Keelung Mountain Trail Introduction
The trailhead of Keelung Mountain is located about 350 meters next to the entrance of Jiufen Old Street, right next to a parking lot. There is also a noticeable stone monument indicating the trail entrance. Keelung Mountain is named as such because its shape resembles a giant chicken coop, hence it was once referred to as "Chicken Coop Mountain," with the more elegant name of Keelung Mountain. In reality, it does not have much relation to the important port of Keelung in northern Taiwan; the two are merely geographically close. From the side, it also resembles a pregnant woman lying down, which is why it is also known as "Big Belly Beauty Mountain." Keelung Mountain was originally a conical extinct volcano with hard rock layers. Due to the persistent sea winds and the northeastern monsoon bringing a lot of salt rain, the mountain has sparse trees and abundant silvergrass. Although the peak isn’t very high, it faces the coast, offering a broad and open view with a complete 360-degree panorama. It gives a sense of regret if one does not reach the summit. The Keelung Mountain trail to the top consists entirely of stairways, and there are pavilions along the way for young children and elderly hikers to rest and catch their breath.
