Things to do in Heping District, Taichung: The Best Nature & Parks

The Yuanzueishan Trail is approximately 3 km long. This is a thrilling summit-ascent route that is divided into three parts, including forest trail, moss-covered primeval forest pathway, and natural rock walls. A hike-and-climb route with great variation, the first half of the hike features stair ascents and original forest. The second half features fast-rising altitude and then encounters rock walls, with knife-blade vertical cliff faces of almost 90 degrees.

Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area nurtures a wide variety of wildlife and plants. It is internationally famous for bird watching in the middle altitude region. The red maples in autumn and winter, the starry sky on summer nights, the sea of clouds in the evening, the muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) and Mikado Pheasant (Syrmaticus mikado) wandering through the forests and along the trails, and thousand-year-old giant Taiwan red cypress are the most appealing scenes in the Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area.

The most impressive sightseeing spot in Wuling National Forest Recreation Area is the gorgeous mist-shrouded “Taoshan waterfall” found at the end of Taoshan trail. The diverse ecological features here include muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi micrurus), Formosan rock-monkeys (Macaca cyclopis), Mikado Pheasant (Syrmaticus mikado), Swinhoe's Pheasant (Lophura swinhoii) and Vinaceous Rosefinch (Carpodacus formosanus). The precious national fish, the Formosan landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou formosanus), can be observed swimming below in the Chijiawan creek when standing on the Wuling suspension bridge.

Along the Syueshan Giant Tree Trail, hikers pass through a mixed coniferous/ broadleaf forest featuring Taiwan Hemlock, Huashan Pine, and Taiwan Rhododendron. What strikes the visitor is the towering and majestic posture of the trees, and the luxuriant foliage of the Syueshan Giant Tree. Looking up at this great red cypress, which is around 1,400 years old, one cannot help but feel a sense of smallness and awe.

Basianshan, Alishan and Taipingshan are three major timberland in Taiwan. They reflect the history of forestry in Taiwan, from the prosperous age of forestry in the past with the widespread implementation of well-arranged artificial forests, cable cars, Shinto shrines and the historic relics throughout the whole mountain region. Nowadays, Basianshan National Forest Recreation Area is a wonderland for mountain birds. There are many trails with different types of scenery for short trips with light equipment. You can visit the beautiful Shiwen creek, cherry blossom forests, Tung tree forests, bamboo forests, etc., or you can take the stairs to the top of the Guguan 7 mountains. This is a great place to enjoy a green tour day trip or to stay overnight to enjoy the mountains and forests at night.