Shifen Waterfall Trail Introduction
Shifen Ridge, which means "top" in Hakka, is a significant transportation trail opened by early settlers for developing the Dahu Basin, Daliao Village, and Nanhu Village. The original ancient trail began at Luhu in Xilong Village, Tongluo Township, following the upstream of the Xinjilong Creek, crossing Shifen Ridge, passing through Nanhu Keng, and leading to Zhugaohu and Dahu, or descending from Nanhu Keng down the creek to the Nanhu area. As Shifen Ridge is the lowest saddle in the Guandao Mountain range, the ancient path became an important road between Tongluo and Sanyi toward Dahu, but it has been entirely replaced by a cement road. Shifen Ridge is located on a small hill in the Guandao Mountain ridge, named for the "ten stoves" used by settlers for baking brain cakes. The eastern section of the Shifen Ridge Ancient Trail belongs to Nanhu Keng, which connects to Dahu or Nanhu. Most of the flat land in the valley is planted with strawberries, and the residents mainly rely on agriculture for their livelihood. Historical Background: The early cultivation paths generally ran from west to east. Initially, settlers crossed the Guandao Mountain range from Tongluo and Sanyi to the east, forming multiple east-west crossing paths, with the Shifen Ridge Ancient Trail becoming the most vital ancient path for developing the Dahu area. After the 1870s, it gradually became the crossing route into Dahu from the Guandao Mountain range. During the Dahu Village development period, the routes for salt and mail service from Tongluo via the Old Jilong Creek into the mountains reaching the New Jilong area served as important routes for the Hakka community’s settlement, preserving traditional Hakka farm villages and mountain lifestyles. Safety Status: The mountain trail, although situated on a ridge, is not steep and has a gentle slope. Public facilities are well-equipped at the trail's starting and ending points. Trail Length: 9 kilometers, Estimated Walking Time: Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes one way.
