Trail Introduction
The Zhuilu Old Road, the remains of the Cross-Hehuan Mountain Old Road, is the only culture/historic Area in Taroko National Park.
Currently, the east 3.1 km of the trail is open to hikers. (the rest of trail remains closed due to the rockfalls damages.) Starting from Zhuilu Suspension Bridge, the trail leads to the Cliff Outpost, where hikers must doubleback to the trail entrance in order to exit. Due to the unique characteristics of the Zhuilu Old Road, entrance is limited per day to 96 persons on weekdays and 156 persons on weekends and holidays. Visitors are required to apply for a park entry permit. If a typhoon or other natural disaster occurs, the trail will be closed and permits for the closed period will be automatically invalidated. Please apply for a new permit once the trail is reopened.
History and Culture
Zhuilu Old Road is part of the Cross-Hehuan Mountain Old Road, an important connection between Truku villages in the early days. Originally the trail was only 30 cm wide, barely enough for two feet side by side. In 1917, the Japanese conscripted local indigenous men and expanded the trail width to 1.5 m. Zhuilu was then used for transportation as well as the movement of artillery. Hanging only by a rope around their waist, the local indigenous men used dynamite on the cliff walls to clear the rock for tunnels, extremely difficult and dangerous work.
Zhuilu Cliffs
Past Jinheng Bridge, cliffs on both sides of the gorge steepen and draw closer to each other. On the Central Cross-Island Highway at 178 km, the rock becomes one completely vertical, marble cliff stretched about 1,200 meters wide, with a height of 1,100 meter. The Zhuilu Cliffs stand opposite the highway below, while above the highway are the Fuji Cliffs. With merely 20-plus m between them, these majestic cliffs are the masterpiece of the Liwu River, cutting through Mt. Sanjiaozhui. There’s a wider section on the highway below the cliffs, where visitors can park to take in the view. From this spot, you can hardly see the very top of the Zhuilu Cliffs, but the outline of sky between the cliff edges looks very much like the shape of Taiwan when viewed from west to east.
Safety Information:
This trail is rugged along much of its length and the cliff section is very narrow. Do not attempt it if lacking fitness, scared of heights or suffering from heart disease.
The weather in the mountains is very changeable. In the afternoon, wind and fog are common. Please be careful and stay warm.
Zhuilu Cliff Section is around 500 meters long (2.6km-3.1km). When crossing the cliff: (1)Do not use your cellphone, run, jump, or play, and do not get too close to the edge. (2)Walk as close to the inside edge of the trail as you can and grip the rope at all times; when passing others coming the other way, be careful, wait in a spacious place and give way. (3)When taking pictures, please be careful.
Zhuilu Old Road: Starting 01 September 2019, foreign visitors are able to submit applications 35 days - 4 months before date of entry via the “Online Application for Taiwan National Park Permits” website. We hope that the new measures will allow more foreign visitors to experience the exquisite scenery within Taroko Gorge. Please contact our Recreation and Services Section (Tel：+886-3-8621576 or +886-3-8621100 ext. 605; Office Hours: Mon – Fri 08:30 – 12:30; 13:30 – 17:30) or review the following details if you wish to apply through this method:
A: Application window: 35 days to 4 months prior to the date of intended entry (date of intended entry restricted to between Monday – Thursday)
B: Application Website: Through the English version of the “Online Application for Taiwan National Park Permits” website.
C: Restrictions: Applicants can submit one application (maximum 12 persons per application) for Zhuilu Old Road per date of intended entry. An applicant can be a team member or a team leader only once per day (e.g. one cannot be a member of a team and the leader of another team on the same day.) All team members must possess foreign nationality; please upload the photo page of your valid passport or a resident ID Card as proof.
D: Once an application has been approved, the date of entry and the names of all team members (including the leader, team members, and the emergency coordinator) cannot be altered, and additional team members cannot be added to the same application. Cancellation (for an individual or for the entire party, excluding the team leader) can be accepted. Separate applications should be submitted if additional members wish to hike on the same date of intended entry.
E: Standby Measure: There will be no standby measures (i.e. waitlist) for foreign visitor applications to Zhuilu Old Road. All applicants regardless of nationality are welcome to apply through the standard application window (1 – 30 days before date of intended entry) if the quota for foreign visitors has already been reached.