Zhijiayang Dashan D1 Waypoint
15 Jul 2026 21 waypoints 28 photos 7.44 km
D1 Itinerary
After crossing the Sijielan Creek suspension bridge from Xima Farm, the trail winds downhill until you reach the trailhead for the Huanshan Hunter's Trail. The first 10 minutes are inside the forest road, then it opens out onto an exposed farm road, passing Waypoint 4 beside Sijielan Creek. This section has quite a few junctions, so watch the signs carefully — for example, at Waypoint 6, turn left into the farm rather than going up.
The gate before Waypoint 7 can be opened yourself, but remember to close it again afterward. Past Waypoint 7 you're back on the shaded forest road, which stays covered almost the whole way — just watch for protruding rocks and branches that could hit your head. From Waypoint 7, continue about another 1.3 kilometers to reach the Sijielan Creek Log Bridge at Waypoint 9; 30 meters past the bridge is the 3.1K Campsite. It's a good idea to rest and sort out your gear here, since the next stretch climbs 1,700 meters in 5 kilometers to Piaodan Hut.
Baxian Mountain, the toughest of the Guguan Eight in central Taiwan, has a route up from Songhe Village that climbs 1,700 meters in 6 kilometers — so Zhijiayang Dashan feels even steeper. After leaving the 3.1K campsite, the terrain winds steadily upward with several roped sections; the good news is it's almost entirely under tree cover. With 1,700 meters of climbing, you'll definitely need to stop for water and food — use your own judgment for short breaks, and find an open spot that doesn't block the trail. For longer breaks, I'd suggest:
- Waypoint 14: a shaded clearing, 4.7K from the start
- Waypoint 28: Sailiangjiu Campground, 6.4K from the start
In the last third of the climb, the trail narrows through arrow bamboo. Past Waypoint 20, recent typhoons and earthquakes have washed the path out and made the drop-offs bigger over the years — if you're tired, take a short breather and keep moving, but don't rest too long; it costs a lot to get your body going again.
Since the Zhijiayang Dashan trail has a distance marker every 100 meters, you'll reach Piaodan Hut at around 7.25K from the start. Facing the hut, walk 35 meters straight ahead on the left to reach the restroom; the small puddle you pass on the way is Piaodan Pond. The door of the hut faces east, and the view in front is nothing but meadow and completely unobstructed mountains and sea of clouds — don't miss the chance to enjoy the night view and sunrise here.
Trail Log
01 Start Point
3,141 m1,556↓4 min 60 m
02 Turn left and climb
3,141 m1,556↓3 min 80 m ↑23 m
03 Keep right along the forest road
3,141 m1,556↓6 min 320 m ↑17 m ↓10 m
04 Beside Sijielan CreekMentioned in text
3,141 m1,556↓2 min 90 m
05 Vegetable garden
3,141 m1,556↓14 min 710 m ↑12 m
06 Turn left for Zhijiayang DashanMentioned in text
3,141 m1,556↓5 min 290 m ↑11 m
07 Wobbly-leg rescue pointMentioned in text
3,141 m1,556↓28 min 1.02 km ↑68 m
08 For a safe journey
3,141 m1,556↓11 min 340 m ↑11 m
09 Sijielan Creek Log BridgeMentioned in text
3,141 m1,556↓3 min 70 m ↓13 m
10 3.1K Campsite — steep climb begins
3,141 m1,556↓7 min 30 m
11 Recording resumed
3,141 m1,556↓1 h 0 min 810 m ↑336 m
12 Short break
3,141 m1,556↓36 min 410 m ↑155 m
13 Rest Platform
3,141 m1,556↓9 min 110 m ↑17 m
14 Drop packs, lunch breakMentioned in text
3,141 m1,556↓21 min 0 m
15 Recording resumed
3,141 m1,556↓51 min 960 m ↑330 m
16 Rest Platform
3,141 m1,556↓54 min 760 m ↑175 m
18 Sailiangjiu Campground
3,141 m1,556↓5 min 0 m
19 Recording resumed
3,141 m1,556↓38 min 590 m ↑201 m
20 Photo stopMentioned in text
3,141 m1,556↓1 h 4 min 630 m ↑227 m
21 Piaodan Hut
3,141 m1,556↓2 h 8 min 90 m
22 Restroom
3,141 m1,556
Start of record08:46 1555 m 0 km Start Point
↓70 m ↑16 m ↓23 m
End of record17:54 3138 m 7.44 km Piaodan Hut
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