North Dawu Trail

North Dawu Trail (also listed as Beidawu Trail) is the classic hike line for climbing Taiwan’s Dawu/Beidawu high country, set up as an overnight-capable route aimed at reaching Mount Dawu (Beidawushan/北大武山) and returning. The trail length is about 10.81 km on this curated line, and the higher-level route it represents is run as a longer out-and-back trek from the Dawu area.

On the longer version of the trek, plan for roughly 18 km total and about 1,549 m of elevation gain, with the route climbing from around 1,170 m to a summit near 3,092 m. Expect a sustained uphill profile over mountain terrain rather than a quick ascent-and-descend outing.

This hike is handled as a managed climb: it requires a park permit and an overnight booking at Kuaigu Inn for the overnight segment. Permit applications are done online through the Hike Smart Taiwan Service, and you generally need to submit well in advance of the target dates.

The trail route passes the Kuaigu Inn and Dawu Shrine before continuing up toward the summit area of Beidawu Mountain. That puts the overnight lodging and the shrine along the main climb corridor rather than as optional side stops.

Time expectation for the Dawu/Beidawu overnight climb is typically 2 to 3 days. Capacity and booking logistics are part of the trip planning, so treat the accommodation reservation as a core constraint alongside the permit.

The trail is categorized as strenuous and is best approached by experienced hikers who are comfortable with long elevation gain and multi-day effort. For route planning on your chosen dates, use the live booking/permit system rather than relying on informal trail information.

More information: Wikipedia, A guide to hiking and all things outdoors in Taiwan, Hike Smart Taiwan Service - 臺灣登山申請一站式服務網