By David E. Schnell / Taiwan News, Staff Writer
| Shakadang Trail is just one kilometer west of the park headquarters, its entrance just to the right of Shakadang Bridge. It travels 4.4 kilometers along the east bank of Shakadang River. A walk down this trail reveals amazing folds and formations that are complemented by dense forest and other vegetation. Boulders of all sizes and shapes rest along the riverbed and surrounding banks.
Animal life flourishes in the lush foliage and clear waters surrounding Shakadang River. The area is habitat for an array of fish, several species of freshwater shrimp and crab, many kinds of frogs and a number of waterborne insects. Expect to see numerous dragonflies and damselflies as well.
Swallow Grotto Trail begins about 500 meters from the west of the Sipan Tunnel.The marble formations on this trail are most
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Cingshuei Cliffs along the Provincial
Highway 9, often called Su-Hua Expressway./photo courtesy of
Chen Jianhong, tourism bureau |
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visible compared with any other trail in the park. There are potholes along Swallow Grotto Trail and numerous springs, too. The potholes were created by water that has been forced into the same spot over time by Liwu River from above ground or from underground.
On Swallow Grotto Trail, hikers will encounter a small park dedicated to an engineer Jinheng, who died after being knocked from a bridge when cascading rocks struck the plank he was standing on during an inspection. The bridge named was knocked into the grotto was also named after him. The bridge was washed away by typhoon Amber in 1997.
The East Coastline
Provincial Highway 9 runs between Suao, Yilan and Hualian County. It is the main traffic artery of eastern Taiwan and a portion of it is in the confines of Taroko National Park. There are a number of sites to see that have been developed by the park administration, including the Chongde Trail, the rocky Heren coast and the Cingshuei Cliffs.
The Chongde Trail heads north on the Provincial Highway 9. It is 320 meters long and takes only about 30 minutes to walk. The wooden-planked trail heads to the coast, where the Pacific Ocean can be seen. Looking to the north is Cingshuei Cliff. From the beach, commercial fishing nets can be seen as well as the occasioned fishing boat. Nearby is the Chongde Delta where the Liwu River flows into the ocean. Chongde village is just north of the delta and Fushih village is also located in the delta region.
Next along Provincial Highway 9 is Cingshuei Cliffs. The cliff face stretches along the coast for 21 kilometers and seem to jut right out of the ocean. The Cliffs were created by the fault line along the eastern coast of Taiwan. It is composed primarily of marble, gneiss and green schist. The density of these rock account for the stability of the sheer cliff and its ability to withstand the power of the ocean and typhoons thrown at it.
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