Fuyuan National Forest is one of two national forests located in Hualien County on the east coast of Taiwan. Traveling from Hualien City, Fuyuan National Forest takes about an hour by bus. Hiking along the various trails in Fuyuan National Forest, guests will quickly understand why this area is commonly known as “Butterfly Valley”. The wildlife is really spectacular if you take the time to appreciate it.
Fuyuan National Forest Recreation Area is located at an elevation between 225–750 metres (738–2,461 ft) and stretches across a total area of 235 hectares (580 acres). Despite being located just north of the Tropic of Cancer, the temperature of this forest is moderate most of the year.
Hike the trails, walk suspension bridges and explore the plant and wildlife throughout this beautiful protected area in Hualien County.
Approximately a one-hour drive from Hualien City will take you to the Recreation Area also reputed as the “Butterfly Valley”. Formerly the east endpoint of “Kuanmen Historic Trail” dated back to the Qing dynasty; it is now a pleasant secondary forest featuring camphor trees aged around 40 years!
Bring your cameras and binoculars to spot many of the low-altitude bird species found here such as Taiwan Blue Magpie, Taiwan Hwamei (Garrulax taewanus), and the Green-backed Tits and Yellow Tits who migrate here in the winter time as well. The various species of elegant butterflies in abundance, as well as the fireflies in spring and autumn nights, are among the most splendid treasures of Fuyuan.
Trails and Hikes in Fuyuan National Forest
There are a number of trails for hiking in Fuyuan National Forest that total approximately
Creek Trail 1 / 環溪步道 1 (1.1km, 40min) – This trail starts from the parking lot and links back to the end of Main Trail. This hiking trail is rated as easy/beginner.
Creek Trail 2 / 環溪步道 2 (1.6km, 50min) – This trail starts at the other side of the Fu-Yuan suspension bridge which connects with the Main Trail and ends at the Long-Ying suspension bridge. This hiking trail is rated as easy/beginner.
Main Trail / 主步道 (0.8km, 20min) – This trail starts from the visitor center and Butterfly Valley Hall, Main trail is linked to Butterfly Eco House and Fu-Yuan suspension bridge.This hiking trail is rated as easy/beginner.
Mountain Trail / 環山步道 (1.4km, 60min) – This trail starts from the Butterfly Villa Suite area and links to the Long-Ying waterfall and the Long-Ying suspension bridge. This hiking trail is rated as easy/beginner.
Attractions and Things to Do in Fuyuan National Forest
Fuyuan Waterfall – The Fuyuan River flows from the Danda Mountain along a majestic steep-cliff course carved by years of erosion. The main route to the Fuyuan Waterfall is a narrow 600-meter path through a setting of dense forest and colorful boulders. From the trail, visitors can view the falls descending gracefully from atop a high cliff, recalling a fairytale scene.
Visitor Center & Area – The recreation area is equipped with BBQ area, camping ground, jungle trekking trails, etc.
Butterflies – March to August is the butterfly season at Fuyuan, and visitors arriving at this time will discover a forest alive with their colors. There are over 98 species of butterfly here, representing nine families. The Graphium sarpedon connectens is especially abundant in the camphor woods. The Leaf Mimic (Kallima inachus formosana) is another frequently sighted species along the forest trails, though you will need to look carefully to discover its camouflaged form. The protected golden birdwing butterfly is also an eye-catching species at Fuyuan.
Fireflies – The humid and pollution-free environment of the park makes the firefly species in Fuyuan diverse. The black-winged firefly from March to June and the Taiwan Mountain Window Firefly from October to December take turns appearing. In recent years, it has become a popular spot for people to visit and appreciate the fireflies.
Birdlife – Located in a shallow mountain area of the Central Mountain Range, the park is rich in bird life and has become one of the most famous famous bird watching destinations in Hualien. Visitors will frequently spot Maroon Oriole / 花蓮縣鳥朱鸝 (Oriolus traillii), Taiwan barbet / 五色鳥 (Psilopogon nuchalis), Taiwan vivid niltava 黃腹琉璃 , Taiwan Blue Magpie / 臺灣藍鵲 (Urocissa caerulea), Grey-throated Mountain Pepper, and occasionally circling the sky one can see Great Crowned Vulture.
