Taipei City Geotechnical Engineering Office

The long, hot summer vacation has arrived. Parents are always wondering how to plan leisure activities for their children. The Geotechnical Engineering Office, Public Works Department, Taipei City Government (the “GEO”) recommends that citizens take a family trip and explore the hiking trails in Taipei City; they allow you to get close to the waters and mountains and enjoy a fun, “cool” summer.
First of all, the GEO recommends Hushanxi Hiking Trail; its entrance is located on Lane 251, Fude Street, Xinyi District. It is a hiking trail with the easiest access to the waters and mountains. The platform beside the trail is the favorite spot of adults and children to rest and soak their feet in the chilly waters to relieve the summer heat. The rich natural ecology along the hiking trail provides an ideal home for many plants and animals. The GEO urges visitors who come here to escape the summer heat to observe these creatures quietly and not disturb their natural behaviors.
With the entrance located on Pingjing Street, Shilin District, Pingding Historic Canal Trail offers rolling terrain along the trail. The trail connects Dengfeng Canal, Pingding New Canal and Pingding Historic Canal, which are all more than 150 years old. Walking on the long and winding nostalgic trail along the Historic Canal, you can listen to the murmuring of running water and enjoy a peaceful moment.
Chen Yen-Cheng, chief of the Industrial and Trail Section of the GEO, recommends Dagouxi Riverside Hiking Trail; its entrance is located on Dahushanzhuang St, Neihu District. The first part of the hiking trail is along the riverbank, where the water is shallow and the hiking trail is easy to walk on. Then, it joins Yuanjue Temple Hiking Trail, which is of gentle terrain and comfortable, with surrounding lush trees. The river is so clean you can see its bottom; and as you approach the Yuanjue Waterfall, you’ll also be able to bask in the shower of negative ions.
Lastly, there is Bixi Hiking Trail, with the entrance located on Bixi Industrial Road, Shilin District. Walking through the woods, you will see the observation platform in the shape of “Tetris” made with railway sleepers retired from rail tracks. In addition, there are four platforms in the shape of spade, heart, diamond and club of the poker cards scattered in the woods, waiting for you to pay them a visit.
PS. To cite the pictures, please refer to the website of the Geotechnical Engineering Office (http://www.geo.gov.taipei/) for download.