A Guide to Guanyin Mountain Hiking Trail – Taiwan Mountain

Guanyin Mountain, or Guanyinshan, is an extinct volcano mountain standing 616 meters above Taipei City. A well-known hiking route among locals, Guanyin Mountain awards hikers and nature lovers with breathtaking panoramic view of Danshui River and Taipei skyline after their climb. This is a day hike trail you definitely should not miss. Just like I mentioned, Guanyin Mountain is relatively foreigner-friendly and well mapped out. They even have a detailed English website. Still, how to arrive via public transportation is not pointed out on the English website, and it may be a little confusing for foreigners.

This article is about how to get to Guanyin Mountain, and other useful information.

＊ If you’d like to read the travel diary, go to: Are You Missing Out On This Breathtaking Taipei Day Hike: Guanyin Mountain

How to Get to Guanyin Mountain ( Taiwan Mountain)?

First you’ll need to take the orange line (中和新蘆線) of Taipei Metro to its final stop Luzhou station. Exit via exit 3, and take the bus Orange 20 (橘20) to again its final stop Guanyin Mountain Tourist Center (觀音山遊客中心). The bus ride takes roughly 20–30 minutes. Voila, you’re here! Not every Orange 20 bus goes all the way up: some runs end at the Lingyun Temple stop instead of the Tourist Center, so check the current timetable (on the Chinese-language bus and scenic-area websites) before you go. The hiking trails can be reached from both stops. There are six trails in total, but if you come by bus, two of them are the most convenient.

If You’re at the Visitor Center:

If your bus does arrive at the visitor center, go grab a bilingual map inside. Even though the trails are so well maintained you don’t really need one, it’s a good souvenir anyway. There is also a lavatory, and you can fill up your water bottle for free. Do note that the center is only open during the day (roughly 9 am to 5 pm), so check its opening hours if you need the facilities. This is the trail Michael, Allen and I took. You start at the Fenguidouhu Trail (楓櫃斗湖步道) right beside the visitor center, and soon enough the trail will intersect with the Yinghanling Trail (Tough Man Peak Trail). Then you can find your way to Tough Man Peak. This path is about 1.4 km (just under 1 mile) one way; allow around 1.5 hours for the round trip. The trail entrance is quite easy to navigate. You will see a wooden pavement across the parking lot, and that’s it!

If You’re at the Lingyun Temple:

If your bus only stops at the Lingyun Temple, or if you choose to stop here, you can enjoy the entire Yinghanling Trail. Lavatories are provided at the starting point of the trail. The trail is right beside Lingyun Temple. It is about 1.6 km (1 mile) one way, mostly stone steps, and a round trip should take you about 2 hours.

After You Reach the Peak

You can of course go back the way you came, or you can take another trail and head for the Bali Ferry Pier. From the pier you can take the ferry across the river to Danshui (Tamsui). If you choose to do so, take the Niuliaopu Trail when you leave the peak. The trail is about 907 meters long (2975 feet) and would take you 50 minutes to reach the end. After that, turn left and walk along the riverside bike trail for about 20 minutes to arrive at the pier.

Or choose the easier way: get a tour guide!

Find a great private tour guide to guide you:

• Enthusiastic Taipei Tour Guide: York
• More local guides: find a guide on MyProGuide
• Ready-made trips: Taiwan tours

Cover photo: lienyuan lee, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons