RIDGE WALKS and ROPES

Some of the best known trails in northern Taiwan are ridge walks: Huangdidian, Stegosaurus Ridge, Wuliaojian – all of these feature exhilarating scrambles up steep slopes with cracking views. If you want something that’s bound to get your heart pumping and reward your efforts with handsome views, then the trails below should whet your appetite.

KEELUNG MOUNTAIN EAST PEAK (基隆山東峰)

Climbing Mount Keelung is part and parcel of the Jiufen experience. Most visitors take a break from sampling the town’s many and varied treats to climb the thigh-testing, lung-burning steps. Far fewer people know that there is a secret back-route that reaches the summit via a series of thrilling scrambles.

DEVIL’S CAVE and STONE BAMBOO SHOOT PEAK (魔神仔洞/石筍尖)

This odd little loop in New Taipei’s Pingxi District is a thrilling mix of climbing, views, and old mining remains.

NANYA MOUNTAIN and FRONT TEETH ROCKS (南雅山/門牙岩)

This exciting trail on Taiwan’s northeastern coast offers hikers sea views, fun climbs, and some interesting rock formations.

MOUNT DAHENGPING (大橫屏山)

This quiet ridge hike straddles the border of Taichung and Nantou Counties. In clear weather, it offers a few views, but even on hazy days, the forest scenery makes for pleasant walking.

STEGOSAURUS RIDGE (劍龍稜)

Stegosaurus Ridge has to be one of the most superlative day hikes that you can do in northern Taiwan. It offers spectacular views of grassy slopes and dramatic rocky ridges set against bright blue coastal waters, and is very much a full-body workout kind of hike.

MOUNT NAJIE (那結山)

The trail to Mount Najie offers some fun scrambling up through the tall forests of Taoyuan’s Fuxing District. If you’re looking for somewhere to escape the crowds, then this is the peak for you.

SANYUAN RIDGE TRAIL (三員縱走)

Miaoli tends to get overlooked by visitors to Taiwan, but the area has a wealth of wonderful hiking trails for anyone who strays off the beaten path and goes in search of somewhere quiet. Sanyuan Trail is a good example of the kind of unexpected gem that you can enjoy if you visit this part of the world. It’s a straightforward ridge hike with views, fun climbs, and a cute little town at either end.

TAIPEI SKYLINE TRAIL: SECTION 9A

This section of the Taipei Skyline Trail is unique in that it is almost a loop. It covers conjoined ridges that form a horseshoe-esque shape stretching from Sanxia, out towards Daxi, and then back to Sanxia again.

TAIPEI SKYLINE TRAIL: SECTION 2B

This section of the Taipei Skyline Trail was an unexpected delight. It has the twin charms of both a fun ridge walk and a temple-studded historic trail.

TAIPEI SKYLINE TRAIL: SECTION 2A

This section of the Taipei Skyline Trail covers one of the quintessential Taipei day hikes: the spectacular Huangdidian. Bring a camera and a well-rested body, and come prepared for a very fun walk.

TAIPEI SKYLINE TRAIL: SECTION 1B

This section of the Taipei Skyline Trail really packs in the views. Taking you from Caonan in the east to Shiding in the west, it offers thrilling climbing and some tantalising views over the famous Huangdidian Ridge.

MOUNT WANGYELUN and LONGLIN BIZARRE STONES (王爺崙山/龍鱗奇岩)

There’s some fun hiking to be had in the hills around Tainan. Case in point is this neat little loop in Nanhua District. It has rocky scrambles, beautiful, sprawling trees, and (in clear weather), great views of the surrounding area.

FIVE FINGER MOUNTAIN (五指山五峰連走O型)

Five Finger Mountain (or Mount Wuzhi), is so named because of the five prominent peaks that protrude along the ridge line. Instantly recognisable from afar, the conjoined summits do indeed (loosely) resemble a waving hand, and the trail connecting them make for a very enjoyable day’s walking.

SHEN-XIAN TRAIL (神仙縱走)

Shen-Xian Trail is an exhilarating ridge walk in Miaoli which will give you a great day’s workout.

SANXIA LION’S HEAD MOUNTAIN (獅仔頭山/粽串尖)

Lion’s Head Mountain on the border of New Taipei’s Sanxia and Xindian Districts is one of several similarly named peaks scattered across the various counties of Taiwan. This particular lion offers excitement and adventure with a dash of history, and a visit is well worth the trouble of getting out there.

HOUSHANYUE (猴山岳)

Houshanyue is a thoroughly satisfying half-day hike that will satisfy your need for adventure without spoiling your lie-in.

ZHONGYANG PITON and CHOU TOU SHAN (中央尖/臭頭山)

This moderately challenging walk has exciting climbs, some neat geological features, the odd dramatic view, pretty stream-side walking, and even a touch of Taiwan’s industrial history. What’s more, it can accessed by train from Taipei.

DATIELIAO OLD TRAIL to BAISHI SHAN and JINMIAN SHAN (打鐵寮古道/白石山/十三分山/金面山)

This varied walk follows a beautiful reclaimed historic trail alongside a stream and then climbs to a ridge line with views over Taoyuan City as well as some of the county’s more remote villages.

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.

HUANGDIDIAN (皇帝殿)

This is the hike that made me fall in love with the trails and landscape of Taiwan. The first time I walked it was before I lived here, and the impression it made ran deep. This trail pretty much has it all: enthralling mountain views, exhilarating ridge walking, invigorating climbs and, (if you’re feeling bold enough), the opportunity to experience that famous Taiwanese friendliness by trying your hand at hitchhiking rather than walking back along the road.