This is one for the picky completists out there. Back when the Taipei Grand Hike was first announced, I was excited by the idea of a Taiwanese long distance trail, but it always rankled that the trail didn’t encircle the city entirely. Well now it does. (Almost.)
TAIPEI GRAND HIKE
FAIRY SHRIMP at XIANGTIAN POOL (向天池的仙女蝦)
Xiangtian Pool is an ephemeral body of water in an old volcanic crater on the northwestern edge of Yangmingshan National Park. It can be seen after periods of heavy rain, and only then for a brief time. As if this didn't make the pool intriguing enough, it is also home to a population of fairy shrimp which spawn in great numbers when the conditions are just right.
TAIPEI GRAND HIKE – MAOKONG (南區茶鄉大縱走 – 貓空)
The closing section of Taipei's long distance path leads you up into the tea-growing hills of Muzha. There's a waterfall, one of Taiwan's top 100 religious sites, (Chihnan Temple), and the opportunity to take a rest stop in your pick of Maokong's famous tea houses.
TAIPEI GRAND HIKE – FENG GUI ZUI TO DAGOUXI RIVERSIDE PARK (北區稜線大縱走 – 風櫃嘴/大溝溪生態治水園)
The fourth installment of the Taipei Grand Hike takes you to some beautiful and quiet corners of Yangmingshan National Park, as well as some of the more popular scenic spots in Neihu. The best thing about this portion is that it has an abundance of water, from the natural and charming stream running alongside Shuangxigou Old Trail, to the manmade Sweet Water Lake, and the easily accessible Yuanjue waterfall.
TAIPEI GRAND HIKE – ERZIPING TO XIAOYOUKENG VIA DATUN SHAN (北區稜線大縱走 – 二子坪/大屯山/小油坑)
The second leg of the Taipei Grand Hike climbs some of the wilder peaks in the west of Yangmingshan National Park. This section starts from Erziping and takes in three peaks on the Datun Multi-Peak Trail before dipping down into the picturesque scenery of Dinghu. Then finishes by climbing along a stream to the steaming crater of Xioayoukeng.
TAIPEI GRAND TRAIL – SECTION 1 (臺北大縱走-第一段)
The first part of the the Taipei Grand Hike has you putting in some serious legwork to make it all the way from the flat land of Guandu right up into Yangmingshan National Park. This section takes in art, grand tombs, an irrigation canal, and many, many steps.