The objective of this paper was to investigate the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in sediments of Yuxi River during dry and wet seasons, and to evaluate their potential ecological risk. The average concentrations of As, Hg, Cu, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd and Zn were 75.2, 1.528, 84.4, 107.1, 65.6, 28.4, 9.00 and 738 mg·kg^-1 respectively, which were all above the soil background values of Yunnan Province except Ni. The concentration of Cd was significantly positively correlated with TP, and the concentrations of As, Hg, Pb, Cu, Cr, Zn and Ni were significantly correlated to each other, indicating that these heavy metals had the same sources. The sequence of potential ecological risk of heavy metals was Cd > Hg > As > Pb > Cu > Zn > Ni >Cr. Average potential ecological risk index of the sediments of the whole river was 2362.2 (ranging 151-12621), suggesting a very high ecological risk. In addition, the ecological risk indexes were higher in the upriver than in the downriver. The main heavy metals in the sediments of Yuxi River were mainly from the industrial discharge from Hongta district of Yuxi.