Giant Tree Trail
巨木群棧道
A wooden boardwalk beside Alishan's Giant Tree Station, winding among red cypress giants more than a thousand years old. It is the finest stretch for forest bathing.
The Giant Tree Trail lies on the northern side of Alishan National Forest Recreation Area. It starts beside Giant Tree Station and forms two loop boardwalks totaling about 1 km. Along the way you can see dozens of numbered red cypresses and hinoki cypresses, aged between 1,000 and 2,300 years. Each tree has a sign showing its age, height, and girth. The original 'Alishan Giant Tree,' about 3,000 years old, beside Giant Tree Station, fell in 1997 and has been preserved lying down. The present 'Xianglin Giant Tree,' about 2,300 years old, stands near Xianglin Elementary School and is the second-generation Alishan Giant Tree. The boardwalk is gentle and takes about 40 to 60 minutes, suitable for all ages. It is the best section in Alishan for forest bathing. For a visit, take the Shenmu Line local train (about 10 minutes) from Alishan Station to Giant Tree Station and start there. After the giant trees, walk to Sister Lakes and Shouzhen Temple, and finally return to the station. Or walk the route in reverse, which is easier downhill. Note: the boardwalk is slippery when wet, and the dense forest keeps light dim in the morning and evening, so set a high ISO for photos.
Opening hours
All day (follows forest recreation area hours)
Nearby sights
- Sister Ponds
- Zhaoping Park
- Alishan Forest Recreation Area
- Alishan Forest Railway
- Zhushan Sunrise Viewing Platform
- Mt. Ogasawara Viewing Platform
- Tefuye Historic Trail
- Laiji (Pnguu) Tsou Village