Batongguan Ancient Road

Batongguan Ancient Road (八通關古道 / Batongguan Historic Trail) is the Yushan National Park long cross-island hiking line across Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range, mapped here as a multi-day route (about 75.93 km in this data). It runs between Dongpu Trailhead in Nantou County and Shanfeng Trailhead in Hualien, with Dashuiku used as the central dividing area for planning between the eastern and western sections.

Expect a high-elevation traverse profile with frequent steep stretches and occasional cliffy terrain, since much of the route sits above 3,000 m. The trail was developed to run on the mountainside rather than directly up the steepest slopes, but it still alternates ridge ups/downs with valley dips as you move across the central axis of the park.

The route is historically tied to Japanese-era mountain road building. The traversing trail was completed in 1921 and connects the east and west sides of Taiwan; along the way you’ll encounter road-construction techniques such as slates arranged in chevrons or piled into road shoulders and embankments, plus drainage features (ditches, etc.) and stone-masonry remnants.

Management and logistics are part of the hike: park entry requires an advance application, and entering restricted mountain areas also requires prior application. Lodging is handled via park cabins at multiple points along the route, with the Yushan National Park route listing specific cabin stops for multi-day itineraries.

A useful planning concept is to think in “western vs eastern” behavior around Dashuiku. The western portion west of Dashuiku is described as relatively intact, while the eastern side is longer and has poorer maintenance; suspension bridges and cabins have been added or repaired in recent years, but typhoon-related collapses still occur along the line.

This is a demanding long-distance trek suitable for experienced hikers comfortable with backcountry terrain and multi-day timing in Yushan National Park’s alpine environment. The history-rich infrastructure means the route can also be approached as a study line for how the road was engineered into the mountains.

Camping/overnight options on the official route planning page include a mix of cabins and campgrounds at named locations along the corridor, supporting 8-day style itineraries for the full Batongguan traversing line.

More information: Wikipedia, Dashuiku and Jianshan Special Scenic Area - PeakVisor, [2026 Nantou Attraction] Yushan National Park Travel Guide & ...