The Diaoshuilou waterfall sits at the northern end of Jingpo Lake, where the Mudan River drops twelve metres across a basalt ledge that is among the widest waterfalls in China — up to 40 metres across in high water, and never less than impressive. The falls are the single most visited point in the Jingpohu National Forest Park, and for good reason: the combination of the basalt geology, the forest-framed drop, and the lake behind it produces a genuinely spectacular set piece.
The volume of the falls varies significantly with rainfall and season. Spring snowmelt and the summer rainy season (July–August) produce the heaviest flows; late autumn and winter see the falls reduced and eventually frozen. The surrounding maple and birch forest turns red and gold in October, making autumn the most photogenic season overall, though the summer flow is the most powerful. Boat tours from the lakeside can approach the falls from the water, giving a different perspective from the footpath viewpoints on the bank.