Lushui Trail: Taroko Gorge Travel Guide (4.4★)

Why this trail stands out

Lushui Trail sits carved into a marble cliff face on the old Central Cross-Island Highway route, part of a police patrol path built during Japanese rule in the 1910s. It’s short, roughly 2km one-way to Wenshan, but the drop to the Liwu River below is real: in places the trail is barely wide enough for two people to pass. Marble walls, not limestone, give the rock its pale, striated look.

Following the route

The path starts near the Lushui Geological Exhibition Hall and hugs the gorge wall the entire way.

• Two short tunnels, unlit, cut straight through rock
• A suspension-style wooden bridge partway along, with river views straight down
• Sections of original patrol-road pavement still visible underfoot
• Elevated lookouts with no full railings in some spots

Sturdy shoes matter more than fitness here. The trail is flat-ish but narrow and occasionally slick after rain, since Taroko’s marble gets slippery when wet. Most walkers finish the round trip toward Wenshan in under two hours, including stops for photos.

Timing your visit without the crowds

Taroko is a well-known stop on nearly every Hualien itinerary, and tour buses cluster here midmorning. There’s no published crowd data for this specific trail, but the pattern across the gorge is consistent: buses arrive after the coach convoys leave Hualien city, so early morning or the last two hours before dusk tend to be calmer.

Weekdays outside Taiwanese school holidays are noticeably quieter than weekends. Because the trail runs 24 hours, a pre-dawn or dusk walk is possible for those staying nearby, though headlamps are essential in the tunnels either way.

Getting there and staying safe

Lushui sits within Taroko Gorge, reached by the Central Cross-Island Highway (Highway 8) from Xincheng or via shuttle bus from Hualien Train Station. No public bus stops directly at the trailhead in all seasons, so most visitors arrive by rental car, scooter, or a hired driver doing a Taroko loop.

• Check Taroko National Park’s official rockfall and typhoon closure notices before driving in; the gorge closes sections after heavy rain
• Helmets are recommended on certain Taroko roads due to falling rock, though Lushui itself is generally considered lower-risk than Swallow Grotto
• No entrance fee for the trail itself
• Combine it with Swallow Grotto (Yanzikou) or Cimu Bridge, both a short drive away, for a fuller gorge visit

Because it’s rated a Hiking Area with steady foot traffic and no local-secret status, expect company at any popular hour, but the tunnels and bridge rarely feel crowded even when the car park is full. Bring water; there’s no vendor along the route.