Dabajianshan 大霸尖山: The Daba Peaks Trail

 

Dabajianshan is a 3,492 meter peak in Shei Pa National Park in Hsinchu County. It is an iconic and distinctive peak and it even appears on the Taiwanese 500 dollar bill. It's a 62 km round trip hike and there are a total of 4 bai yue (the 100 mountains of Taiwan) on the trail. In addition to Dabajianshan, hikers also summit Xiaobajianshan (3,418 m), Jialishan (3,112m) and Yizheshan (3296 m). There are 2 huts and a campground. Many people hike it in 3 days staying at 99 Cabin but I elected to do it in four, camping at the Madala Campground and staying at Zhongba Cabin which has the advantage of being close to the summit. 

Dabajianshan and Xiaobajianshan

 

📏⏱️Distance/duration: The trail is about 62 km round trip.

Day 1: Guanwu Villa bus stop -- Dalu Forest Road -- Madala Creek Campround (17.7 km/ 4 hours 44 mins) 

Day 2: Madala Creek Campround -- 99 Cabin -- Jialishan -- Zhongba Cabin (13.1 km/ 8 hours 42 mins -- including one rest/cooking stop)

Day 3: Zhongba Cabin -- Zhongbaping -- Dabajianshan -- Xioabajianshan -- Dabajianshan -- Zhongbaping -- Zhongba Cabin -- Yizheshan -- 99 Cabin -- Madala Creek Campground (15.8 km/ 9 hours 30 mins -- including 2 rest/cooking stops)

 Day 4: Madala Creek Campgound -- Dalu Forest Road -- Guanwu Villa Bus Stop (17.7 km/ about 4 hours 30 mins)

I did not record the track for Day 4 because I was trying to save my phone battery and in any case it's the same as Day 1 except in reverse) 

 More details as well as a map and GPX file can be found here Day 1    Day 2         Day 3 on ramblr.  

🥾Walk overview:  

 

After Yushan, Xueshan and Hehuashan; Dabajianshan is probably the most popular peak in Taiwan. It has been described as barrel-shaped or pyramid-shaped. It's craggy, rugged summit and the attached saddle leading to Xioabajianshan is an incredible sight whether covered in mist and clouds or in brilliant sunshine. It draws the eye from miles around. It is easy to see why it is a sacred site for the Atayal and Saisiyat indigenous peoples. 

 

Many people do this hike in 3 days, staying at 99 cabin for 2 nights. But after reading this blog post, and following the advice of a friend, I decided to do it in four. I had the time off, did not want to rush and wanted some solitude. 

 

The advantages of a 3 day itinerary were that I could avoid 99 Cabin which can be noisy and crowded and I could walk less each day. The disadvantages were I had to carry a tent and four days' food, plus on day 2 I did a water carry. One other huge plus was that I had Zhongba Cabin to myself and since the cabin is so close to the the summit, I was the first one there in the morning. If you have the energy you could even walk up in the evening at sunset and go again at dawn. 

   

The first day of my hike was on the Dalu Forest Road. It's a 19 km walk or about 17 km with a short cut. In the old days, the road was open to vehicles and people could drive to the old trailhead at Madala Creek. Earthquakes and landslide have damaged the road and vehicles are no longer allowed. Some people ride mountain bikes and leave them near the old trailhead. I wasn't able to find definitive information about the rules for riding a bike. If it's something you are interested in I suggest just calling Shei-Pa National Park and asking them. 

 

I thought walking the road would be monotonous but actually I enjoyed it. It's a nice, mostly-shaded walk with some waterfalls and I saw Muntjac deer and monkeys. There are two huts along the road but signs say they should only be used for emergencies. 

 

Madala Creek Campground is small but comfortable. There are toilets nearby with running water. There is a building which is boarded up but has a nice porch. You need a tent. 

 

99 Cabin is a big cabin with bathrooms, a kitchen and a bunk room. There is plenty of water. At the time of this writing the cabin was undergoing construction and capacity had been reduced. To be honest it was kind of a mess. It's an unrelentingly steep 4 km from Madala Creek Campground to 99 cabin. 99 Cabin charges a $200 cleaning fee.

 

After 99 cabin the scenery gets more dramatic. There are alpine meadows with copses dotting the landscape. Sometimes there are stagnant pools of brackish water or dry pools. There are views of Dabajianshan along the way.  

 

Day 2 was my hardest day. My total ascent was 1,866 meters and I carried water the last 5 km from 99 Cabin to Zhongba Cabin.  

 

I summited Jialishan on the way up. It's 2km round trip to Jialishan and back to the main trail. I got my first view of Dabajianshan at the turn off for Jialishan. 

 

I loved Zhongba Cabin but there is no doubt that it is simple. There is a nice front porch with a bench. It is just one big room and hikers spread their bedding on the floor. It sleeps 12 but I was the only one there. 

 

There is a water tank behind the cabin which may or may not have water. The National Park website said there was no water but it turned out the tank had a little. I recommend carrying water from 99 cabin just in case. There is no toilet and it was clear other hikers had been going near the cabin. I wished they had gone a bit further. 

 

Zhongbaping is a plateau between Zhongba cabin and the peak that offers a 360 degree view and one of the first really clear views of Dabajianshan. 

 

I hiked Dabajianshan and Xiaobajiashan in the morning  of Day 3 and went to Yizheshan on the way back down. It is just 1 km round trip from the main path and has a spectacular view. On Day 3 I descended back to Madala Creek. The last day was short day, walking back along Dalu Forest Road.  

 

There is no phone or internet connection for most of the road. Nor is there a connection at Madala Creek Campground. Once you get to 99 Cabin and above there is good reception.  

 

It used to be possible to climb to the very top of Dabajianshan but because it is a sacred site for some of Taiwan's indigenous people - not to mention dangerous --  its not allowed anymore. It can also be reached from Xueshan or the Wuling Qaudruple via the famous holy ridge but that is a much more difficult and dangerous route. 

📜🚌Permit and Logistics: 

A national park permit is required to hike Dabajianshan. 

• You can apply from 2 months to 5 days before the date of your hike or 4 months to 35 days for the Foreign Advanced Application (for those not already in Taiwan). You can only enter the park during the dates on your permit.   

•  It is recommended to apply as soon as the application period opens, particularly if you plan to apply for weekend dates.

• Apply for the permit at this website: https://hike.taiwan.gov.tw/en/web_index.aspx 

• Select the English option and in the top left hand corner select Online Application/ Apply for Park Permit
  

• Select Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters and then scroll down to Daba Peaks Trail.  To hike the whole trail select Daba Peaks Trail.  (unless selecting the Foreign Advanced Application option) 

•  Once you submit your information and hiking plan, you will be assigned an application number and taken to a screen acknowledging your application (I recommend taking a screenshot). You will also get an email acknowledging your application.  

• Within a few days you will receive another email either saying your application has been approved or that you have been put on a waiting list.

• You can check the status of your application or download your permit by entering your application number and ID number on the website. 

•  The permit is available to download 5 days before your trip. Download it and print two copies -- one to drop in the box at the beginning of the trail and another to carry with you and to leave when you depart the park.

 

It is easy to take public transportation to the trail but it requires a little forethought. I took the high speed train to the Hsinchu HSR Station and then took the Guanwu Recreation Area Tourist Shuttle.  

 

• The HSR arrives in Hsinchu at 7:00 and the shuttle departs at 7:10 am. An information board in the HSR station tells you where to find the shuttle outside the station. The shuttle takes about 2.5 hours to 2 hours and 45 minutes depending on traffic.  

• The shuttle very clearly says "Guanwu Shuttle Bus" on the side and looks like this:   

 

• The shuttle leaves Hsinchu HSR Station at 7:10 and 13:10 daily and returns from Guanwu at 10:10 and 16:10 daily. Here is a link to the schedule

•   You can book both the HSR and the shuttle 30 days in advance and again it is recommended to book them as soon as they are available.  

 

Buying HSR tickets is easy. You can buy them online https://en.thsrc.com.tw/ and then pick them up at a station or convenience store or the simplest option is to just go to a station and buy them. 

 

******if coming from Taipei you must book the first train in the morning which leaves at 6:26 am and arrives at Hsinchu Station at 7:00 am in order to catch the tourist shuttle which leaves at 7:10 am. When I went to buy my tickets I had a moment of panic because regular tickets were already sold out.  Luckily, I was able to buy a more expensive business car ticket. 

 

On the way back I bought a non-reserved HSR ticket at the station.  

 

How to book the Guanwu Recreation Area Tourist Shuttle:

 

• You can book the tourist shuttle at this website: https://centraltw.funcard.com.tw/tour/2N7B  There is no English option but you can you translate the page. Round trip tickets are NT$600.  You can also call the number on the site to book tickets. 

• You will be taken to a payment page where you will be given the option of  selecting the bank you want to pay with. If you select Taiwan Bank there is a discount but you can select the other option and use any bank. 

• Then you will be taken to a screen with a bank code and an account number.

•  Take a screenshot or take a picture of it. Go to an ATM machine and transfer the NT$600 fee. Once you pay you will get an email with your tickets. I printed them out and had them on my phone but I didn't need them. The driver had a paper ticket with my email address and phone number on it and I just had to confirm my name.  

• Be sure to keep your ticket for the return ride. One section of it is the return ticket. I did not realize this and on the way back I had to dig my ticket out of my garbage bag.   

• If you want to return on an earlier shuttle than you booked (as I did) its no problem as long as there are seats.   

•  One thing to keep in mind is that during some dates during Chinese New Year the shuttle does not operate. I had to cancel a previous trip because there was no public transportation.  

•  If it's not possible for you to get to Hsinchu in time to catch the 7:10 shuttle you might consider taking the 13:10 shuttle and spending the night before your hike at Guanwu Villa. It is within walking distance of the trail and offers dormitory rooms and private rooms that include dinner and breakfast and there is also a campground.  Here is a link to their website: https://www.guanwuvilla.com/   If you scroll down to the bottom there is an English option. 

🏕️What to bring:  Bring everything you need for a four day backpacking trip: tent, food, stove, sleep system, headlamp, etc...  Even though I went in summer it was cold at Zhongba Cabin.  UV exposure is high so sun protection is important. Always take an offline map. 

A helmet is recommended for the trail that passes under Dabajianshan. The rocks are lose and its clear many have fallen. The chance one will fall on your head seems slim but its better to wear a helmet.   

There is a small store at Guanwu Villa with a limited selection but it opens late and closes early. Plan to pack everything you need ahead of time.  

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The Walk Day 1: Guanwu Forest Recreation Area to Madala Creek Campground

The bus ride to Guanwu was uneventful but the last part is very curvy and you get thrown around quite a bit.  A kid on the bus threw up constantly. I got off the bus and after a few minutes headed for the trail. If you are facing the parking lot and bus stop, Guanwu Villa is to the right and the trail is to the left. (east). I started hiking at 10:00. 

 It took just a few minutes to walk to the check point. 

 

I wrote the date and my starting time on one copy of my permit and dropped it in the box. There were two people setting off on bikes but I was the only walker at that time. There was a QR code that you could scan to download an app to check in. I tried it but it was only in Chinese and I could not figure it out and gave it up. As I was doing it a ranger arrived. I asked him if I needed to use the QR code but he said dropping the permit in the box was good enough. 

 

I was on my way. I was pretty excited because I had cancelled this trip three times before. Attempt one: I found out there was no public transport during Chinese New Year and decided private transport was not worth the cost. Attempt two: the weather turned nasty and I cancelled. Attempt three: I didn't even apply for a permit because the park was closed after a typhoon. 

 

The Dalu Forest Road is prone to landslides and even on this attempt the road had been closed until 5 days before my hike while they cleared the road. 

 

The road is mostly level though its actually slightly downhill on the way to Madala. I met a few hikers coming the opposite way but mostly I was by myself.

 

I had to wait for a flatbed truck towing a second, mangled truck. The driver could not make the sharp turn without spilling the rear truck into the river valley. Another vehicle behind it with a hook and cable had to pick up the second truck and physically move it so they could make it around the curve. 

 

I passed a cabin at the 3 kilometer mark. I peeked inside and it was pretty dirty. 

There were plenty of water sources along the road and several places where streams flowed across the road. There were some places where landslides had obviously been cleaned up. 

 

 There was a bridge at Dong Xian Waterfall and then I came to the 15km hut. 

 This hut seemed to be in better shape. There was a group of workers who were obviously staying there. A watermelon was soaking in a tub of water out front, there was bedding inside the cabin and they had a campfire going behind the building. I peeked around the corner and said Ni hao. Most people in Taiwan are very friendly so I was surprised when they said nothing. They just stopped talking and stared at me silently. (Cue the sound of a record needle sliding across vinyl). It was awkward so I moved on. News Item: Nosy Foreign Hiker Slain by Annoyed Locals

I guess I misjudged them because after a while they passed me in a pick up truck and offered me a ride --- but I was almost there. They drove on and suddenly one of the men in the back of the truck shouted and pointed at something in the valley. The two men in the back raised long guns and took shots at whatever it was and then the truck drove on. 

 

I came to a sharp bend in the road where there was bicycle parking. There is a short cut just next to the bike stand. It's steep but not too bad. It takes you to Madala Creek Campground in about 150 meters instead of following switchbacks along the road for 2 kilometers. 

look out for a short cut near the hairpin curve with bike parking

At the bottom of the hill I turned right and there was Madala Creek Campground. There was some construction near the old trailhead and vehicles had left a huge muddy rut in the road but the campground itself was nice. 

 

 There were toilets nearby with running water. I took drinking water from the sink but filtered it. Someone had even rigged up a shower by attaching a rubber hose to the sink and hanging it from the ceiling of the bathroom. 

 

 I set up my tent. 

 

 As it got closer to evening I made some soup and then some noodles. The guys working at the old trailhead went to the bathroom and cleaned up and then they were gone. Around 5 a hiker came down the road (should have taken the short cut!). He was from Indonesia and on his way to 99 Cabin. He got some water and then said goodbye. After that I was the only one there. 

 

They say that 8:00 is hiker midnight but I had gotten up at 4 am that day so I think I fell asleep before 8.  I had a great night's sleep. 

 

Day 2: Madala Creek Campround to Zhongba Cabin 

 

I woke up about 3:30 and made some coffee. One of the great things about backpacking solo is I can follow my own schedule: leave in the morning whenever I'm ready...stop when I want to.  

 

Every night during this trip I would be in bed --if not asleep, at least lying on my mat --not long after the sun went down and up by 3:30 or 4. I spent the mornings leisurely drinking coffee, slowly packing up and then set off as soon as it was light enough to walk without a headlamp. 

 

I crossed the bridge and then started the steep 4 kilometer uphill slog to 99 Cabin. This steep section, in my opinion, is the worst part of the hike. It's so continuously steep and rocky that it's no fun. I thought it would be better on the way down but I was wrong.  

 

 

I met a few people coming down including some porters. It took me 3 hours to get to 99 Cabin. 

 

 

I went in to look around. I got water and cooked a late breakfast. There was no one around except the cook who was sleeping in a bunk. For a while,  I didn't even know he was there but then he made some noise in his sleep. The kitchen was really squalid. Crusty, leftover breakfast food was sitting out. There was a big pile of disgusting kitchen scraps. A bird was flying around inside the building. 

 

There were AI generated photos showing what the hut would look like after renovation. They made it look like a cross between a Swiss ski chalet and a glamping resort. Maybe in the future it will be much nicer. The porters I met on the way up had told me that the cabin would be piaoliang after the construction was done. 

 

The bunkhouse

The kitchen

late breakfast

I packed up several liters of water to carry to Zhongba Cabin and set out again. I knew hauling water would be tough but at first it wasn't that bad. Later that would change. The trail all the way up to Zhongba is not too hard actually. There are some ups and downs --though mostly up --- but its not too bad. 

 

 

 I came to the turn off for Jialishan. The weather was starting to change and fog was flowing along the ground and clinging to the hills. I left my pack in some brush near a helicopter pad and walked to Jialishan unencumbered. 

 

 

This was the point where I started to feel excited and feel I was really in the mountains. The landscape had changed and I got my first view of Dabajianshan. It's an easy walk to Jialishan and back. I can't say if there is a view or not because when I got there it was so foggy I couldn't see anything. 

 

First view of Dabajianshan and Xiaobajianshan

 

 

I headed back to the main path, picked up my pack and headed for Zhongba. There was quite a bit of ascending and with the extra water walking became a kind of suffering.  I walked along a ridge where you could see Dabajianshan but it was mostly obscured by drifting clouds. I passed Yizheshan but decided to save it for later.

 

  

When I finally got to Zhongba I was exhausted. 

 

 

 

There was a little water in the tank behind the cabin. More than enough for one person. To get the water to flow out of the tank you have to turn the horizontal lever. Even though there was water, I didn't regret doing the water carry because if I hadn't carried it and there hadn't been any at the cabin, as we say in the US, I would have been SOL. If you don't know what SOL means, you can look it up here.

 

Zhongba Cabin was in a beautiful spot and I had it all to myself. I set up my bedding in the one big room and then sat on the porch and made some soup and walked down the trail a short way to watch the fog rolling by. There were lots of birds around the cabin. At home I would have felt I should be doing something, but there I was content to just sit and look around. It was cold at night even in August. Again I was in bed around sunset.

 

Day 3 Zhongba Cabin to Dabajianshan and Xioabajianshan, Yizheshan and back to Madala Creek Campground

 

The next morning I started hiking around 5. The sun was coming up and lighting up the trees but sometimes clouds would block out the sun. It's not a long walk to Zhongbaping where I got my first spectacular look at the mountain. It was like seeing another planet. The sun was lighting up the massif and clouds were clinging to the top and gliding over the ridge between Daba and Xiaoba. I had expected hikers to come through early in the morning but I was the only one there. 

 

 

 

 

The trail dropped down and passed through some pine forest and then I climbed to the summit marker. 

A trail went along the side of the peak keeping close to it. There were lots of loose stones and dripping water.

 

The trail to Xioabajianshan went along the top of the ridge, at first through bamboo and then along a boulder covered path. I had to clamber over some stones. I saw a large Taiwan serow on the ridge that disappeared as soon as it saw me. The sun was really up and the clouds cleared.

 

I came to the point where ropes led up the side of the peak with a cliff on the side. It would be a long fall if you slipped. 

I heard my wife's voice in my head telling me to be careful and decided I had gotten close enough. If I had really needed to go that way I would have but I decided it wasn't worth the risk just to get a few meters further and then come back down. Later I was chagrined to see a blog post in which a guy climbed up there with his kid...so maybe I was being over cautious. 

I headed back but took my time -- not in a hurry to leave that place. The views were amazing in the morning light. On the way down, I finally met two other hikers and they helped me to take a picture. 

I headed back to Zhongba Cabin. It had taken about 3 hours to go to the summit and back. I stopped and cooked a meal, packed up and headed to Yizhezhan. The weather was amazing and the mountains were so clear in the distance. Yizhezhan is an easy summit, just off the main path. There is a view of Dabajianshan and a 360 degree panorama. 

 From there it was a just a matter of retracing my steps. I went back to 99 Cabin where this time I chatted with the cabin manager. The cook was sleeping again though he did wake up eventually. He stayed in bed and stared at his phone and laughed. 

 

Then it was back down the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad 4 km trail to Madala Creek. It was much faster on the way down. About four hours from Zhongba to Madala. 

 

There were three other tents at Madala but the occupants were inside and didn't come out. 

 

I had stashed some canned food, a nearly empty gas canister and half a small bottle of whiskey in some leaves and they were exactly where I had left them. That evening it rained quite hard for a little while but it didn't last. 

 

Day 4 Madala Creek Campground to Guanwu Bus Stop

 

The next morning I again started around 5 am. There is not much to say about the last leg. I took the short cut and picked up the pace when I could. It took me about 4.5 hours to walk back. A typhoon was approaching Taiwan and would start to affect us the following day. The weather was noticeably changing but I was incredibly lucky and it did not rain all morning. I got back just in time to quickly change my clothes and catch the 10:10 shuttle to Hsinchu.  

 

  

In the parking lot a nice moment occurred. I was in a rush to catch the bus and asked the driver if I had time to buy a drink. Some bystanders heard me and suddenly someone took 3 bottles of water out of her car and offered them to me. I accepted one. Then the driver gave me a cookie and the woman gave me a pear. I tried to refuse the pear but she insisted. On the bus someone offered me bananas but I declined. I was well-provided for. 

 

I got back home in New Taipei by mid afternoon. I had been lucky enough to have four days of incredibly good weather but that afternoon the park service closed the park because of the typhoon and it poured for the next two days. 

 

 

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GPS coordinates:

Guanwu Villa Bus Stop: 24.505122, 121.114812

Madala Creek Campground: 24.48414, 121.192173

99 Hut: 24.469256, 121.208276

Jialishan: 24.459477, 121.216171

Yizheshan: 24.469975, 121.243517

Zhongba Cabin:  24.464843, 121.251377

Dabajianshan:  24.457551, 121.257905 

Xioabajianshan: 24.455693, 121.251991