Shifen Waterfall Trail Introduction
Shifen Summit, which means "summit" in Hakka, is an important transport path developed by the early settlers for the Dahu Basin, including Daliao Village and Nanhu Village. The original ancient path started from Luhhu in Xinlong Village, Tongluo Township, followed the upstream of the Xinjilong Creek, crossed the Shifen Summit, passed through Nanhu Keng to Caobeng, and led to Zhugao House and Dahu. Alternatively, one could descend from Nanhu Keng along the creek to the Nanhu area. Since Shifen Summit is the lowest saddle of the Guandao Mountain Range, the ancient path became an important route from Tongluo and Sanyi to Dahu, but it has now been completely replaced by a concrete road. Shifen Summit is located on a small hill along the ridge of the Guandao Mountains, named because the settlers here had ten stoves for cooking. The eastern section of the Shifen Summit ancient path belongs to Nanhu Keng and can lead to Dahu or Nanhu, where the valley floor is mostly cultivated with strawberries, and residents mainly engage in farming for a living. Historical Background: The early pioneering paths predominantly followed a west-east direction. Initially, settlers crossed the Guandao Mountain Range from Tongluo and Sanyi to the east, forming several east-west ridge roads, with the Shifen Summit ancient path becoming the most important ancient road for developing the Dahu area. After the 1870s, it gradually became the ridge road into Dahu from the Guandao Mountain Range. The salt and postal routes during the period of development in Dahu Township started from Tongluo, followed the old Jilong Creek into the mountains, reaching the Xin Jilong area, which was an important route for the Hakka people’s settlement, preserving traditional Hakka farms and mountain living styles. Safety Status: Although the mountain trail is located on the ridge, it is not steep, and the slope is gentle. Public facilities at both the starting and ending points of the trail are well-equipped. Trail Length: 9 kilometers; Walking Time: Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes one-way.
