National Parks of Taiwan

 First Restoration Stage was a Success Thanks to Road Workers

On the highway that has been closed for 10 years, one is greeted by the view of cliffs, rivers, and lush mountains; the beautiful landscape seen from this highway fully presents the grandeur of the virgin forest. This is the Southern Cross-Island Highway that Taiwanese people have been looking forward to. It starts from Tainan City, passes through Jiasian and Taoyuan in Kaohsiung City, and ends in Haiduan, Guanshan, and other towns in Taitung County. The Southern Cross-Island Highway, Northern Cross-Island Highway, and Central Cross-Island Highway are the three main cross-island highway structures in Taiwan.

In August 2009, the intrusion of Typhoon Morakot left serious road damages in Taoyuan District, Kaohsiung, causing the closure of the 45-kilometer-long road section from Meishan Kou to Xiangyang Road.

The restoration strategy is organized into short-, medium-, and long-term stages. The 25-kilometer-long road section from Meishan Kou to Tianchih, which is the first restoration stage, has been completed. On January 13, 2020, it was opened to trucks under 3.5 tonnes, passenger cars with less than 9 seats, large heavy-duty motorcycles, and scooters. It is open from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and the road must be cleared up before 3:00 PM. As follow-up measures, after March 17, 2020, the road section is closed every Tuesday and Thursday to maintain the infrastructure and environmental cleanliness.

 Walk Through the Rarely-visited Zhongzhiguan Trail to Experience the Virgin Forest

When it comes to the Meishan Kou-Tianchih section of the Southern Cross-Island Highway, the Zhongzhiguan Trail and Tianchih are the two must-visit scenic spots.

The Zhongzhiguan Trail originated from the Guanshan Historical Trail, which used to be a police pathway during the Japanese Occupation Period. Due to the geological characteristics of the areas along the trail and natural disasters, most sections of the 170-kilometer-long trial have collapsed and cannot be passed through. At present, the 3.5-kilometer-long Zhongzhiguan-Tianchih road section is the only section that is relatively complete, and walking through it one way takes about one and a half hours.

Yushan National Park Headquarters recommends that, when walking through the Zhongzhiguan Trail at 2,000 meters above sea level, travel light and use trekking sticks to assist you. Enjoy the natural scenery as the views turn from broadleaf forests at a low altitude to coniferous forests at a high altitude. The walkway is clear throughout, with well-set information signages. Metal chains are set up along the cliffs at the narrow parts of the trail to facilitate passage for visitors. In spring, you may stop to look at the blooming cherry blossoms in Wushe; in autumn and winter, the green maples, zelkova, and aceraceae wear red and yellow to add extra glamor.

 An Urgent Call for Visitor Morality - Working Together to Protect the Beauty of Southern Cross-Island Highway

Tianchih is an unique natural high-mountain lake that attracts many religious groups to come and worship. However, burning ghost money and arbitrarily disposing religious offerings and waste may cause forest fires and environmental pollution. What's even worse is that people have placed foreign species, such as Brazilian tortoises, into the lake, causing ecological impacts.

It is hoped that visitors will jointly take responsibility for this pure mountain forest so that the magnificent beautiful scenery on the Southern Cross-Island Highway will last forever.