Zhiben Forest Trail Introduction
The Zhiben Forest Trail was constructed during the Japanese occupation, extending from Sandimen in Pingtung to Dawu in Taitung, passing through the Dawu Mountain Nature Reserve and Shuanggui Lake along the way. It serves as an important habitat for wildlife. After Taiwan's retrocession, it briefly became a route for climbing Little Ghost Lake. Today, due to the latter part of the trail being almost overgrown with green vegetation, few people use it to reach Shuanggui Lake anymore. The earlier section of this trail meanders along the riverbed of the Zhiben Creek, offering views of the Zhiben hot spring area hotels on the opposite bank through lush tree shadows. Due to limited human interference, the ecological resources along the trail are vibrant and diverse. The scenery along the way is elegantly varied, showcasing spectacular waterfalls during the rainy season and opportunities for bird and butterfly watching in the summer. After about 3 kilometers on the trail, various colorful butterflies, insects, singing birds, amphibians, reptiles, as well as red-bellied squirrels and Formosan macaques are relatively easy to observe.
