Zhuilu Old Road (also known as Zhuilu Old Trail) was built along the Zhuilu Cliff and is considered as one of the most epic and beautiful hiking trails in Taiwan. The trail is quite narrow and hugs the immense marble cliffs in Taroko National Park. Perched from high up, this historic trail offers truly spectacular views of Taroko Gorge. It’s not for the faint of heart and also offers a thrilling experience for hikers.
Brief History
After the end of a battle to control the Taroko tribe villages in the Liwu River Basin, commonly referred to as the “Battle of Taroko” in August 1914, the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan set about building the Xincheng Inner Taroko Road from Xincheng to Tianxiang. It was completed in March 1915, cutting across what was then called the “No 1. cliff in East Asia” (now known as Zhuilu Cliff.
Men from the local tribe were called up to help build the road. Incredibly, these brave individuals first abseiled down on ropes from above and then hewed out the road from the cliff face after they had dug out a foothold. The trail is a historic site and along it, hikers will find memorial stones, Guanyin stone carvings, and other historical remains, including an abandoned village
The Japanese then built the Old Cross-Hehuan Mountain Road which stretched over 140km KM from Taroko Gorge to Nantou. They set up a number of outposts along this ‘road’ including the remains of one (Badagang Village), which you will pass on this hike up the Zhuilu Old Trail.
After the infamous “921” earthquake in 1999, the trail was shut for safety concerns and repairs. The Zhuilu Old Trail remained closed for nine years until 2008. About 8 years later a section after the Zhuilu Cliffs were closed off. This now means that there is only about 3.1km that remain open to hikers wanting to explore this amazing hiking trail in Taiwan.
The Zhuilu Old Trail is located in Taroko National Park, one of the nine national parks in Taiwan and was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park carved by the Liwu River.
Hiking the Zhuilu Old Trail
Approximately a one-hour drive from Hualien City, Zhuilu Old Trail is located in Taroko National Park on Taiwan’s east coast. This trail requires a park access permit (Parkbus will process permits for those interested in joining a hike with us) to enter and costs visitors $200 NTD (included in trip price).
Trail length (return) is 6.2km and will take hikers approximately 5-6 hours to complete. Despite not being an overly lengthy trail, this has to be one of the most beautiful and exciting hiking trails in Taiwan. Hikers will be wowed by the sheer vertical cliff section that provides some of the best views of the world’s deepest marble gorge, Taroko Gorge.
The first section of the trail is forested and features plenty of natural trail hiking and switchbacks as you travel towards the Zhuilu Cliffs. You will pass an abandoned village and Japanese police outpost before reaching the Zhuilu Cliffs. During this section, the trail surfaces are not technical and include wood and stone steps (many of which seem to be part of the original ‘road’) as well as sections of compact soil. As hikers approach the Zhuilu Cliffs, the trail changes to crushed stones.
CAUTION: Due to the narrow nature of this trail along the Zhuilu Cliffs, hikers should be extremely careful. It is recommended that hikers use the guide ropes and monitor their footing as they hike this section fo the trail. Hikers should also refrain from running or jumping along this trail.
Taroko Gorge
Taroko Gorge is one of the country’s leading scenic and natural attractions. Dramatic, stunning, epic – these are all words that are commonly used to describe this beautiful area in Hualien County. The area is referred to as simply, Taroko Gorge and is a steep valley that has been carved over centuries by the meandering Liwu River (立霧溪). With headwaters starting from the Central Mountains of Taiwan Liwu River (立霧溪) eventually flows to the Pacific Ocean on Taiwan’s east coast. The blue-green waters of the river provide a picturesque contrast to the immense marble cliffs of Taroko National Park.
