Maybe it’s climate change, but the plum rains seem to be late this year. When they do finally arrive, they’ll herald the coming of the wet season in southern Taiwan. Rising water levels in streams and rivers will cut off access to some of the region’s great natural wonders, Pingtung County’s Hayouxi Hot Spring (哈尤溪溫泉) and Tainan’s Dadi Gorge (大地谷), until early next year.
On the other hand the river tracing season will start again in earnest, as the rains bring life back to countless southern waterfalls, many of which have been either reduced to a trickle or silenced completely.
During the long, dry months of winter and spring Taiwan’s lofty Central Mountain Range is a great natural rainmaker, and much of that summer rain falls on their heights, then tumbles down through a plethora of mountain streams, over countless waterfalls and through many impressive gorges and canyons.
Photo: Richard Saunders
THE WATERFALLS OF CHIAYI
One region that has both gorges and waterfalls in abundance is northern Chiayi County. Taiwan’s tallest cataract, 450 meter-high Jiaolong Waterfall (蛟龍瀑布), is found here, looming over the village of Fengshan, and is completely reliant on those heavy rains. Much of the time it’s a trickle, and during winter and spring it often dries out completely.
Not far west of Fengshan, as the eagle flies, are Ruili (瑞里) and Ruifeng (瑞峰) villages, which between them have enough cascades to keep the avid waterfall lover busy for several days.
Photo: Richard Saunders
Ruili established itself as a mountain resort decades ago, and although some of its hotels are looking a bit tired these days, it’s still a popular escape from the summer heat.
A short drive north, most people that visit Ruifang (little more than a hotel and few homestays) come to explore Ruifeng Scenic Area (瑞峰風景區).
The centerpiece of this beautiful slice of wooded mountains is the impressively large and sheer-sided canyon carved by the Chukeng Stream (竹坑溪), which (together with several tributaries) tumbles over no less than nine impressive waterfalls on its way towards the coastal plains of western Chiayi. A couple of kilometers downstream it joins the larger Clearwater River (清水溪) at the once popular Meishan Grand Canyon (梅山大峽谷), which features another three fine waterfalls.
Photo: Richard Saunders
TRAIL HEAD
To get there, take County Road 162A (162甲) from Meishan (梅山) crossing the Clearwater River just above the Grand Canyon. Climb the hillside beyond, and right beside the 30km marker post, turn right down a narrow lane, which contours the side of the gorge for about 400m to reach a rest shelter and toilet at the trailhead for the waterfalls of the Ruifeng Scenic Area.
A wide, wooden boardwalk makes for an easy, relaxing stroll up the impressive gorge. Into the depths on the right about 10 minutes into the walk, is the impressive 50m drop of Zhongshan Waterfall (中山瀑布) several hundred meters below. It’s an impressive drop, but to see it entails some serious river tracing.
Photo: Richard Saunders
The trail leads upstream, crossing the first of several footbridges en route to the first waterfall. In 10 to 15 minutes, the boardwalk drops into the gorge, past a junction on the left, to reach a viewing platform giving a fine view of the Longgong (Dragon Palace) Waterfall (龍宮大瀑布), where a tributary stream plunges in a shapely plume about 50m high into the main canyon, passing over the mouth of the Water Curtain Cave (水濂洞) near its head.
Take the other trail (on the left) above the viewing platform and immediately there’s a very fine view of the upper four Leiyin (Thunderous Sound) Waterfalls (雷音瀑布), where a second tributary stream plunges into the opposite side of the canyon via a chain of falls (six in all) totaling well over a 100m in height.
The trail crosses a footbridge below the fifth of the series and then crosses the main stream. On the opposite bank, turn right at the next junction and follow a ledge (the Water Curtain Cave) around the cliff on the far side, eventually passing right behind Dragon Palace Waterfall.
Turn left at the junction just before Water Curtain Cave, head upstream a few meters, and the whole character of the gorge changes. The grand, huge open spaces of the lower canyon shrink to a densely wooded, craggy-walled glen.
Cross the stream via a long suspension bridge, and boardwalk trail, elevated high above the thick undergrowth climbs upstream through the gorge, sadly still showing signs of the devastation caused by Typhoon Morakot.
Climbing ever upwards while the stream beside it drops in a series of cascades and minor falls, in a further 20 minutes, the stately, two-drop plunge of Shengmaoshu Waterfall (生毛樹瀑布) on yet another tributary stream, comes into view as it plunges over a tall, sheer cliff of bare rock to the left of the path, falling in a narrow plume into a large, shallow pool. It’s best seen in summer or after heavy rain.
Until a decade or so ago it was inaccessible enough to be out-of-bounds to all but the most determined explorer, and even today, this part of the gorge is unfrequented, as most visitors go no further than Water Curtain Cave. On my last two visits, the mountains above hadn’t been doing their job as rainmakers for some weeks, and the water in the fall was reduced to a trickle, but Shengmaoshu Waterfall must be quite a spectacle when in flood.
Richard Saunders is a classical pianist and writer who has lived in Taiwan since 1993. He’s the founder of a local hiking group, Taipei Hikers, and is the author of six books about Taiwan, including Taiwan 101 and Taipei Escapes. Visit his Web site at www.taiwanoffthebeatentrack.com
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