Tianmen Mountain rises directly behind Zhangjiajie city, accessible by a cable car that runs from the central Suoxi Road station all the way to the summit — a 7.5-kilometre journey that claims to be the world's longest alpine passenger cableway and takes about 30 minutes. The view from the gondola covers the city, its surrounding hills, and then transitions to the high cliffs and forest of the mountain itself.
At the summit, the Heaven Gate Cave — a natural arch 130 metres high and 60 metres wide — is the defining sight. Reaching it requires either climbing 999 stone steps up the cliff face or taking the park's internal buses along a road with 99 bends that has become a tourist attraction in its own right. Three glass-floored walkway sections extend over the cliff edges at various points on the summit plateau, offering views straight down the cliff face. The mountain is less crowded than Wulingyuan and the ticket (around ¥258 for cable car and park combined) includes both the cable car and internal buses. A separate trail system covers the forested slopes for visitors who want to walk rather than ride.