Lotus Pond Introduction
Lotus Pond is the only natural alpine lake within Taroko National Park, located on the north flank of Chao-Dun Mountain Ridge, opposite the hairpin turn on Central Cross-Island Highway. It has an elevation of 1,180 meters and a surrounding diameter of over 500 meters. During the Japanese colonial period, the Truku people referred to it as "Tian Tan" due to the abundance of lotus flowers in the pond, which eventually led to its renaming as Lotus Pond. However, after veterans introduced grass carps into the pond, the lotus began to gradually wither; coupled with severe leakage, it often became just a small pool. As the veterans aged and moved away, the farmland around Lotus Pond fell into disuse and slowly returned to its natural state, transforming into a rich ecological paradise where birds, butterflies, and fish of varying elevations converge, with wildlife frequently visiting.
