Explore Heping District
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Basianshan Nature Education Center
Heping District · Nature & Scenery
Basianshan Nature Education Center is located inside Basianshan National Forest Recreation Area in Taichung City, near the hot-spring town of Guguan. This area was once one of Taiwan’s three major forest estates and preserves a rich forestry heritage and diverse forest ecology. Today, this vast mountain forest retains traces of its past while offering an ideal place to explore nature and experience the outdoors. As a base for the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s forest environmental education outreach in central Taiwan, the center promotes forest management, ecological conservation, local cultural heritage, and close cooperation with communities and Indigenous partners. Through a wide range of courses, it helps students and the public immerse themselves in the joy of learning—from “exploring” the wonders of the forest to “caring” for the Earth—and encourages practical environmental action for the future of the planet.
Wuling National Forest Recreation Area
Heping District · Nature & Scenery
Deep within Wuling Farm, the forest sings through maple leaves, pine woods, waterfalls, and the Formosan landlocked salmon, creating the area’s most memorable image. It is Taiwan’s third national forest recreation area, about a four-hour drive from Taipei. At an elevation of around 1,800 meters, it is very cold because of descending mountain air. The area’s most iconic attraction is Taoshan Waterfall Trail. The quiet stands of two-needle pine along the way and the rich forest ecology are major highlights. Taiwan macaques, Mikado pheasants, Taiwan bamboo partridges, and vinaceous rosefinches are frequent visitors here. At the trail’s end, the powerful waters and mist of Taoshan Waterfall are breathtaking, and the abundant negative ions provide a soothing experience for travelers. From Wuling Suspension Bridge, visitors can also view the national treasure fish in Qijiawan Creek—the Formosan landlocked salmon. In autumn, the red leaves of Taiwan sweetgum and green maples, along with cherry blossoms in spring, are beautiful seasonal features of Wuling National Forest Recreation Area, making it an unmissable destination in the Wuling region. Taiwan macaques are frequently seen in Wuling National Forest Recreation Area. To reduce human-monkey conflict, please follow the four rules: 1. Do not feed them. Feeding lowers macaques’ wariness of people, which may lead them to snatch human food and endanger safety. Feeding also changes their natural behavior and ecology, increasing conflict with people. 2. Do not touch them. Avoid contact with macaques to reduce the risk of shared diseases such as Herpes B virus, rabies, and gastrointestinal parasites. If a macaque jumps onto you, do not panic, scream, or wave it away; calmly leave the spot and the macaque will depart on its own. 3. Do not disturb or provoke them. Do not stare, tease, provoke, or let children wander off alone, to reduce human-monkey conflict. 4. Do not expose food. Snacks, fruit, drinks, or any strongly scented food should be put inside your backpack and not held in your hand. Do not open your backpack in front of macaques, to reduce conflicts over food taking.
Basianshan National Forest Recreation Area
Heping District · Nature & Scenery
Basianshan was once one of Taiwan’s three major logging forests. After its busy timber era, the Basianshan National Forest Recreation Area was established in 1986, and the site now repurposes former logging facilities into interpretive and display spaces that recreate its historical memory. The park also offers a variety of short, easy hiking trails, where visitors can discover the beautiful Shiwen Stream, cherry blossom groves, tung tree forests, and bamboo stands, and can continue up the steps to reach the highest peak among the Guguan Seven Heroes: Basianshan, at an elevation of 2,366 meters. The name “Basianshan” comes from a Japanese transliteration: because the mountain is about 8,000 Japanese shaku high, its name was chosen for the similar pronunciation. From 1915 to 1963, Basianshan’s 48-year logging history left behind evenly planted artificial forests, cableway terminals, and the remains of a shrine and an elementary school, telling the story of the logging industry. The former forest railway was completely dismantled after logging ended, and only old photographs remain to recall it. In addition to historical sites, the park has rich birdlife, with common species including the green-backed tit, black-browed tit, Taiwan barwing, and white-eared sibia. In recent years, it also recorded the first wild case in Taiwan of a bamboo viper guarding its eggs. At night, visitors may also see wildlife such as the red giant flying squirrel, white-faced flying squirrel, masked palm civet, crab-eating mongoose, and Taiwan macaque, which is most often seen roaming the park during the day.
Dasyushan National Forest Recreation Area
Heping District · Nature & Scenery
Autumn red maples, summer night skies, evening seas of clouds, muntjacs and Swinhoe's pheasants moving through the forest roads, and the Snow Mountain Sacred Tree, the only approachable giant red cypress in Greater Taichung, are among the area’s most charming sights. This place was once the Dasyueshan Forest Farm opened in 1958, which helped the development of Dongshi and Fengyuan; today, this mountain town about an hour from Dongshi has become a forest recreation area that continues to bring the people of central Taiwan the gifts of nature. At an elevation of more than 2,000 meters, the climate is cool. The remaining original giant hinoki cypress forest along the Small Sacred Tree Trail and the Timber Transport Trail is one of the area’s most beautiful landscapes. Deep inside the recreation area stands the 50-meter-tall Snow Mountain Sacred Tree, once the 11th-largest giant tree in Taiwan. Wildlife is the area’s greatest treasure: muntjacs, serows, and white-faced flying squirrels enliven the night, while during the day Swinhoe's pheasants, mikado pheasants, and Taiwan yuhinas are among the mountain birds that often appear. A leisurely walk through the forest offers a soothing forest bath, and it is also easy to encounter these small stars by chance.