The effects of gravel mulch on soil microbial population, enzyme activity, and physicochemical properties were evaluated on the wasteland in Xiang shan area, Zhongwei City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Four typical sites were selected as a chronological sequence ( 3, 8, 15, and 25 years) and an adjacent no n-mulched gravel land was taken as the control. Results indicated that compared with the control, the number of microbes in the gravel mulched field was decreased. With the increased year of gravel mulched field, soil urinary enzyme activity presented a declined trend. The contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, and potassium declined for the sites of 3, 8, and 15 years. The soil water content in gravel mulched field was higher than the control, but the total salt content was much lower than the control.It is suggested that gravel mulch on wasteland can restore vegetation through preserving water, but soil fertility and microbial biomass are low .