Caoling Historic Trail

The Caoling trail is the surviving section of the Danlan Old Road, cut in the 1820s to link Taipei with the Yilan plain over the coastal hills, and it is walked in about four hours between two railway stations. On the ridge are two carved inscriptions left by a Qing official, one reading boldly brave and the other invoking control of the winds, cut into rock in a place where the wind genuinely does hammer through. In autumn the ridge turns silver with grass.

What you actually see

• The stone path - the surviving 1820s road surface over the ridge.
• The rock inscriptions - Qing-era carvings on the ridge, including the tiger character.
• The silvergrass - the ridge turning silver from October to December.
• The coast view - Guishan Island and the Pacific from the high point.

When to go

October to December is the silvergrass season and the best time. The ridge is exposed and the wind is severe in winter. Summer is hot and humid on the climb.

Honest expectations

The wind on the ridge is genuinely strong and has knocked walkers over. There is no shade on the upper section. Both trailheads are on the railway, which is the practical way to do it one-way.

Nearby

Fulong is at the northern end, and Taoyuan Valley is on the ridge above.