Sandiaoling Trail

Sandiaoling Trail (三貂嶺步道; also known as Sandiaoling Waterfall Trail) is a New Taipei hiking route centered on a three-tier waterfall sequence in the Keelung River area. The core hike passes Hegu Waterfall (only visible from a viewing platform), then Motian Waterfall, and finishes at Pipa Cave/Loquat Cave waterfall, where the path becomes more vertical toward the last sections.

The route is built around continuous waterfall access: you’ll cross hanging rope bridges en route to the waterfall viewpoints, and near Motian and Pipa Cave there are spots where you can get closer to the water compared with Hegu’s more distant overlook. The trail’s standout terrain is the gorge-side walking plus short stretches that climb up from the river to higher viewing points.

A practical time target for the waterfall section from Sandiaoling Station to the last waterfall is about 1.5–2 hours (roughly 2.5 km). The full day can run longer depending on whether you retrace your steps back to the station or continue onward via connecting trails.

Train access matters for this hike: Sandiaoling is a station on the rail line, and the standard approach is to walk from Sandiaoling Station along the railway tracks south toward the Keelung River. The trail begins near the former Shuoren Elementary School area; from there the route follows a marked path through the village approach before starting the steady climb toward the falls.

Expect a mix of dirt path and rockier bits as the trail gains height, plus rope/fenced sections and laddered climbing near the higher tiers. The final approach toward Pipa Cave involves steep ladder climbing and can be slippery, so you’ll want footwear that can handle wet stone.

As a day hike out of Taipei, this route is commonly done as a straightforward out-and-back to the main waterfall tiers, with optional onward connections to other rail hubs depending on how far you want to extend beyond Sandiaoling.

More information: SANDIAOLING WATERFALL TRAIL (三貂嶺瀑布步), Explore Taiwan's Hidden Trails: Sandiaoling Hike, Sandiaoling Waterfall Trail - My Room Abroad