Xiaozishan Trail — Attraction in New Taipei

Stunning! So many peaks to ascend and each one offers challenge (definitely challenging!) but a new perspective of the surrounds. I’m an experienced hiker, and i had worked out so much in just two hours on this track that a local asked if i’d been ‘swimming’ 😅. So come prepared … water with electrolytes, gloves (yes! You’ll need), GOOD hiking shoes (the mossy rocks are just downright dangerous in parts) and a change of t-shirt and shorts. You’ll sweat! But 10/10. Getting here: Take a ‘Fulong’ train (TRA service) to Ruifang station (mine departed from platform 4) and cost $49 NTD one way. Trip is 50 minutes. Then, at Ruifang, buy a daypass for the Pingxi train ($80 NTD) and travel all the way to Pingxi. It’s well sign-posted where to buy and board the train. A Day ticket lets you get off at Shifen on your way back to Ruifang, get some lunch from the many great little eateries, see the sky lanterns being launched, and then walk to the Shifen Waterfall (about 30 mins walk, along one road - you can’t get...

Wow! This was one of the best hikes I’ve ever done… in the world. First, you get to go through a cool little town called Pingxi. Then you get to climb a well maintained path up to the good stuff.

Once you get to the first climb (I went counterclockwise), you find the first set of steps carved into the rock with ropes. That is the top of Mt Xiao. This one probably has the greatest vertical exposure with the ladders and pitch but it’s safe if you take your time and don’t freak out about the exposure. AmAzing views!

Then we went back down and took stairs to the south. That one is almost straight up with great views.

You can continue over it to the west but once down, the path isn’t clear. You have to bushwhack your get back to the paved path and I was concerned about snakes so we circled around and back up. Then went over the north side and down to the paved path.

Then back to...

From the trailhead, you can go up three different set of stairs to three different peaks. There's a fourth, very steep set of stairs, but it's blocked off, maybe because it's too risky. The walks up the stairs are a bit strenuous, but short at least and you're rewarded with nice views. There are some ropes and ladders, so the path gets quite narrow. Usually, that's not a problem for me, but when there are big hiking groups on the weekend, they don't understand that it isn't cool to block the way for...