The Wuling saddle
Taiwan's highest road point.
Zairon — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Luws — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jinne Huang — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Weifukuo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 白士 李 — CC BY 2.0 · Tiouraren (Y.-C. Tsai) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Hehuanshan is a 3,416-metre peak in central Taiwan, on the border of Nantou and Hualien counties and in the far west of Taroko National Park. It is the easiest high summit to reach in the country, as Highway 14 climbs to the Wuling saddle at 3,275 metres, the highest point in Taiwan accessible by road. Its height brings snow in winter, rare in the rest of the island. In March 1913 a Japanese surveyor attempted the climb, and a storm killed 89 Taiwanese members of his team, the deadliest mountaineering disaster in the country's history. The area was declared an International Dark Sky Park in 2019, and stargazers come for it. You walk on green or golden meadows surrounded by ridge after ridge and dark pine forest. The trail to the main peak is wide, paved and gradual, taking only about an hour and a half round trip, with views all around. In spring pink and white rhododendrons flower along the paths. Clouds sometimes gather below the mountain, so that the sunset falls over a sea of them. The saddle is 14.4 km in a straight line north-east of Cingjing Farm and 60.1 km east of Taichung. The altitude brings headaches and dizziness to many, so do not rush up, and go down if you feel worse. It is cold even in summer, and the winding mountain road can close for snow or landslides, so check before setting out.
Taiwan's highest road point.
A wide path with views all round.
An international dark sky park since 2019.
Highway 14 at Wuling, Nantou and Hualien border
The main peak trail is fairly easy, but the altitude can make walking tiring, so go slowly.
Yes, snow is fairly common in winter and can close the road, so check first.