Xitou Nature Education Area Introduction
In the natural classroom of Xitou, one can enjoy the bamboo sea, take a forest bath, and cleanse the dust of the soul while fully experiencing the beauty of phytoncides! During the late Qing Dynasty, Xitou was a mountain village known as the "source of the stream." In 1970, it was planned as a forest recreation area, located at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in Lugu Township. It is one of the seven experimental forests of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at National Taiwan University and is famous as a summer resort. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the air here is fresh, and even the act of breathing has a sweet natural taste! The park is home to precious tree species such as Taiwan fir, false cypress, hinoki cypress, and ginkgo. The forest is dense, and the climate is cool, making it suitable for activities such as forest bathing, bird watching, hiking, and educational observation. Legend has it that there is a 3,000-year-old "Divine Red Cypress" in the park, which grows around a massive rock. Despite some of its branches being hollow and decayed, it stands tall and unwavering. Along the path next to the divine tree is a grove of Taiwan fir, and walking through the unique forest skywalk allows for close observation of the canopy ecology from above! The Moso bamboo forest area, with its thousands of acres of bamboo sea, offers a serene and beautiful setting ideal for walking and relaxing. There is also a "ginkgo forest," also known as "maidenhair tree," with over a hundred trees aged over eighty years, making it one of the largest ginkgo forests in Taiwan! Nestled within the tranquil Moso bamboo grove is a building decorated with bamboo, known as the Bamboo Lodge. Once the residence of Chiang Kai-shek, the main entrance is now locked and not open to the public. However, its elegant and comfortable architectural style is unforgettable!
