Alishan has been a popular destination with tourists for decades, the lure of the mountain air and beautiful forest scenery drawing in the crowds. These days visitors still flock to the park to enjoy the forest, the sunrise and the picturesque little red trains that ply the narrow-gauge tracks through the trees. This trail will take you on a short and easy wander around some of the sights.
MICRO ADVENTURES
KOUSHAN TRAIL (口山步道)
Koushan Trail is a short and gentle stroll in Miaoli's rural Zaoqiao Township. In the days when most travel was done on foot, it was part of the old footpath that used to link the village of Zaoqiao with the village of Tanwen further over towards the coast.
BIHU TRAIL (碧湖步道)
This really easy walk in Neihu is suitable for pretty much anyone who can climb a few steps. In the summer remember to bring a towel so you can have a paddle in the stream that runs through Dagouxi Park.
CARP HILL (鯉魚山)
Carp Hill may not be the highest peak in Neihu District, nor does it have the prettiest scenery or most exciting walk. However it’s a good all-rounder and it can lay claim to being the route that I have walked the most. This is my go-to walk for when I’ve just got a couple of hours free and need to stretch my legs. It’s a great little workout, and it also has plenty to make it interesting time after time. There’s a lookout spot with views over Taipei, Neihu’s oldest Buddhist temple, a waterfall and a curious series of hand-crafted miniature landmarks.
ZHISHANYAN STROLL (芝山岩)
In this quiet suburb of Taipei sits a hidden gem of a trail. Suitable for people of all ages and abilities, the trails of Zhishanyan have layer upon layer of history to reveal. On these slopes you can encounter a potted version of Taiwan’s past lives, the walk takes in prehistoric bones, the waves of mass immigration from China, a tragedy from the Japanese colonial era and Taiwan’s recent military past.
XIMEN TO XINDIAN RIVER CYCLE PATH (新店溪自行車道)
As with almost all of Taipei’s large rivers, the Xindian River has well-maintained cycle paths stretching for many kilometres along its banks. This gentle ride upriver towards Bitan is a great way to stretch your legs and enjoy scenery that becomes more and more dramatic the further south you go.
RUYI LAKE and JINMING SHAN (如意湖/金明山)
A small, but perfectly formed hike tucked away in a corner of New Taipei City’s Xizhi District. Despite being only a couple of kilometres long, this walk manages to pack in some ridge climbing, a small lake and a few views.
ZHIXING OLD TRAIL (知性古道)
A short and simple Sunday afternoon type of stroll. For anyone wanting more of a workout, there’s always the option to include the adjoining Wu Jiu Tong Trail.
BIHU PARK AMBLE (碧湖公園)
A very short and simple stroll around a pretty lake. This walk should be an easy one to do if the weather isn’t being cooperative, or if you want to bring the kids.
MOUNT HEMEI TRAIL (和美山步道)
Once a highlight of Taiwan’s domestic tourism industry, Bitan is now a relaxed feeling, end-of-the-line destination, mostly populated by families looking for an easy day out. To see a different side of this weekend hotspot you can cross over the suspension bridge and take a walk up one of the trails up to Hemei Peak. With it’s abandoned amusement park and the return trip on the lone surviving paddle ferry, this really is a wander into Bitan’s past.
KANGLE SHAN TRAIL (康樂山步道)
A short, unpolished trail in Neihu District. This walk has a couple of views and leads back through some allotments.
JINGMEI RIVER CYCLE PATH (景美溪自行車道)
A short and simple river bikeway which can be combined with a trip up to Maokong. For the more adventurous, you can turn this into an all day, three-modes of transportation trip by then walking down from Maokong via Yinhe Cave.
EGRET HILL (白鷺鷥山)
Egret Hill is probably not on most people's radar, but if you're looking for a place for a family stroll, a lazy day walk then it's definitely worth considering. As well as offering a short and straightforward walk through some pretty trees, the path leads you back to the MRT station via the beautiful Dahu Park.
QILIAN TO XIN BEITOU VIA REHAI CLIFF (唭哩岸站/熱海攀岩場/新北投)
Most walkers in the area come for Battleship Rock's photogenic qualities, but if you've been there and done that, perhaps your next walk could be this alternative route through the hills of Beitou District.
XIU QI SHAN TRAIL (秀崎山登山步道)
A short and easy meander over some of the less frequented hills of the northeastern coast. Given how convenient the trains are, this would make a good place to come for a quick half-day adventure out of Taipei.
Taiwan Trails and Tales 