Situated at the intersection between Taoyuan City and Gueishan Township, Hutou Mountain Park is one of the popular hiking spots in Taoyuan County. Local people going up the mountain usually start in front of Jingihong Village Center and No. 479 Changsgou Road. The entire day trip takes nearly 90 minutes to tour some ancient structures and attractions such as Minglun Sasheng Temple, Martyr’s Shrine, Confucius Temple, Yat-Sen Park, Huweiliao and more.
Hutoushan Mountain has an elevation of 251 meters, the highest point in Taoyuan City and a natural barrier from the strong northeast monsoon. The mountain resembles the shape of a tiger and so it is sometimes called the ‘Tiger Island Mountain’. The hiking trail is short, about 1.3 kilometers long. The hiking trail is smooth and pleasant, with too much ruggedness as well as a lot of green grass growing abundantly all over the park.
The mountain park is an ideal place for a panoramic view of the Yeheng Terraces and is lovely during nighttime, with the bright streetlights gleaming across the downtown area. Inside the park, you can enjoy the refreshing scenery of rich cherry trees and a lotus pond as well as the barbeque area and children’s playground for family picnic.
Fronting the Hutou Mountain Park is the Sasheng Temple. The temple is dedicated to Guan Gong, the Chinese god of war popular among common people on the basis of the belief that he has the power to control evil spirits. You can see his bronze statue inside the temple to remember the ancient heroes. In Chinese, ‘Sasheng’ means ‘three saints’ which refers to Guangong and Lu Tung-bin, known as medical gods. The temple was built due to the prevalence of diseases in Qing Dynasty.
The mountain park is divided into two parts, the pre-mountain and the mountain area. Halfway along the hiking trail, you can pause for rest in Taoxin Pavillion, which was constructed as a symbol of friendship between Guan Yu, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei in the historical Chinese novel ‘The Romance of the Three Kingdoms’. The pavilion is a very famous recreational place. During night, many couples go up on the mountain and spend the night in the pavilion. At the topmost part, you will be rewarded with a full view of the Bade City, Dayuan Township, Taoyuan City and Gueishan Township on the observation deck.
A number of park features should not be missed when coming to Hutou Mountain Park. These include the Plum Blossom Pavilion, Mushroom Pavilion, Hutou Mountain Pavilion, the Jing-Kuo Plum Blossom Park and Maple Park. This park is complete with services and facilities so visitors can have a worthwhile experience during the trip. Every pavilion is unique, combined with both contemporary and classical architectural styles, blending historical and modern beauty. The Martyr’s Shrine was constructed during Japanese occupation and is known for its heritage value and exquisite Tang-style of architecture.
To access the Hutou Mountain Park, you can either use your car or take public transport. If you drive, take the Nankan Interchange Highway and go straight to Highway 4 until you reach Taoyuan City. Head up to the Spring Road and turn to Hutoushan. If you take public transport, take the five-way city bus in the park and stop by Martyr’s Shrine or Sasheng Temple.
Highlight Attractions in Dongyanshan National Forest Recreation Area
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