The Sinliao Waterfall Trail (Xinliao Waterfall Trail新寮瀑布步道) is located along Singliao Stream in Northern Taiwan’s Yilan County (宜蘭縣). Though it is only about two kilometers long, there are two beautiful waterfalls with a height of 60 meters and 30 meters respectively along the way.
Sinliao Waterfall Trail reopened in July 2018 after being closed for 9 years. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
The first waterfall is about 1.5 kilometers away from the entrance and can be reached within 20 minutes, while the second one is located about 500 meters farther away. It may take an average person 80 minutes to complete the round trip on this scenic trail.
Please watch the following video of Sinliao Waterfall Trail:
In addition to the two magnificent waterfalls, the trail is a great place to enjoy the natural beauty of this pristine environment that has a wide variety of flowers, insects, frogs, and other plants. Along the trail, there is a cute suspension bridge stretching across the valley in front of the first waterfall, which is a great spot for taking pictures.
The trail is a great place to enjoy the natural beauty of the pristine environment. (Image: Julia Fu via Nspirement)
There are also two arched bridges above the rapid currents churning over the shoal embedded with rocks and stones, and it is romantic to walk over the bridge and enjoy the picturesque scenery around. Along the trail, there are many elevated boardwalks that allow visitors to hike the trail more easily and safely.
The first water is about one kilometer away from the entrance. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
The Sinliao Waterfall Trail severly damaged by a super typhoon in 2009
This Sinliao Waterfall Trail has long been a popular scenic spot, but it was closed for nine years as it was severely damaged by landslides resulting from a super typhoon in October 2009. It took almost seven years for the Forestry Bureau of the Council of Agriculture to renovate the trail with funding of NT$17 million (US$566,000). The local government reopened the trail to the public in July 2018 after the renovation project was completed.
There are two arched bridges stretching across the valley along the trail. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
There are some steep stairs and rocky stretches, but the remaining stretches are basically quite flat, as they are mostly composed of wood chips, gravel, and dirt. As a result, the hike is not so strenuous, and it’s suitable for most people to explore the natural beauty of this trail.
The second waterfall measures 60 meters in height and is located 500 meters away from the first one. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
There is a large viewing platform in front of each waterfall where visitors not only can take in the magnificence of the waterfalls at close range, but they can also enjoy the fresh air mixed with phytoncides (芬多精) and negative ions (負離子).
The suspension bridge is a great spot to take pictures. (Image: Billy Shyu via Nspirement)
To minimize the impact on the local ecosystem and the facility, only 350 visitors are allowed to be on the trail at a time. And visitors should sign in at the entrance first.
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