Yong'an Yulongquan Trail Introduction
Yulong Spring is a natural spring located in the Yong'an community, nourished by abundant water resources, forming a rich natural ecosystem and forest landscape. Locals regard it as a "sacred spring." Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival at noon, all villagers gather to collect spring water, becoming a local custom in Luye Township. The Yulong Spring Ecological Trail is 1,100 meters long and divided into three main sections. The first section is the Sheng'an Temple Stairway Trail, which connects the Yong'an Sheng'an Temple to Yulong Spring, featuring a staircase with 108 steps. Along the way, there are areas for the Yulong Spring emergence, wetland ecology, a single plank bridge, and a water play area, totaling about 250 meters in length. The second section is the trail along the banks of the Yulong Spring stream, which features river ecosystem areas, soil and water conservation education areas, and a parent-child water play area. This trail runs alongside the stream and is paved with stone and concrete paths, surrounded by rich forest scenery, extending approximately 550 meters. The third section is the elevated shaded stairway trail, which includes a staircase with 370 steps. Walking the entire Yulong Spring Ecological Trail takes about 50 minutes without stopping. It is incredibly refreshing to walk through the forest, where the diverse plant life, abundant water sources, and clear streams create a rich natural habitat, with butterflies fluttering and birds thriving. Along the shallow water flow parallel to the mountainside, the clean environment nurtures flourishing water cress, under which tree frogs, crabs, and freshwater shrimp are often seen busy foraging. Various species of crabs and frogs inhabit this area, with the dominant population being the two-colored mud crab, along with other species such as the grey-shelled crab, Cai's crab, and the La's stream crab. There are also many types of frogs, including the white-throated tree frog, brown tree frog, La-douxi's red frog, black-backed little rain frog, and the Japanese tree frog, which enjoys soaking in hot springs. To ensure that animals and insects crossing the road are not disturbed by visitors, the children of Yong'an Elementary School creatively paved the paths with tires and painted them, affectionately nicknaming it "Flower Wheel Trail." This unique design allows visitors to cross the muddy areas without wet feet, leaving a deep impression of the children's care and love. The Yulong Spring Ecological Trail features a water resource platform with various traditional landscape designs and ecological pools for resting and closely observing the rich natural ecology. There are resting seats along the way, and upon completing the stair trail, visitors can reach the elevated scenic tea garden. At the end of the trail is a large viewing pavilion, the "Tea Garden," established by the Long Valley Scenic Administration, offering a panoramic view of the valley, perfectly concluding this beautiful journey.
