IV. a Hike Along the Lianhua Pond Trail (Lotus Pond) (Time Requirement: 7-8 H)

Natural treks: IV. A hike along the Lianhua Pond Trail (Lotus Pond) (time requirement: 7-8 h) Taroko Visitor Center --- Huitouwan (Switchback)--- Lianhua Pond (Hwy. No. 8, 189 km) (Hwy. No. 8, 164 km) (1.6 K + 2.3 K-) Brief introduction to the trek: The distance from the Taroko Visitor Center to the trailhead at Huitouwan is about 25 km, requiring 1 h of car ride. En route, you can enjoy fully the grandiose sights of the gorge. The hiking trek takes about 4 h to and fro. We suggest that visitors should bring food ration before starting the trek. Driving your own vehicle can access the trailhead or you can take a bus served by the Hualien Bus Co. However, the frequency of the bus is very sparse, thus relatively inconvenient. This trek belongs to the secondary open access trail; the full trip will see a height difference of 500 m, thus more suitable for persons of good physical fitness.

Brief introduction to the trail: The trailhead is located at Huitouwan, at 164 K mark of the Central Cross-Island Highway (elevation 750 m). After walking along a creek for about 30 min (1.5k), you will reach Jiumei Suspension Bridge. You will arrive at Lianhua Pond after crossing the bridge and follow a zigzag trail upward for about 1.5 h (2.3k). This natural pond is an important watering hole for wildlife. Along the trail, you can often see scouring marks left by wild boars. You can often see these animals drinking at the pond during early morning and evening. Lianhua Pond has an elevation of 1200 m, which is the only natural body of water in the park. It uses to be called“Tientan (phonetic sound which means the holy pond),”and was the old site of the Suwasalu clan of the Taroko people. En route, you’ll see small bridges and flitting butterflies, hear gurgling brooks and chirping birds… It is a trek that allows you to enjoy it whole- heartedly. There you can truly appreciate the wonderments of the nature.

* Brief introduction to a special resource: The bird sounds often heard at Lianhua Pond include Collared Finchbill (Spizixox semitorques), Gray-cheeked Fulvetta (Alcippe morrisonia), Strong-footed Bush Warbler (Cettea fortipes), White-throated Flycatcher-Warbler; summer migrating birds such as Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus); and winter migrating birds such as Pale Thrush (Turdus pallidus), Red- bellied Thrush (Turdus chrysolaus), Black-faced Bunting (Emberiza spodocephala) etc. For nature lovers who are also bird aficionados, this is a trip worth taking.