North Coast and Guanyin Mountain National Scenic Area Introduction
The Northern Coast and Guanyin Mountain National Scenic Area was established on February 20, 2001. It integrates the three provincial scenic areas of the Northern Coast, Yehliu, and Guanyin Mountain, and a management office was set up on July 22, 2002. The jurisdiction includes the "Northern Coast area," which is administratively divided into four districts: Sanzhi, Shimen, Jinshan, and Wanli in New Taipei City, and the "Guanyin Mountain area," which encompasses two districts: Wugu and Bali in New Taipei City. The area is rich in tourism resources, with the Northern Coast Highway showcasing beautiful landscapes, with azure waters and skies, and numerous scenic spots and recreational facilities along the route. Famous scenic areas such as Baisha Bay, Linshan Cape, Fuguei Cape Park, Shimen Cave, Jinshan, Yehliu, and Emerald Bay are distributed in a belt-like fashion, complemented by diverse cultural and artistic resources such as the Li Tianlu Puppet Museum and the Ju Ming Museum. Yehliu Geopark is renowned for the Queen's Head and Fairy's Shoe, impressive formations shaped by nature, along with unique monolithic mountains formed by the collision of the Eurasian and Philippine tectonic plates. The erosion platform provides a paradise for intertidal zones and seasonal migratory birds. Guanyin Mountain is strikingly beautiful; from the top of Hard Guy Ridge, you can behold the Tamsui River winding its way into the ocean day and night, and enjoy stunning views of the Taipei Basin. To make use of the scenic vistas and Guanyin Mountain's height, six hiking trails have been specially planned. The trails are divided into Fulongsan, Niugang Ridge, Hard Guy Ridge, Jianshan, Fenggui Douhu, and Niuliao Pu trails. Among them, Hard Guy Ridge is the highest point of Guanyin Mountain, standing at an elevation of approximately 616 meters. The main trail enters from beside Lingyun Zen Temple, leading to Hard Guy Ridge; the secondary trail (Fenggui Douhu Trail) enters from behind the Guanyin Mountain Visitor Center, which is shorter but steeper to test your physical fitness. Once at Hard Guy Ridge, the view opens up significantly. Each trail has its unique features and is equipped with well-maintained wooden boardwalks and guiding markers, hoping to highlight the beautiful scenery of Guanyin Mountain as visitors stroll through. Watching the boats shuttle back and forth at Fisherman's Wharf and the lights from thousands of homes forming a sea of lights at night reveals the beauty of Guanyin Mountain at night! Data reference: Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Northern Coast and Guanyin Mountain National Scenic Area Management Office.
