Snake Hill is the long thin ridge that runs east-west through Wuchang, ending at the Yangtze, and the home of the Yellow Crane Tower at its tip. The name comes from the snaking shape of the ridge as seen from above; together with Tortoise Hill in Hanyang it forms the geographical heart of Wuhan, and dragon-and-tortoise iconography runs through the city's poetry and folklore.
The slopes of Snake Hill are landscaped park, with stairs and paths climbing past pavilions, gardens, and a small temple. Apart from the Yellow Crane Tower itself, the most interesting feature is the Baiyun Pavilion, a small viewpoint with a different angle on the river. The walk along the hill from the tower to the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge takes about half an hour.