Can anyone here recommend any hiking areas or scenic spots in northern Taiwan (Taoyuan or Hsinchu area)? List your favorite spots here. Thanks in advance!
Lionshead Mountain 獅頭山 is probably the pick of the bunch in Hsinchu County. Lots of hiking, lots of temples and Beipu is nearby if you want to eat lots of Hakka food. Lonelyplanet rates it highly too.
In Taoyuan you have fantastic hiking. Head past Sanxia to Full Moon Park and Dongyanshan Forest Recreation Area for day and overnight hikes. Can even walk from this area back to Wulai in Taipei County.
There are lots of hikes off the North Cross Island Hwy, too.
Get a copy of Richard Saunder’s Taipei Escapes for more.
Hsinchu has loads of great mountain areas: the 2-day Syakaro Trail, Guanwu Forest Recreation Area which is the start to the 3-day hike up Dabajianshan or the 5 day Holy Ridge.
Smangus is good.
This should get you started. I added it to Taoyuan’s wiki page about a year ago.
Taoyuan Mountains over 1500 metres
Najie Mountain (Najieshan) 那結山, 1520 m[7]
Kulushan 庫魯山 (萱源山), 1568 m
Mawangzenglyu Mountain (Mawangzenglyushan) 馬望曾呂山, 1577 m
Niaozuei Mountain (Niaozueishan) 鳥嘴山, 1749 m
Jian Mountain (Jianshan) 復興尖山, 1852 m
Fufu Mountain (Fufushan) 夫婦山, 1870 m
Meigueisimo Mountain (Meigueisimoshan) 玫瑰西魔山, 1871 m
Leng Mountain (Lengshan) 稜山, 1889 m
Luping Mountain (Lupingshan) quri-lupi 盧平山, 1905 m
Nanchatian Mountain (Nanchatianshan) quri-nagu 南插天山, 1907 m
Lidong Mountain (Lidongshan) 李棟山, 1914 m
Lala Mountain (Lalashan) quri-r’ra 拉拉山, 2030 m
Tangsuei Mountain (Tangsueishan) 唐穗山, 2090 m
Babokulu Mountain (Babokulushan) 巴博庫魯山, 2101 m
Taman Mountain (Tamanshan) quri-tmang 塔曼山, 2130 m
Dilu Mountain (Dilushan) 低陸山, 2160 m
Yufong Mountain (Yufongshan) 玉峰山, 2300 m
Siciousih Mountain (Siciousihshan) 西丘斯山, 2427 m
Xuebai Mountain (Xuebaishan) 雪白山, 2444 m
Northern Cross-Island Highway Footpaths
0.0 km – Daxi Old Street 大溪老街
1.2 km – Jinmianshan 金面山, Jinshanmianshan 金山面山
6.1 km – Cihu 慈湖 – Caolingshan 草嶺山, Baishihshan 白石山, Shicuokengshan 石厝坑山, Jinmianshan 金面山 (*trail to Wuiaojian)
7.5 km – Baiji Tunnel – Sizoushan, Shihmen Reservoir
12.1 km – Sanmin Bat Cave 三民左接
16.3 km – Jiaobanshan, Jinpingshan 金平山
17.7 km – Dongyanshan 東眼山, Zhihjishan 志繼山
20.7 km – Xiao Wulai 小烏來 – Heweishan, Hewei Ancient Trees, Beichatianshan 北插天山, Nanchatianshan 南插天山, Lupaishan, Daishihfushan, Yunei River, Yisin River
22.7 km – Luofu – Loma Rd, Najieshan 那結山
28.2 km – Dawan – Najieshan 那結山
31.1 km – Xuewu Tunnel – Fufushan 夫婦山, Xibuciao River
37.6 km - Gaoyi Bridge, Baojiku River
39.9 km – Gaoyi – Yingshan 鷹山
46.5 km – Baling Bridge
47.4 km – Galahe 嘎拉赫 – Xuebaishan 雪白山 (*trail to Smangus), Tangsueishan 唐穗山, Dilushan 低陸山, Yufongshan 玉峰山, Siciousihshan 西丘斯山
47.8 km – Shang Baling 上巴陵 – Lalashan 拉拉山, Tamanshan 塔曼山, Meigueisimoshan 玫瑰西魔山, Baling-Fushan Trail 巴福越嶺, Kala (Qara) 卡拉
56.0 km – Kulushan 庫魯山 (萱源山)
59.3 km – Jianshan 復興尖山, Sanguan River
61.5 km – Lengshan 稜山
67.0 km – Mingchih 明池 – Babokulushan 巴博庫魯山, Chilan Pond, Songlou Lake 松蘿湖