Lüshui Trail

The Lüshui Trail is 1.97 kilometers long, and a one-way walk takes approximately 1 hour. Located near the Lüshui Management Station in Taroko National Park, the Lüshui Trail was originally a section of the Hehuan Mountain Crossing Ancient Trail. It was later redeveloped into Taroko National Park's first self-guided interpretive trail, and is also its most compact trail. It offers excellent viewpoints for observing the Central Cross-Island Highway, the Lüshui Terrace, and the Liwu River Valley. The trail has entrances and exits. One is located to the right of the Lüshui Management Station, 17 kilometers from the entrance to Taroko Gorge, where a large interpretive sign is placed. The lower entrance/exit is near the newly built Heliu Campground. The most scenic section of the trail is approximately above the 172-kilometer mark of the Central Cross-Island Highway. Initially, the trail follows a lush forest path. Soon, it crosses a small suspension bridge over a stream, and the path winding along the mountainside already provides a sense of the typical conditions of the Hehuan Ancient Trail. After about 20 minutes, the trail passes through a small tunnel and emerges onto a cliff at the end of a ridge. The path is carved directly into the cliff face, offering dizzying views down to the Central Cross-Island Highway, where tunnels appear and disappear beneath your feet. To reach the Lüshui Trail, visitors can take a public bus to Lüshui, or park their private vehicles at the Lüshui parking lot and start from beside the management station. Lüshui is a river terrace where Atayal indigenous people have resided since ancient times. Currently, the Lüshui Geological Landscape Exhibition Hall offers insights into Taroko's geology, while the Heliu Campground is available for visitors to pitch tents.