Abstract: In order to investigate the effects of recreation on the plant diversity in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, through the survey of the biodiversity change in different transect distance road, the authors analyzed the impact of tourism exploitation on plant diversity. The results showed that the species richness of tree, shrub and herb layer was the lowest in the transect 1 and the values were 24, 4 and 28, respectively. The species richness index of the tree layer was the highest in the transect 2 and the value was 37. The species richness index of shrub and herb layer was the highest in the transect 3 and the values were 7 and 48. There was a negative correlation between Simpson index and species richness index of tree, shrub and herb layer, while Shannon-Wiener index and species richness had a positive correlation. The order of important value of tree, shrub and herb layer was transect 3＞transect 2＞transect 1, and the forest recreation had significant effects on plant diversity in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.