Cooling Canalside Walks (TAIPEI Quarterly 2026 Summer Vol.44)Post date：2026-06-10
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TAIPEI #44 (2026 Summer)
Cooling Canalside Walks
Exploring Yangmingshan's Southeastern Foothills
TEXT Ami Barnes
PHOTOS Ray Chang
Amid the sweltering summer heat, the watery southeastern corner of Yangmingshan National Park offers a welcome, naturally air-conditioned escape. Hop on the S18 bus at MRT Jiantan Station, and in under 30 minutes, you will have swapped the city streets for terraced farms and bamboo groves cooled by a lacework of streams and old irrigation canals.
The S18 terminates at Pingding Ancient Canal Hiking Trail entrance. Alight here, pay your respects to the gods of Xihe Temple, and head up the creek-bounded Lane 370. Keep your eyes peeled for a map and fingerpost beside some steps on the left – this marks the start of the 120-minute loop trail that includes the Daqitou Trail and the Pingding Ancient Canal Trail. (Hiking in either direction works, but clockwise involves more steps upfront, while anti-clockwise means the first chunk of ascent is done on the road.)
The trail (clockwise) leads up past ramshackle farmers' huts, where, on weekends, you can purchase hyperlocal vegetables to add to your evening meal. A stream cascades down a rocky channel on the left, and up beyond the lean-tos, the pleasingly organic curves of old paddy terraces hug tight to the contours of the land, their retaining walls manifesting small pockets of usable land where previously there had just been steep slope. Only about half remain in active cultivation, with the rest mostly having been colonized by algae, frogs, and other critters.
While we're on the subject of things that hop and slither, note that the trails featured on these pages present excellent night-hiking opportunities. The combination of farmland, trees, and waterways makes for a fabulously biodiverse landscape – herpetologists will find plenty to excite them, and you stand a reasonable chance of spotting various types of snakes and nocturnal mammals like giant flying squirrels and masked palm civets. (The last S18 heads back down into the city core around 11pm, so public transport isn't a problem, but you'll need to bring a torch because the trail is entirely unlit.)
▲Terraced fields
At the top of the terraces, the trail dips into the dappled shade of a bamboo grove. The steps here are shallow, making it easy to set a slow, steady pace as you climb, and with each gained increment in elevation, the species mix broadens as the farmed woods transition to the untamed. During a visit earlier this year, lizards and skinks basked in sun spots, and a recently excavated hole surrounded by caramel-colored earth offered evidence of a pangolin's ant buffet.
▲Qingfeng Pavilion
The trail begins to level out as it approaches Qingfeng Pavilion. Sitting at more or less the mid-point of the loop and immediately after its most protracted climb, this is an excellent spot to pause and break the journey. It'salso a trail hub, with several paths fanning out that offer longer adventures. (Straight ahead, Majiao Historic Trail leads experienced hikers past Mt. Xinzuntou and up to Qingtiangang Grassland; left drops into Pingding Village, where you can connect with the route featured on the following pages; a sharp left doubles back to return to where you started via the slightly more challenging Mt. Ewei Trail.) However, to return to the route at hand, head right following the signage directing you towards Pingding Ancient Canal.
After a short descent, you'll meet the first of three historic irrigation canals, arriving just at the point where the waterway dives into a 60-meterlong tunnel hewn through the rock. Pingding Ancient Canal (built in 1835) is the oldest of the trio. All three divert water from Neishuang Creek and were vital for the early settlers who developed this region. Despite their age, the canals still irrigate much of the area's farmland, and if you've got extra time, it's well worth taking a wander along one or two of them to let the sound of running water wash away worldly stresses.
▲Pingding Ancient Canal(left with bars)
Getting back on track, follow the Pingding Ancient Canal contraflow for a couple of hundred meters, then take the steps heading down on the right. The steps intersect with two more waterways. First up is Pingding New Canal (built in 1849, that "new" has aged into something of a misnomer), then the youngest, Dengfeng Canal (1909). On the far side of this canal, steps continue downwards towards the gurgling hiss of Neishuang Creek. Along the way, you'll pass the Taoran Pavilion, but be warned, this is not somewhere you want to unpack your sandwiches – the table bears a neat cross formed of guano, indicating it's a popular bat hangout after dark.
▲Taozijiao Bridge
Next, you'll cross Taozijiao Bridge, which is green with cushioned moss, and you'll want to take a moment to imbibe the stream's cool breath before continuing because the trail has one final climb – a sting in the tail, if you will. Fortunately, the ascent is brief, and no more than five minutes later, the path reaches a junction. Turn right here, descending through more bamboo wood, then over the creek one final time before you rejoin the road. (Side note: on fine spring evenings, the creek bed at this location is excellent for firefly viewing.) From here, it's an easy roll all the way down the road back to where the S18 dropped you off.
A Shorter 60-Minute Trail Option
If two hours sounds like too much of a commitment, this one-hour route connecting Shilin's Xishan Village with the higher settlement of Pingding is a slightly shorter option. Instead of riding the S18 to its final destination, alight at Jiaokeng Bridge and backtrack a short distance to pick up Lane 181 of Sec. 3, Zhishan Road running uphill alongside a creek.
▲Neishuang Creek
The first noteworthy landmark arrives after just 200 meters in the form of the grand yet solemn Puyi Yuan – a Buddhist temple and meditation center – opposite which you'll find a fingerpost marking the start of the Pingxi Trail.
▲Arched bridge at Puyi Yuan
Steps first thread through bamboo-cultivation terraces before ducking into the cover of mixed broadleaf forest. At the top of the steps, bear left to follow a narrow farm road into a tiny hamlet. The signpost here appears to direct you left in front of the first house, but you actually need to head to the right of the house and then turn left to proceed through a passageway immediately behind it.
Where the road (quite soon) runs out, the trail reappears, heading down a short flight of steps before cutting through more farmland. This next stretch is the most scenic part of this hike – a dense wall of trees hedges the right, while a timeless landscape of stepped terraces spreads down the slope to the left. The only indication that you haven't slipped back a century or more is music blaring from farmers' portable speakers as they tend their crops. On the far side, the open farmland gives way to trees, and rivulets of diverted water add their cooling melody to the soundscape. (Listen, too, for the sharp, uncannily bird-like call of Swinhoe's frogs.)
▲Mt. Ewei Terraced Field Sleeper Trail
Dense canopy shelters the remainder of the climb, but once the trail spits you out at the edge of Pingding Village, you'll be fully exposed to the sun again. This small, elevated village is best known for its annual sakura display (Jan-Feb), and Mt. Ewei Terraced Field Sleeper Trail – a photogenic, undulating walkway that dips and arches over the farmland like a soaring dragon. At the top of the terraces, you'll also find a cluster of cafés, making it a great spot to stop for refreshments before hopping aboard either bus 303 or S19 to return to the city's urban world.
🔎
Daqitou Trail | 大崎頭步道
Dengfeng Canal | 登峰圳
Jiaokeng Bridge | 礁坑橋
Majiao Historic Trail | 瑪礁古道
Mt. Ewei Trail | 鵝尾山步道
Mt. Ewei Terraced Field Sleeper Trail | 鵝尾山水田木棧道
Mt. Xinzuntou | 新圳頭山
Neishuang Creek | 內雙溪
Pingding Ancient Canal Hiking Trail | 坪頂古圳步道
Pingding New Canal | 坪頂新圳
Pingxi Trail | 平溪步道
Puyi Yuan | 普宜苑
Qingfeng Pavilion | 清風亭
Qingtiangang Grassland | 擎天崗草原
Taoran Pavilion | 陶然亭
Taozijiao Bridge | 桃仔腳橋
Xihe Temple | 溪和宮
🗺️Click here to see aforementioned spots on Google Map
Cooling Canalside Walks
Exploring Yangmingshan's Southeastern Foothills
TEXT Ami Barnes
PHOTOS Ray Chang
Amid the sweltering summer heat, the watery southeastern corner of Yangmingshan National Park offers a welcome, naturally air-conditioned escape. Hop on the S18 bus at MRT Jiantan Station, and in under 30 minutes, you will have swapped the city streets for terraced farms and bamboo groves cooled by a lacework of streams and old irrigation canals.
The S18 terminates at Pingding Ancient Canal Hiking Trail entrance. Alight here, pay your respects to the gods of Xihe Temple, and head up the creek-bounded Lane 370. Keep your eyes peeled for a map and fingerpost beside some steps on the left – this marks the start of the 120-minute loop trail that includes the Daqitou Trail and the Pingding Ancient Canal Trail. (Hiking in either direction works, but clockwise involves more steps upfront, while anti-clockwise means the first chunk of ascent is done on the road.)
The trail (clockwise) leads up past ramshackle farmers' huts, where, on weekends, you can purchase hyperlocal vegetables to add to your evening meal. A stream cascades down a rocky channel on the left, and up beyond the lean-tos, the pleasingly organic curves of old paddy terraces hug tight to the contours of the land, their retaining walls manifesting small pockets of usable land where previously there had just been steep slope. Only about half remain in active cultivation, with the rest mostly having been colonized by algae, frogs, and other critters.
While we're on the subject of things that hop and slither, note that the trails featured on these pages present excellent night-hiking opportunities. The combination of farmland, trees, and waterways makes for a fabulously biodiverse landscape – herpetologists will find plenty to excite them, and you stand a reasonable chance of spotting various types of snakes and nocturnal mammals like giant flying squirrels and masked palm civets. (The last S18 heads back down into the city core around 11pm, so public transport isn't a problem, but you'll need to bring a torch because the trail is entirely unlit.)
▲Terraced fields
At the top of the terraces, the trail dips into the dappled shade of a bamboo grove. The steps here are shallow, making it easy to set a slow, steady pace as you climb, and with each gained increment in elevation, the species mix broadens as the farmed woods transition to the untamed. During a visit earlier this year, lizards and skinks basked in sun spots, and a recently excavated hole surrounded by caramel-colored earth offered evidence of a pangolin's ant buffet.
▲Qingfeng Pavilion
The trail begins to level out as it approaches Qingfeng Pavilion. Sitting at more or less the mid-point of the loop and immediately after its most protracted climb, this is an excellent spot to pause and break the journey. It'salso a trail hub, with several paths fanning out that offer longer adventures. (Straight ahead, Majiao Historic Trail leads experienced hikers past Mt. Xinzuntou and up to Qingtiangang Grassland; left drops into Pingding Village, where you can connect with the route featured on the following pages; a sharp left doubles back to return to where you started via the slightly more challenging Mt. Ewei Trail.) However, to return to the route at hand, head right following the signage directing you towards Pingding Ancient Canal.
After a short descent, you'll meet the first of three historic irrigation canals, arriving just at the point where the waterway dives into a 60-meterlong tunnel hewn through the rock. Pingding Ancient Canal (built in 1835) is the oldest of the trio. All three divert water from Neishuang Creek and were vital for the early settlers who developed this region. Despite their age, the canals still irrigate much of the area's farmland, and if you've got extra time, it's well worth taking a wander along one or two of them to let the sound of running water wash away worldly stresses.
▲Pingding Ancient Canal(left with bars)
Getting back on track, follow the Pingding Ancient Canal contraflow for a couple of hundred meters, then take the steps heading down on the right. The steps intersect with two more waterways. First up is Pingding New Canal (built in 1849, that "new" has aged into something of a misnomer), then the youngest, Dengfeng Canal (1909). On the far side of this canal, steps continue downwards towards the gurgling hiss of Neishuang Creek. Along the way, you'll pass the Taoran Pavilion, but be warned, this is not somewhere you want to unpack your sandwiches – the table bears a neat cross formed of guano, indicating it's a popular bat hangout after dark.
▲Taozijiao Bridge
Next, you'll cross Taozijiao Bridge, which is green with cushioned moss, and you'll want to take a moment to imbibe the stream's cool breath before continuing because the trail has one final climb – a sting in the tail, if you will. Fortunately, the ascent is brief, and no more than five minutes later, the path reaches a junction. Turn right here, descending through more bamboo wood, then over the creek one final time before you rejoin the road. (Side note: on fine spring evenings, the creek bed at this location is excellent for firefly viewing.) From here, it's an easy roll all the way down the road back to where the S18 dropped you off.
A Shorter 60-Minute Trail Option
If two hours sounds like too much of a commitment, this one-hour route connecting Shilin's Xishan Village with the higher settlement of Pingding is a slightly shorter option. Instead of riding the S18 to its final destination, alight at Jiaokeng Bridge and backtrack a short distance to pick up Lane 181 of Sec. 3, Zhishan Road running uphill alongside a creek.
▲Neishuang Creek
The first noteworthy landmark arrives after just 200 meters in the form of the grand yet solemn Puyi Yuan – a Buddhist temple and meditation center – opposite which you'll find a fingerpost marking the start of the Pingxi Trail.
▲Arched bridge at Puyi Yuan
Steps first thread through bamboo-cultivation terraces before ducking into the cover of mixed broadleaf forest. At the top of the steps, bear left to follow a narrow farm road into a tiny hamlet. The signpost here appears to direct you left in front of the first house, but you actually need to head to the right of the house and then turn left to proceed through a passageway immediately behind it.
Where the road (quite soon) runs out, the trail reappears, heading down a short flight of steps before cutting through more farmland. This next stretch is the most scenic part of this hike – a dense wall of trees hedges the right, while a timeless landscape of stepped terraces spreads down the slope to the left. The only indication that you haven't slipped back a century or more is music blaring from farmers' portable speakers as they tend their crops. On the far side, the open farmland gives way to trees, and rivulets of diverted water add their cooling melody to the soundscape. (Listen, too, for the sharp, uncannily bird-like call of Swinhoe's frogs.)
▲Mt. Ewei Terraced Field Sleeper Trail
Dense canopy shelters the remainder of the climb, but once the trail spits you out at the edge of Pingding Village, you'll be fully exposed to the sun again. This small, elevated village is best known for its annual sakura display (Jan-Feb), and Mt. Ewei Terraced Field Sleeper Trail – a photogenic, undulating walkway that dips and arches over the farmland like a soaring dragon. At the top of the terraces, you'll also find a cluster of cafés, making it a great spot to stop for refreshments before hopping aboard either bus 303 or S19 to return to the city's urban world.
🔎
Daqitou Trail | 大崎頭步道
Dengfeng Canal | 登峰圳
Jiaokeng Bridge | 礁坑橋
Majiao Historic Trail | 瑪礁古道
Mt. Ewei Trail | 鵝尾山步道
Mt. Ewei Terraced Field Sleeper Trail | 鵝尾山水田木棧道
Mt. Xinzuntou | 新圳頭山
Neishuang Creek | 內雙溪
Pingding Ancient Canal Hiking Trail | 坪頂古圳步道
Pingding New Canal | 坪頂新圳
Pingxi Trail | 平溪步道
Puyi Yuan | 普宜苑
Qingfeng Pavilion | 清風亭
Qingtiangang Grassland | 擎天崗草原
Taoran Pavilion | 陶然亭
Taozijiao Bridge | 桃仔腳橋
Xihe Temple | 溪和宮
🗺️Click here to see aforementioned spots on Google Map
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