Datong Mountain Hiking Trail Introduction
Datong Mountain, with an elevation of 237 meters, is a hill located on the southeastern ridge extending from Dabang Mountain, directly north of Shanqia Station. It is affectionately known as the "back garden of the forest area." The hiking trails on Datong Mountain consist of steps, original trails, and concrete paths, with three main routes that converge at Qinglong Ridge. Two of the trailheads are located not far from Shulin Station and Shanqia Station, allowing visitors to take the Taiwan Railway to reach the mountain. The paths are densely lined with trees, featuring gentle ups and downs. The observation platform at the summit offers excellent views of the entire metropolitan area of New Taipei and Taipei. The Datong Mountain observation platform includes a viewing area and pavilion at the top, where, on clear days, visitors can admire the spectacular skyline of both New Taipei and Taipei, as well as Keelung Mountain in Ruifang. One can also see the high-speed trains of the Taiwan High Speed Rail slicing through the city like a long dragon. At dusk, visitors can take a break at the observation platform, enjoying the refreshing mountain breeze while waiting for the lights of the city to illuminate one by one. Datong Mountain is also known as Jiucha Mountain and Dog paw Mountain; archaeologists have discovered many Neolithic pottery and stone tools on the mountain, leading to its naming as the Dog paw Mountain site. Along the mid-section of the mountain, there are temples such as Nanliao Fude Temple, Haiming Zen Temple, and Wangmu Temple for mountaineers to rest, with Fude Temple featuring a stone slide and a cold mineral spring swimming pool for visitors to enjoy.
