Litao Mountain Trail Introduction
Lihou Mountain is located at the junction of Xinpu Township, Zhubei City, and Xianglin Township in Hsinchu County. It is named for its resemblance to the plow head used by ancient farmers. The mountain stretches from Neili Village in Xinpu to the east, to the east side of the Zhubei Expressway in the west, and runs east-west. It serves as the watershed between the two major rivers in Hsinchu County, the Luchia River and the Toukeng River. Lihou Mountain has an elevation of 156 meters, with a steep slope on the south side and a more gentle slope on the north side. In the past, the area was primarily tea gardens managed by farmers; although these have now fallen into disrepair, many old tea trees can still be seen among the forest. The main trail and various entrance routes were initially winding paths used by local residents for tea harvesting or farming. In the 1980s, the decline of agriculture led to the gradual abandonment of the tea gardens on the mountain, and most tea-picking paths became overgrown with wild vegetation. Even the ancient Yuetao Wo Trail, once bustling with traders and travelers crossing Lihou Mountain, has fallen into disuse. Lihou Mountain has turned into a desolate area, with only a section of over a kilometer near the triangulation point in the western part still frequented by hikers, while the remaining areas are largely deserted.
