Datong Mountain Hiking Trail Introduction
Datong Mountain is 237 meters high and is a hill located on the southeastern ridge extending from Dadong Mountain, situated directly north of Shanjia Station. It is often referred to as the backyard garden of the forest area. The Datong Mountain Trail is composed of steps, primitive paths, and concrete paths, with three main routes that converge at Qinglong Ridge. Two of the trailheads are not far from Shulin Station and Shanjia Station, making it easy to access by Taiwan Railways. The trail is lined with dense forest, undulating gently, and the viewing platform at the summit offers an excellent panoramic view of the Greater Taipei area. The viewing platform on Datong Mountain features a platform and pavilion at the summit, where visitors can enjoy the spectacular skyline of the Greater Taipei area and Keelung Mountain in Ruifang on clear days. You can also see high-speed trains skimming through the city like a long dragon. In the evening, it's a great place to rest at the viewing platform, feeling the cool mountain breeze while waiting for the city lights to illuminate the night. Datong Mountain is also known as Jiucha Mountain or Dog Hoof Mountain, where archaeologists have discovered many Neolithic artifacts, leading to its naming as the Dog Hoof Mountain Site. Along the mountainside, there are temples such as Nanjiao Fude Temple, Haiming Zen Temple, and Wangmu Temple for hikers to rest, with Fude Temple also featuring a stone slide and a cold mineral spring pool for visitors to enjoy.
