Few people realize that the Alishan Forest Railway once had an extensive network with numerous branch lines. Today, almost nothing remains of most of these branches, with the Mianyue Line being the notable exception. Hidden beside the road, this tunnel esides the highway No. 18 has survived, although the railway tracks that once led to it have long since disappeared. One of the most beautiful, yet lesser-known, trails is the 石山引水道. It is neither abandoned nor closed, but it offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of Alishan. It was originally a branch line of the Japanese-built railway used to transport

(very dangerous, risk of collapse) Puli Guanyin Bridge (觀音吊橋) is a beautiful place that gives an idea of how remote Puli once was. There is surprisingly little information available about this bridge and the surrounding area. I first saw this beautiful bridge two years ago, but because I had an injured leg, I didn’t dare to cross it. This time, however, I had to try. The connection to the road has already broken away, which makes everything very unstable. I spent some time on the bridge; at the beginning it was still quite okay. But the closer I got to the

ed. 2026/7/17 As a resident of Yangmei, I tend to focus on this part of the line. These are not particularly spectacular photos or classic “lost places,” but they illustrate the development of Taiwan’s railways and the sad fate of many old railway buildings. A common feature along the line is that the railway company built staff housing near its stations—often Japanese wooden houses that are now falling apart. Within twenty years, most of them will probably have decayed completely. The railway itself dates back largely to the Japanese colonial period: The completion in 1908 of the north–south railroad linking Taipei

last update: 8/2025 A footpath between Su’ao and Hualien was first built between 1874 and 1876 as part of a program to assert sovereignty over eastern Taiwan. It was later widened by the Japanese, with nine bridges constructed, 14 tunnels built, and the road surface covered with gravel. (View towards Su’ao from the old road.) The highway was opened to vehicular traffic in May 1932. However, the northern section between Su’ao and Taroko was only 3.56 meters wide, allowing for just one-way traffic at a time. In the 1980s, this northern section was widened again to accommodate two-way traffic, with construction

Still in process Until around 2014, the Lotus Pond Trail in the Taroko Gorge was slightly challenging but not a real problem. I led guests there both privately and as a tour guide. It was always a beautiful path through nature and history. However, after a typhoon, bridges and later entire sections of the trail were gradually destroyed. By 2021, I could only walk parts of it. I don’t think the trail will be restored after the last earthquake in 2024. The Lotus Pond settlement was originally home to the Suwasaru tribe of the Truku people. During the Japanese colonial period,