Xitou Nature Education Area Introduction
At Xitou, this natural classroom, you can enjoy the bamboo sea, take a forest bath, cleanse your mind, and fully enjoy the beautiful purification of phytoncides! During the late Qing Dynasty, Xitou was originally a mountain village known as the "source of the stream." In 1970, it was designated as a forest recreation area, located at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in Lugu Township. It is one of the seven experimental forests of National Taiwan University's College of Agriculture and is a highly renowned summer retreat in Taiwan, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with fresh air that has a natural sweetness to it! The park is home to valuable tree species such as Cunninghamia lanceolata, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Cryptomeria japonica, and Ginkgo biloba, boasting dense forests and cool climate. It's perfect for activities like forest bathing, birdwatching, hiking, and educational observation. Legend has it that within the park stands a sacred tree, a "red cypress" over three thousand years old, growing around a giant rock. Although some of its branch structures are hollow and decayed, it still stands tall and firm. Next to the sacred tree's trail is a forest of Cunninghamia lanceolata, where you can walk on an innovative forest skywalk to closely observe the ecology of the tree canopy from above! The Moso bamboo forest area is a serene and beautiful expanse of bamboo, perfect for casual strolls. There is also a "ginkgo forest," known as "maidenhair tree," with about 100 ginkgo trees over eighty years old, making it one of the largest ginkgo forests in Taiwan! Nestled within the quiet Moso bamboo forest is a building decorated with bamboo, known as the Bamboo Lodge. Once a residence for Chiang Kai-shek, it is currently locked and not open to the public. However, its elegant and comfortable architectural style is unforgettable!
