Aowanda Forest Recreation Area

Aowanda sits at around eleven hundred metres where two rivers meet in the Nantou mountains, and it is known for two short seasons: cherry blossom in February and maple colour from late November into December, when the whole park turns and the road up fills with cars. A suspension bridge of about a hundred and eighty metres crosses the valley between the two halves of the park, and trails run up to a waterfall and along the ridges. The forest covers some 2,800 hectares between 1,100 and 2,600 metres, and more than two hundred bird species have been recorded.

What you'll find

• The maple colour - late November into December across the whole valley.
• The suspension bridge - a 180-metre span across the gorge between the park's halves.
• The cherry blossom - February flowering along the roads and clearings.
• The waterfall trail - a walk up to falls above the recreation area.

When to go

February for cherries and late November to December for maples are the two windows. Outside them the park is quiet and green. Weekends in season are heavily crowded.

Before you go

In peak colour the road up backs up for hours and parking runs out. Outside the two seasons there is much less to see. Rain is frequent and the trails get slippery.

Nearby

Puli is west, and the Nenggao trail starts nearby.

Key facts