By David E. Schnell / Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taroko National Park is a spectacular place to visit. The volcanic and sedimentary rock formations cut open by streams over the centuries enmesh themselves with the wildlife upon a backdrop of misty cloud formations and sun-and-sky coloration in Taroko Gorge. In the morning, the bright sun bursts into the blue sky, which is usually clear. By noon, cloud formations begin to appear and in the afternoon the mists form around the mountaintops. The orange evening sun paints the sky and as heavier clouds rainwaters into the V-shaped gorges and into the rivers. The national park offers travelers a wildlife adventure for expert climbers or a leisurely stroll for occasional nature lovers among its ferny walls, mossy trees, echoing rivers and fauna. Don't be surprised to see a Formosa macaque or two curiously peering from the trees or a house swift or pacific swallow tying to avoid birds of prey soaring high above.

Swallow's Grotto, pictured above, features geological formation of spring and potholes./photo courtesy of Taroko National Park

Some of the creatures in the park may be more innocuous, as you may hear a curious cooing in the underbrush of a valley wetland, and the buzzing of a collective of bees and flies among the flowers.

Getting your bearings

The Toroko National Park Visitor Center and Headquarters is a one-stop-shop for information about the park, including up-to-date information on trail conditions. Some trails have been closed due to erosion, so it is a good idea to look into trail conditions before heading into the wilderness.

There is a photography exhibition as a preview to what visitors can see with the naked eye once they head out into the wilds and a play area designed to teach children about the natural environment. Adults can also learn about the geology of the region and history of the indigenous settlements of Taroko in more sophisticated exhibitions.

After park visitors get their bearings in the Visitor Center, it is high time to explore the park itself.

Taroko National Park is mostly in Hualien County, but the expansive park extends into Nantou County and Taichung County.

Swallow's Grotto, pictured above, features geological formation of springs andpotholes. /photo courtesy of Taroko National Park

Elevations of the Park begin at hundreds of meters above sea level and rise as high as 3,742 meters above sea level. Most peaks cascade in the range of 1,700 to 3,300 meter above sea level, but the developed parts of the park are generally no higher than a few hundred feet above sea level. From a lower elevation, visitors can get the best view of the towering cliffs formed of marble, gneiss and sedimentary rock. There can be as much as 10 degrees of difference in temperature from the lower to the higher altitudes, so people are less likely to suffer the chill or adverse effects of thinner air on the lower elevation trails. Most visitors to Taroko Gorge are in for a day hike. There are quite a few routes that provide a mini-getaway for visitors. These routes are all less than three kilometers long and there are plenty of attractions to enjoy on the way. The Central Cross-Island Highway is the main transportation vein through Taroko National Park. As if to add to the sacredness of the place, we are reminded upon entry to the park that some of the road builders lost their lives on the job.

The first notable destination after passing the Taroko National Park Visitor Center is Eternal Spring Shrine, dedicated to those who died during the highways construction and maintenance. Emerging from the shrine is a waterfall cascading along the rocks below. Work on the highway commenced on July 7, 1960 and took 5,000 to 6,000 men working every day for more than three years and nine months to complete.

Experienced Taiwan travelers probably are quite aware of the Swallow Grotto Trail and Tunnel of Nine Turns Trail. There are other sites to see besides Swallow Grotto and the Tunnel of Nine Turns, such as Shakadang Trail and the trails along the Provincial Highway 9..

Shakadang Trail

Shakadang Trail is a Level 2 trail that hugs the Shakadang River bank and offers natural scenery second to none. In the forest, members of the Camphor and Fig families are present in numbers, but in autumn the flush of maples, subcostate crape myrtle and ring-cupped oak rise high above the shrubs.

The Shakadang Trail displays the most fantastic rock folds, causing one to wonder in awe at the transformational power of Mother Nature. The Liwu and Shakadang rivers confluence is on one end of the Shakadang Trail.

A stretch of the Su-Hua Expressway within the confines of Taroko National Park offers interesting sights to see. Heading northward along the coast on the expressway, also called Provincial Highway 9, are breathtaking images that show the rise of the island of Taiwan made from the Pacific Ocean over time.

A wall of gneiss and marble juts precipitously directly upward hundreds of meters on the Provincial Highway 9. The route, too, offers a special glance at Taiwan's fishing industry. Fixed fishing nets have been set off the coast at the Chongde Delta area, which is classified as a Level 1 trail.

Bussing it

Several tour bus services are offered to the park. Some tour packages include sites in Hualien along with a visit to Taroko Gorge. Able-bodied explorers can rent a scooter for about NT$500 per day in Sincheng and ride to the park. This is a fairly unencumbered way to experience Taroko Gorge.l.

However one chooses to visit Taroko National Park, one can expect to find incredible sites. The majesty of the stone formations are awe-striking and the flora and fauna are guaranteed to leave you with memories of a fine trip.

Tourism Bureau, MOTC:
http:// taiwan.net.tw
Taroko National Park
http://www.taroko.gov.tw.