Tashan Trail

With a total length of 3.5 kilometers, Tashan Trail is one of the popular routes within Alishan, consisting of boardwalks and paths of railroad ties and gravel. It has an elevation difference of around 400 meters between the highest and lowest points on the trail, taking you through massive forests of cypress trees before arriving at the top of Tashan, where you will be granted a panoramic view of Alishan, with the majestic peaks of Yushan (Mt. Jade) and the surging Central Mountain Range in the distance. When the weather is fair, you might even get to see the orographic clouds tumbling down the top of the mountain like a waterfall as the cotton-like thick haze completely blankets the mountain — this spectacular scene is believed to be the one thing that you must witness once in your life.

The entrance to the trail is right by the Sister Ponds, and a return trip takes five hours or so. The first 2 kilometers of the trail are virtually flat as it is a disused railway track, while the last 1.5 kilometers have very steep uphills and can be quite challenging for some. But the real grandeur awaits you at the top, where the magnificent panoramic view of the mountains is more than worth the sweat and effort.