Taiwan Trails and Tales

a guide to get you out of the city and into the hills

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Best Hikes in Taipei

BATTLESHIP ROCK and PHOENIX MOUNTAIN (軍艦岩/丹鳳山)

May 23, 2026May 23, 2026 / taiwantrailsandtales / Leave a comment

Battleship Rock is a prominent chunk of sandstone standing out against the skyline of Taipei's Beitou District. There is a complex web of trails criss-crossing the area, so you can climb it ten times in ten different ways, but the route taken here is the one that Taiwan's hikers have voted as being one of the best hikes you can do in Taipei.

ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN (象山)

November 20, 2024September 23, 2026 / taiwantrailsandtales / 5 Comments

Hiking Elephant Mountain (or Xiang Shan), is one of the ultimate Taipei travel experiences and while there are many possible routes, this specific one has been voted to be one of the 100 best hiking trails in Taiwan.

JINBAOLI TRAIL (金包里大路)

October 19, 2024September 23, 2026 / taiwantrailsandtales / Leave a comment

This historic trail in Yangmingshan National Park is a section of a longer trail of connecting Shilin with Jinshan. This section is a beautiful and gentle walk with different types of scenery to enjoy along the way.

YANGMINGSHAN EAST-WEST TRAIL (陽明山西東縱走)

September 14, 2024March 18, 2025 / taiwantrailsandtales / 8 Comments

Are you ready to take on Yangmingshan's National Park's biggest challenge? The 26-kilometre Yangmingshan East-West Trail is a tough trail with lots of lovely scenery to offer those who are foolhardy enough to take it on.

QIXING SHAN NIGHT HIKE (七星山夜爬)

June 24, 2022September 23, 2026 / taiwantrailsandtales / Leave a comment

Qixing Shan attracts walkers year-round for its expansive views, bamboo-lined paths and volcanic geology. As Taipei's highest mountain, it is a must-climb for the city's population of avid hikers, but how many of them can say they have climbed it in the dark?

MOUNT DATUN MULTI PEAK TRAIL (大屯主峰連峰步道)

February 14, 2019September 23, 2026 / taiwantrailsandtales / 2 Comments

img_1519 Right on the western edge of Yangmingshan National Park you can find a quieter alternative to some of the park's busier walks. The Mount Datun trail takes in three peaks. Short but strenuous roped sections lead you over the west and south peaks followed by some serious steps up to the main peak, and then a gentle coasting down to finish at Erziping.

Taiwan Trails and Tales Facebook

Taiwan Trails and Tales Facebook
While this week’s post isn’t visiting somewhere I hadn’t been before, it does offer a new (to me) way of experiencing it. The Qixing Mountain Three-Way (yes, I took some liberties with that translation of the Chinese name because it entertains me to do so), is the best way to ensure you see all aspects of Taipei’s tallest mountain. Another Xiao Bai Yue ticked off! This time, it’s Mount Dadong in Chiayi’s Zhuqi Township. The walk starts close to the old railway town of Fenqihu, climbing to a high of 1,976 metres before heading back down more or less the same way. This big-sky bike ride along Dongshan River felt like breathing a sigh of relief after all these low-cloud rainy days we’ve been having.

Note: Taiwan Trails and Tales has been going for over eight years now, so there are a fair few dead links and bits of information that need updating on the site. If you find one, I would greatly appreciate it if you let me know either by commenting on that post or by dropping me a line in the contact form (on the "About" page) so that I can remove or update it.

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