Rainy weather accelerates the end of Alishan’s red leaf season; weekend foliage viewing is best at Zhaping Park

▲ Zhaping Park within Alishan National Forest Recreation Area is currently one of the most recommended spots for weekend foliage viewing. (Photo / Screenshot fromthe Strolling Through the Clouds in Alishan Facebook fan page)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The Alishan red leaf season may end earlier than expected. Affected by a frontal system, Alishan has experienced overcast and rainy weather in recent days. Although the rain has nourished the earth, it has also caused many vibrant red leaves to fall. According to the Facebook page“Strolling Through the Clouds in Alishan”providing red leaf information, the currently most recommended foliage viewing spots are Mount Ogasawara, Zhulin Forest Road, Dui Gaoyue, and Zhaping Park.

After several consecutive days of damp and cold weather, warm sunshine finally appeared across Taiwan over the weekend. However, the persistent light rain over the past few days has caused the once-dense “red leaf” scenery in Alishan—which was in peak season—to look rather sparse, and the season appears to be rapidly drawing to a close.

“Strolling Through the Clouds in Alishan” states that visitors hoping to seek out red leaves in the mountains can now shift their focus to the area along the Zhongzhi to Tatachia route. Within the forest recreation area, Mount Ogasawara, Zhulin Forest Road, Dui Gaoyue, and Zhaping Park are strongly recommended. The second wave of Taiwan’s native Acer morrisonense is about to make an appearance, and the best time to view them will be from now until just before Christmas.