Trail Introduction
Huide Trail's entrance is next to the north opening of Huide Tunnel. The area was originally part of the old Su-Hua Highway. After Huide Tunnel came into use, a part of the old highway was preserved and transformed into a scenic trail. From the wide and level trail, beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and Qingshui Cliffs can be seen.
Huide Trail also overlooks the Northlink railway, spanning over the Shigong River, offering views of frequent trains passing through the Qingshui and Chongde tunnels. At the end of the trail, the vast blue pacific spreads out from under steep cliffs that border the shore, a truly eye-opening sight.
Qingshui Cliffs
Along the trail are observation decks, where visitors looking south will see the distant cliffs by the Chongde Trail and Chongde River's alluvial fan. Towards the north, sheer cliffs stand on the north shore of the Shigong River. The deep blue ocean turns milky white near the shore, creating an ever-shifting palette of unforgettable colors.
If you observe carefully, you'll notice the trail's guardrail is made of stacked stones. They were dug from the mountain when Huide Tunnel was being excavated, and then used to create this unique railing.
Huide Trail Map
[Geological Terrain]
The towering Qingshui Cliffs span almost 21 km, reaching from sea level to heights of 2,408 m at Mt. Qingshui. At the Pacific, majestic cliffs higher than 800 m drop straight into the water.
Green schist, gneiss, and marble make up most of the cliffs. This erosion-resistant amalgam of hard rock allowed for the formation of giant steep slopes that have stood for thousands of years.
These rocks are especially hard and erosion-resistant, allowing giant, steep slopes to form and stand for thousands of years on Taiwan's east coast.
The Su-Hua coast's rich variety of terrains – cliffs, deltas, gorges and seashores – were bourne from a unique pattern of subduction and tectonic movement.
Qingshui Cliffs
Ecosystem
Huide Trail follows the side of a mountain with thicker soil deposits that nurtured the growth of a dense broad-leaved forest, a rare occurrence in the Qinghsui Cliffs. The side closer to the ocean has abundant sunlight and thinner soil scattered with Taiwan hibiscus and Roxburgh sumac. Every fall and winter, hibiscus flowers blossom into vibrant shades of pink, creating a beautiful contrast with the blue ocean.