Danuoqi Trail

The "Raknus Selu Trail" is one of Taiwan's national greenway systems. "Raknus" originates from the Saisiyat and Atayal people's term for camphor trees, while "Selu" is the Hakka word for "path." Following Hakka settlements along Provincial Highway 3, it connects existing ancient trails across four counties and cities: Taoyuan (Longtan), Hsinchu, Miaoli, and Taichung (Dongshi), with a main route spanning approximately 230 kilometers. A section of this trail, the "Danuoqi Trail," is located in Siliao, Dongshan Village, Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County. In the past, this was a primary transport route for agricultural products and daily necessities, relying on oxcarts for transportation. When oxcarts encountered steep slopes, people had to use whips to drive the oxen to climb the challenging inclines. Thus, it was named "Danuoqi" (打牛崎), where "qi" (崎) signifies steepness and ruggedness. The trail entrance can be found at approximately the 2.4km mark of Township Road 28 (opposite Yaoshi Buddha Chan Temple). At the entrance stands an archway adorned with a bamboo plaque inscribed with "Danuoqi Hiking Trail." Beyond the archway, there is also a pavilion, which serves as a resting spot for hikers descending the mountain. Continuing along the upward concrete brick steps, you'll encounter lush green bamboo and occasionally intricate buttress roots of trees. During the tung blossom season in April and May, you can witness tung flowers in full bloom, offering diverse and changing scenery. Proceeding along the ancient trail for about another 100 meters, you'll be greeted by a signboard that reads: "Heroes' Slope: 300 meters. Do you dare accept the challenge?" It seems to declare war on hikers who have come from afar! The Heroes' Slope features many sections with a gradient of about 45 degrees, equipped with wooden railings, and ropes are available for assistance on steeper parts. Danuoqi Ancient Trail Type: Suburban mountain trail Difficulty: Low Length: 2.5 kilometers Surface conditions: Stone steps, wooden plank steps, dirt path Trailhead: Danuoqi Ancient Trailhead