Guizikeng Hiking Trail (Datun Mountains)

After years of remediation and planning, the Guizikeng area has become a leisure park combining unusual geology, soil and water conservation education, hiking trails and a free campsite, and it is the starting point of Taipei's first hiking trail. The park offers camping pitches (applications required under the rules), used by groups and families. There are two main camping areas, the '100 Platform' and the '110 Platform'. The 100 Platform is for camper vans and has a semicircular canopied activity plaza, used by local residents for morning exercise on weekdays and suited to group outdoor events, picnics and barbecues. The large grounds also suit orienteering and stargazing at night, and in some seasons you can look for fireflies. The soil and water conservation teaching area has Taipei's oldest observation site of the Wuzhishan Formation. The exposed rock face clearly shows the contrast between the upper layer (igneous rock from the eruption of the Datun volcano group 800,000 years ago) and the lower layer (folded strata formed by mountain building), which contains china clay and quartz sand. The remediated Shuimokeng Creek in the park uses stepped drop structures to slow the water, reduce erosion and settle sediment, an example of soil and water conservation engineering. Groups of 20 or more visiting to study soil and water conservation can apply to the city's construction bureau for a volunteer guide. The Guizikeng Hiking Trail was the first hiking trail planned by the Taipei City Government. On the trail a stream runs alongside, with greenery all around like a dense forest. The route passes the flat 'channel trail' beside flowing water. As it climbs, the ridge path stays fairly gentle and the views open out. The viewing pavilion on the way looks over the green Guandu Plain nearby, and further to the Tamsui River, Shezi Island, Beitou and the university 文化大學 on the hillside.

Translated and shortened by DealTaipei from Taiwan's national tourism database. Sources are on the terms page.