The purpose to establish a national park is to conserve natural and historical resources. Meanwhile, educational interpretation and tourism is one of the means used for conservation in the park. This is the fundamental difference between the two.
You need to apply to Cingcyuan Checkpoint for Mountain Entry Permit. Please prepare your IDs or passports.
Dalu Forest Rd. is lashed by typhoon again and again. Thus, the road is only suitable for medium sized buses and smaller vehicles. Hsinchu Motor Co. only provides public transport to Cingcyuan so most visitors to Guanwu provide their own transport.
At the 20-kilometer-point of the East Branch of Dalu Forest Rd. is "Mount Syue and Mount Dabajian Conservation Area." It is required to apply for a Park Entry Permit to the Headquarters before entry to the conservation area. Shei-Pa National Park Police Brigade will fine those who enter without permission.
Any organization or group of more than 20 persons with its own means of transportation can apply in a written form to the Headquarters for the interpretation service. Please use mail, fax, or online function to apply to the Interpretation and Education Division two week before your visit and attach the following information:
Headquarters, No. 100, Shueiweiping, Fusing Village, Dahu Township, Miaoli County, 36411, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Fax: 886-37-996351
Telephone: 886-37-996100 Ext. 850,854
(a) Hsinchu Forest District Office of Forestry Bureau (886-3-5224146): Dalu Forest Road (Tuchang-Guanwu), all of the hiking trails in Guanwu Recreation Area (Leshan Forest Trail, Kuaishan Big Tree Trail, Jhenshan Trial, Guanwu Waterfall Trail)
(b) Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters (886-37-996100): East Branch of Dalu Forest Road (Trailhead of Dabajian Mountain and Madara Creek)
There are presently two main routes to the Wuling area. Drivers from the north can take National Freeway No. 5 and join Provincial 9th Highway at Jiaoxi or Yilan, pass through Yuanshan, join Provincial 7th Highway A, then take Provincial 7th Highway in the Lishan-Wuling direction. Drivers can also exit at Luodong and take Provincial 7th Highway C in the direction of Sanxing, joining the Provincial 7th Highway at Tiansongpi and proceed in the Lishan-Wuling direction. From central and southern Taiwan, take National Highway No 3, change to National Highway 6 and head in the Puli direction, exit at the Puli-Wushe exit then take Provincial 14th Highway and, at Wushe, change to Provincial 14th Highway A and proceed to the Mt. Hehuan area, then take Provincial 8th Highway at Dayuling and head for Lishan, at Lishan then change to Provincial 7thth Highway and proceed to Wuling. From Taipei or Puli 3-4 hours is required. Fill up your tank with fuel before entering the mountains.
There are three ways of getting to Wuling by public transport:(1)Take a bus from Yilan main bus station 150 meters to the left of the railway station. There are two buses a day, at 07:00 and 12:40 and the journey takes about three hours. (2)Take an EZ Travel direct bus to Wuling Farm from east No 3 door of Taipei Main Station. The journey takes 4-5 hours. Interested parties should call (02)2314870. (3)Fengyuan Bus Co. Go to Fengyuan Bus Co main station outside Taichung Railway Station. There is one bus a day at 08:00. The journey to Lishan takes around six hours. After arriving at Lishan proceed to Wuling in another vehicle. The bus company number: (04)2523-4175 #228.
The Wuling Recreation Area is in the mountains and the road can be affected by heavy rain or closed for road work. It is recommended that before setting off people call Wuling Service Station on 25901316 or call the relevant construction section to ask about the road condition. Construction section phone no.:：Dulishan Construction Section：(039)809601, Lishan Construction Section：(04)25989209, North Cross-island Highway Construction Section：(03)3822356
Formosan Landlocked Salmon Ecological Center is inside Wuling Visitor Center, the entrance at the side of Wuling Farm car park. There is a plank path that leads straight to the door of the center. The center is located on the river terrace on the lower reaches of Qijiawan River, connected to the main creek channel by a shelter channel. In addition to various research achievement displays and salmon related information, the center also has some Formosan landlocked salmon specimens in tanks indoors and an outdoor eco-pond. As for seeing the salmon in the wild, the best place to view them is the Fish Watching Platform on Wuling Road, the fish often seen coming to the surface or leaping from the water as they chase each other and pursue food in the pool. There are also interpretation signs that provide visitors with related information.
The application process is very simple. Send your summit photo, date, telephone and address to the visitor center counter, send by email to the special summit certification application email address at syue@spnp.gov.tw or fax to (04)25901136where the application will be handled by a designated member of staff.
NT$300 in material costs is required for each certificate (this includes postage). If the application isn’t made in person the money can be remitted to “Shei-pa National Park Staff Cooperative” at a post office to Account:21867025. Write the sender’s name and telephone number on the remittance receipt, then scan a photo of the receipt and email it to the above email address or fax to 04-25901136.
If any of the above is not understood fully please call Wuling Visitor Center on 04-25901350 or check the related application procedure on the website.
The end part of Simaxian Forest Road after the visitor center (23.7k to Beikeng Trail trailhead approximately at the 30k marker) is in poor condition and the road foundation is unstable making is susceptible to collapse after heavy rain. The road foundation has collapsed in many places and road is also narrow, making passing other vehicles difficult. For the sake of visitor safety and to improve eco-tourism quality, this section of road will be mainly for pedestrians, with rescue and official vehicles the only vehicles allowed.
As for cycles, because the weather and road situation in this area are very changeable for the sake of the safety of cyclists they are asked to pay attention to their bike’s condition and wear appropriate protective gear before entering. In the event of bad weather or road collapse the Xuejian Service Station reserves the right to prohibit the entry of cyclists.
Xuejian Recreation area has an elevation of 1870 meters, enjoying spectacular views of Mt. Xue’s Holy Ridge. In winter the snow covered mountain tops fully reflect why Xuejian (see snow) is called this name.In contrast to Shei-pa’s other two recreation areas Guanwu and Wuling, the forest in the Xuejian area is mainly broad-leaved forest, making it a richer source of food for wild animals. Formosan black bear, Formosan serow and Formosan macaque live in the area; if you encounter a shy Reeves's Muntjac on a trail or see a Swinhoe's pheasant emerge from the fog as it searches for food, don’t get too excited to avoid scaring them. The area was called “Buan Para” by Atayal aborigines in the past, meaning “the place to wait to hunt Reeves's Muntjac” showing that in times gone by deer were numerous here.
The area is rich in natural resources and in the past the Atayal farmed and hunted in the area. In the Japanese Colonial era, to exploit these resources, the Japanese built Beikeng River Historic Trail, along which 10 police stations were established to allow the local residents to be controlled. At one time over 500 Atayal lived near Xuejian police station. After the passage of decades most of the Atayal have relocated but their unique customs and traditions remain one of Xuejian’s important cultural assets.
Transportation routes to the Xuejian Recreation Area：