Antong Mountain Trail West Section Introduction
The Antong Cross-Mountain Trail is located in Yuli Township, Hualien County, on the western side of the southern section of the Central Mountain Range. It is part of the western section of the Antong Cross-Mountain Trail and is the first road that crosses the Central Mountain Range, connecting the eastern coast with the Hualien-Taitung Valley. During the Qing Dynasty, due to the "Opening Mountains and Pacifying Indigenous Peoples" policy, General Wu Guangliang led troops to cross the Central Mountain Range, opening the route from Pushi Pavilion (Yuli) to Chengguangao (Chenggong), which formed the cross-mountain path. From the Qing Dynasty to the Japanese colonial period, it was an important route for intermarriage, missionary work, and transportation of goods. After the 1970s, with the opening of highways, it gradually became a desolate abandoned path. However, due to its rich natural resources and significant historical and cultural value, the Forestry Bureau completed its reconstruction in 2008. The ancient path has long been hidden in the mountains, featuring a primitive ecological environment with misty mountain clouds, making it feel like stepping into a paradise. Nowadays, those wishing to explore the ancient path can walk from the entrance of the Antong Hot Springs in Yuli, passing through the Antong Cross-Mountain Trail to the cross-mountain road of the Central Mountain Range, which takes about three hours round-trip, making it a moderately challenging trail.
