Xiding Recreational Trail Area

The Xiding Recreational Trail Area is situated halfway up Alishan Mountain, spanning kilometers 39-41 of the Alishan Highway, approximately a 50-minute drive from Chiayi. It is perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, where bamboo forests and fir trees vigorously release phytoncides. Health trails have been developed, inviting visitors to stroll amidst the clouds and mist, washing away the dust of city life. The area features trails such as the Er Yan Ping Shan Trail, Hinoki Trail, Xianjing Waterfall, and Gongtian Trail. The name 'Xiding' (Gap Peak) originates from a time when the indigenous people of the Dabang tribe traversed a narrow gap in the valley to descend into the fortress of Zhuluo City, as the area is nestled between two valleys. Historically, residents of Xiding primarily cultivated timber like camphor and Fuzhou fir. With the opening of the Alishan Highway, lowlanders gradually relocated to Xiding, shifting agricultural focus to tea, orchids, sweet persimmons, and high-altitude vegetables. While Xiding was traditionally a high-mountain agricultural area with limited tourism resources, it remains an undeveloped natural pristine land. Its abundant natural wonders, including mountains and cloudscapes, are truly worth exploring. Along the Er Yan Ping Shan Trail, the scenery is enchanting. You can overlook the Chianan Plain and the picturesque views of Renyitan, Lantan, and Zengwen Reservoirs. Gaze upon Yushan Main Peak and its North and South Peaks, and admire the pristine snowy landscapes in winter, as well as the vibrant burst of life at sunrise. Without light or air pollution, on a clear, cloudless night, you can look up at a sky full of stars and down at the Chianan Plain twinkling with countless lights, creating a celestial-earthly scene like brilliant scattered diamonds. Cloud waterfalls, seas of clouds, sunsets, and evening glow, alongside Elephant Mountain, Xianjing Waterfall, and the Great Cliff, are all naturally beautiful, magnificent, and awe-inspiring, truly natural treasures hidden here by the heavens. The Xiding area lies at the intersection of warm temperate and subtropical zones, also located in the Tropic of Cancer region, fostering a diverse range of agricultural products. Jin Xuan tea, Qing Xin Oolong tea, sweet persimmons, and phalaenopsis orchids are all significant local products of Taiwan. Xiding also boasts many distinctive wild vegetables, such as 'Xian Jiucai' (fairy chives), mustard greens, high-mountain snow peas, chayote shoots, and 'Mingri Ye' (Ashitaba). When paired with traditional specialties like papaya mochi, bitter tea oil noodles, tea jelly, tea liquor, and Aiyu jelly, these all form authentic local delicacies.