Head to Smangus and follow God to admire the maple leaves!

Text / Compiled and reported by the editorial team of MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network

 

Mysterious and beautiful Smangus is located on a high mountain at an altitude of 1,500 meters in Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County. It is a neighboring tribe around Shei-Pa National Park. Remote and isolated, it was the last tribe in Taiwan to receive electricity, earning it the nickname "the black tribe." The Atayal people, who are devout Catholics, call this place "God's tribe." Perhaps it is precisely because of God’s blessing that this hidden mountain tribe boasts pristine mountains, rivers, and the magnificent scenery of ancient tree groves.

The mountain tribe of Smangus has daytime temperatures of around 15°C and can drop to about 0°C at night. Throughout the year, the tribe sees a succession of mountain cherry blossoms, smile flowers, slipper orchids, bamboo leaf orchids, and Mrs. Simmons rhododendrons. The autumn maple foliage is equally stunning. Visitors can also explore the Giant Tree Trail (Yaya Qparung), where they can admire majestic red cypress giants and experience the rich ecology of mid-altitude forests.

Getting to Smangus is quite a bumpy journey, requiring you to cross several mountain ridges. After entering Neiwan in Hsinchu and passing Jianshi, turn onto County Road 60 to head up the mountain. Upon reaching Xiuluan, you must obtain an entry permit to continue. Take a left at the fork before the Taigang Tribe to arrive. This winding and lengthy mountain road is tough to navigate and takes about three to four hours, but the journey is accompanied by striking scenery such as massive rocks, mist, and layers of lush mountains, making the arduous trek even more worthwhile due to the anticipation of reaching this hidden paradise.

On the other side, "Zhenxi Pu" is located at the end of the Xiuluan Road in Jianshi Township, belonging to an Atayal settlement. Its name means "the place where the morning sun shines first," symbolizing year-round abundant sunshine and fertile soil. The path from the tribe to the entrance of the sacred tree grove is lined with peach trees, and during the flowering seasons of March and April, the roadside is filled with pink peach blossoms.