the basilica. source
- Line 9, then bus 92 to the right hill. Take Metro Line 9 to Sheshan (佘山) station and change to Songjiang bus 92 (松江92路). For West Sheshan, with the basilica and observatory, get off at the 佘山 (Sheshan) stop; for East Sheshan get off at 森林公园 (Forest Park). The two hills have separate gates, so decide first. source
- Climb West Sheshan in about 30 minutes. From the West Sheshan gate a long flight of stone steps leads to a one-way tree-lined plank trail, then a paved path to the 98.8 m summit. On the way you pass the Xiuzhu pagoda (秀道者塔), the observatory and the shrines of the Stations of the Cross before reaching the basilica at the top. Caveat: Climb time is editorial; the sources give the route but not minutes. source
- See the old telescopes at the observatory. Sheshan Observatory (佘山天文台) is China's oldest modern astronomy observatory and now a museum. It displays historic telescopes alongside modern equipment, including a 1.64 m optical telescope. The 2023 tourism guide lists a ¥12 ticket. source
- Visit the basilica with respect. Sheshan Basilica (佘山圣母大殿) is an active Catholic pilgrimage church. Mass is always said in Chinese, and May is the traditional pilgrim month; a June 2025 report says organised pilgrimages have dropped sharply since January 2025 under new restrictions. Dress modestly and keep quiet inside. source
- Take the quiet bamboo steps on East Sheshan. East Sheshan (东佘山) is free and has fewer visitors. 368 steps climb to the 74 m top through bamboo groves famous for their spring shoots. Choose it if you want a short forest walk rather than the church and observatory. source
- Forest season events until 25 October. From 23 September to 25 October 2026 the park runs its 'Forest Encounter Sheshan' (森遇佘山) season with nature talks, sports activities and art experiences. Expect more visitors at weekends during this period. source
- Climb Tianmashan, Shanghai's highest hill. If you want the city's actual high point, go to Tianmashan (天马山), 99.8 m, a separate hill in the same forest park with a ¥10 ticket; small Xiaokunshan (小昆山, 53.6 m) costs ¥6. The 2025 tourism-bureau list confirms both prices. They are quieter than West Sheshan but further from the Line 9 station, so take a taxi between hills. source
- Carry a passport at West Sheshan. At the West Sheshan entrance of Sheshan National Forest Park (佘山国家森林公园), have your original passport ready at the staffed gate. Follow the entrance instructions before the bag check. Caveat: One Japanese visitor in September 2025 was asked to write a name and phone number in a ledger after showing a passport. This does not establish the current entry rule for every hill or visitor. source
Sources
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government (published 2023-12-05)
- Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
- Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (published 2023-07-24)
- Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (meet-in-shanghai) (published 2023-07-24)
- Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (meet-in-shanghai)
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government (published 2023-12-05)
- NetEase news (published 2026-09-25)
- 上海本地宝 (published 2023-05-08)
- Wing On Travel (travel agency)
- Anne S. Tsui (US-China Catholic Association) (published 2025-06-08)
- Shentong Metro / Shanghai Municipal People's Government (published 2026-09-28)
- Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (乐游上海) (published 2025-09-12)
- People's Daily Online Shanghai / 上海发布 (published 2024-04-29)
- note (published 2025-09-12)