【馬那邦山】遇見會讓人想戀愛的迷霧森林 | 苗栗楓葉小百岳

Manapang Mountain, also known as Malabang Mountain, has a first-order triangulation point at its summit, with an elevation of 1406 meters. It is one of Taiwan's Lesser 100 Peaks and a sacred mountain for the local Atayal indigenous people. Every early winter, the mountain is ablaze with red or brown maple leaves, creating a beautiful scene, making it famous throughout Taiwan for its autumn foliage viewing. I had already been deeply impressed by Miaoli, known as "Little Hundred Peaks," when I started hiking, especially during the annual maple leaf season. I always saw photos shared online of people enjoying the autumn foliage at Malabang Mountain. On a clear day, the summit of Malabang offers panoramic views of the famous Sacred Ridge between Xueshan and Dabajian Mountain. I'd always wanted to experience this visually stunning mountain and witness the spectacle of autumn leaves firsthand. However, the sheer number of people at Malabang during peak season kept us from going. So, we chose to visit Malabang outside of the maple leaf season, hoping to experience its tranquil beauty. Although we didn't see the mountains covered in golden leaves, we unexpectedly encountered a misty forest shrouded in light and mist, like a fairyland. That's the beauty of nature! Every mountain has its unique appearance, which is one of the elements that attracts us to our mountains and forests. Mount Manabong has three trailheads: Natural Lake Trailhead, Upper Lake Trailhead, and Pearl Lake Trailhead. The easiest and most accessible is the Pearl Lake Trailhead. The three trailheads converge on the final staircase leading to the summit, forming the only route to the top. We also started our ascent from the Pearl Lake Trailhead. The Pearl Lake Trailhead has a spacious private parking lot, a two-story rest pavilion, and restrooms. Although it costs 100 yuan, we felt it was reasonable. From the parking lot, walk up the paved road, and you'll see signs for the Pearl Lake hiking trail. The Pearl Lake hiking trail initially follows a primitive hiking path. After walking for about 1... After a few kilometers, we arrived at a farmhouse with a fork in the road. The Zhuhu and Shanghu hiking routes converge here. We chose the Zhuhu route for the ascent and the Shanghu route for the descent, returning to the fork at the farmhouse. Continuing on the Zhuhu route, we passed another fork with the Shanghu route. After walking a while, we reached the ancient battlefield ruins, where there was a platform for resting. On the platform, we read the guide's explanation of the war between the Japanese and the indigenous people. Looking up, we saw several maple trees. One can imagine how beautiful it would be when the maple leaves turn golden during the autumn foliage season. Continuing uphill from the ancient battlefield ruins, we soon reached an open platform. The platform is surrounded by remnants of embankments. This platform was once the site of a Japanese military camp, an important stronghold on the Manabang Pass. We continued uphill. The higher the altitude, the more the forest is shrouded in white mist, creating an ethereal, dreamlike landscape that feels like being in a fairyland. The visual experience at this moment is completely different from that of a forest under good weather. The serene, pleasant, and slightly mesmerizing scenery is truly delightful. Next, we arrive at another important stronghold – Shimen (Stone Gate). Historical records indicate that the indigenous people used this natural barrier to fight many battles against the Japanese army. Shimen is dotted with pristine red maple leaves, making it one of the most scenic sections for viewing autumn foliage. After passing Shimen and approaching the triangular point, we ascend a steep, winding staircase. This section of the staircase is quite long and steep. It's tiring. Continuing up the stairs, you'll first reach a fork in the trail leading to the natural lake. After the fork, you're close to the summit. Before the summit, there's a platform with a memorial to Xu Qingrong. Upon reaching the summit of Manabang, it was drizzling, and the entire mountain was a whitewash. The few maple trees on the summit hadn't turned red yet, but their outlines were still clearly visible. Forget about seeing the famous sacred ridgeline between the snow-capped mountains and Dabajian Mountain. I could only console myself that having the summit of Manabang all to myself was another great perk. Summary: Manabang is highly recommended even outside of maple leaf season. Trailhead: Google Map: Zhuhu Trailhead Important Notes: Parking is extremely difficult to find at the trailhead during maple leaf season. Parking Information: Private parking lot at the trailhead Restaurants: Private parking lot at the trailhead Hiking Record: Elevation Gain: 500M Distance Hiked: 5km Time Spent: 2 hours 30 minutes FB:   / joyweisummer   IG:   / joywei_ig