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.
how to get to
GOUYINQIN OLD TRAIL ALONG WEILUN CANAL (狗殷勤古道/尾崙水圳/平頂古圳步道)
Tucked away behind the National Palace Museum you’ll find the unassuming entrance to this trail. If you’ve eaten your fill of museum exhibits and choose to follow the old stone steps up the hill, then you will come face to face with one aspect of life in old Taiwan which is still very much alive. The historic waterways in this area have been supplying water to the farms here for generations, and what could be more soothing than walking alongside flowing water.
DAKENG TUNG BLOSSOM TRAIL (大坑桐花步道)
A quiet leg-stretch through the hills and farmland of Guishan township. Come in April or May to enjoy the tung blossom that gives the trail its name.
BEIDELAMAN GIANT TREES (北得拉曼巨木步道)
Although most of Taiwan’s giant trees are found in remote forests with permit-restricted access, there are some just a short drive out of Taipei which can be seen by anyone willing to make the climb. (And who wouldn’t be willing to put in a bit of effort to visit these venerable old spirits.)
XIAO XI TOU LOOP TRAIL (小溪頭環狀步道)
What starts of being a bit of a stair master soon gives way to reward you with a tree-sheltered lake, quiet forest scenery, squirrels, and even a couple of views.
SANCHONG AND LUZHOU CYCLE LOOP
If you look at Sanchong and Luzhou on a map, they seem to form an island, cut off from the rest of Taipei by rivers and parks. Luckily for the residents of this area, these unbuilt-up spaces house a great network of cycle paths where you can enjoy either a good bit of exercise or a laid back bike ride depending on your mood and energy levels.
YUAN SHAN HIKING TRAIL (鳶山登山步道)
The first hike that comes to mind when thinking of Sanxia District is the ever-popular Wuliaojian trail. But if you’re not feeling up to such a tough climb, you could always set your sights on this not-so-extreme ridge walk.
JIU LIAO CREEK TRAIL TO GABA WATERFALL (九寮溪步道/戈霸瀑布)
A gentle trail following Jiu Liao Creek up towards the 30m high Gaba falls. The path is dotted with information boards explaining various aspects of Atayal life and several interesting bridges carry you over the water.
DATUN STREAM TRAIL LOOP (三板橋/竿尾崙山/小觀音山西北峰/大屯溪古道)
This loop trail takes you to a wilder edge of Yangmingshan Park that many visitors never see. The first section is a tough climb through quiet, dense forest. The mid section takes you scrambling from peak to peak through a maze of bamboo. And during the final section all your hard work is rewarded as you experience the sheer pleasure of following a delightful stream carving its way down through a luscious valley.
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.
MOUNT DATUN MULTI PEAK TRAIL (大屯主峰連峰步道)
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.
MAI BA LAI SHAN (麥巴來山)
When we signed in at the trailhead, the person manning the register said "the mountain is yours today, there's no one else." He wasn't wrong. Mai Ba Lai is never going to lure the crowds in search of Instagrammable views, but it offers another kind of draw: quietness and seemingly endless forest.
JIANTAN HIKING TRAIL TO WENDE (劍潭山親山往文德)
Sandwiched between the busy Zhongshan district and the more northern Shilin district rises a green ridge stretching from near Jiantan station in the west to Neihu in the east. A big network of trails of varying difficulties crisscrosses this area and offers the city explorer plenty of opportunities for fun.
QINGTIANGANG CIRCULAR TRAIL (擎天崗環形步道)
A gentle and incredibly scenic circular route around the famous, cow-grazed grasslands of Qingtiangang in Yangmingshan National Park. This trail is accessible by public transport and should be ok for anyone who can handle some steps and an uneven walking surface. Make sure to come on a clear day, (when you can see Qixing Mountain peak from the city), in order to enjoy the views at their best.
DRAGON TRAIL TO MAOKONG GONDOLA VIA ZHANGSHAN TEMPLE (飛龍步道/政大後山登山步道/樟山寺/貓空站)
A not-too-difficult loop walk where the downwards part of the loop can be done on the Maokong gondola. The highlight of this walk for me was the free tea I enjoyed at Zhangshan Temple.
Taiwan Trails and Tales 