Embrace the joy of autumn hiking in cool, refreshing weather — silver-white miscanthus adds a touch of romance to the season. As the weather gradually turns cooler, signaling Taiwan’s transition into autumn, the miscanthus grass on the hillsides begins to stir, eager to paint the land in new hues. The once lush green mountains slowly transform into undulating waves of silvery white. To let the public witness this magnificent spectacle, the New Taipei City Government held the “New Taipei Flower Viewing & Agritourism Fun” miscanthus flower event on the 29th at Caoling Historic Trail, inviting people to admire the silvery waves on the slopes. With guided tours led by ecological conservation volunteers from the Agriculture Bureau, participants can enjoy an intellectual and emotional mini journey of autumn flower viewing!
The blooming period for white-back miscanthus is from October to November each year, making it the main variety of miscanthus to view along Caoling Historic Trail. Its flower color may vary slightly depending on the environment, mostly appearing white or pinkish. Due to the hardy vitality of miscanthus, it is commonly found in collapsed areas, reclaimed lands, and abandoned farmlands, making it one of the pioneer plants in forest environments. This characteristic often makes it one of the first forces to stabilize damaged terrains, which is why ideal spots for enjoying miscanthus flowers are usually open hillsides or cliffs.
Caoling Historic Trail is located at the border between Gongliao District in New Taipei City and Toucheng Township in Yilan County, serving as an important passage between the two areas. It is also one of the remaining sections of the historic Danlan Ancient Trail from the Qing Dynasty, which connected Tamsui Hall (Mengjia, now Wanhua) to Kavalan Hall (Yilan). Stretching 8.5 kilometers in total, walking along the trail not only allows you to experience the daily lives of ancestors traveling between the two places on foot, but also lets you see two significant historical monuments along the way — the “Xiong Zhen Man Yan Stele” and the “Tiger Character Stele,” further enriching the trail’s nostalgic charm.
After passing the Yankou area and reaching the highest point of the trail, you’ll be greeted by the vast and spectacular coastline of Yilan, where you can truly feel the beauty of the sea meeting the sky. Of course, the natural ecology along the trail is also abundant. Through the in-depth yet easy-to-understand guided tours by ecological conservation volunteers from the Agriculture Bureau, the “New Taipei Flower Viewing & Agritourism Fun” miscanthus flower event leads participants to admire the magnificence of the silver flower sea and explore the cultural heritage of the ancient trail. It offers a mountain excursion that combines nature and culture, while also encouraging everyone to cherish these beautiful and precious environmental assets, so that Taiwan’s environment can maintain its rich and diverse ecological features forever.
The Agriculture Bureau stated that the “New Taipei Flower Viewing & Agritourism Fun” event uses in-depth guided interpretation to help participants gain a deeper understanding of the unique culture and ecology of various areas in New Taipei. By promoting light hiking activities in the mountains and forests, and approaching nature with respect, even small actions become a simple way for humans to coexist harmoniously with nature.
From February to October this year, a total of 16 special floral agritourism journeys were held, allowing the public to experience the uniqueness and diversity of the natural environment, and to appreciate the beauty of Taiwan’s land from different perspectives. It is hoped that everyone will develop a deeper care for the land, thereby making nature healthier and the ecology richer.
