Batongguan Historic Trail Introduction
The Batongguan Old Trail originally starts in Zhushan Township, Nantou County (Linchipu) and passes through Lugu Township and Xinyi Township, crossing Batongguan and Xiuguluan Mountain, before reaching Yuli Township in Hualien County (Pushi Pavilion). It is approximately 152 kilometers long and was built in 1875 during the Qing Dynasty. It is one of three roads that cross the island of Taiwan from east to west, and it is the only one that remains, thus it has been designated as a national historic site. The currently accessible section is about 20 kilometers from Dongpu Hot Springs to Batongguan Prairie. The area of the Batongguan Old Trail that is open for public exploration is in the Dongpu area, allowing visitors to also explore Yushan National Park, Father and Son Cliffs, Dongpu Hot Springs, Maiden Waterfall, Yunlong Waterfall, Rainbow Waterfall, Lover's Valley, and more. Yushan National Park is the largest national park in Taiwan, characterized by its subtropical alpine geology, primarily consisting of mountains and river valleys, shaped into valuable resources and ecological environments. The Dongpu Cliff, also known as Father and Son Cliffs, is located along the Batongguan Old Trail segment, above East Light. Due to its unique and perilous geology, with constant rockfalls, it is said that even when a father and son walk together here, they cannot keep an eye on each other, hence the name "Father Does Not Know Son."
