[Taichung Trails]Parent-child hiking without much effort: Zhigaozhen Trail

Celia

Actually, Sis Celia only found out from a friend’s blog post that there’s actually a hidden gem trail in Taichung’s Wuri District — the Taichung Trail. It’s the Zhigaozhen Trail located in Wuri, and this trail, paved with sleepers, is built right alongside the irrigation channel.

Speaking of holidays... On a lazy holiday afternoon, if you just sleep away the day, you’re wasting the beautiful weather outside. But if you really don’t go outdoors for some fresh air, I — Sis Celia — would feel so stuffy that I’d almost burst... Martin couldn’t persuade me otherwise and had to agree to take me for a walk around a nearby attraction.

Alright then!Since we’ve decided to go out, let’s pick a spot Sis Celia has long wanted to explore. As for where that is? Hehehe

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So what makes this trail special is that you’re accompanied by the soothing sound of flowing water the whole way — just imagining it feels so nice... Speaking of Zhigaozhen — it draws water from the Fazi River and is an important irrigation source for farmlands in Taichung’s Nantun, Wuri, and Dadu areas. The Zhigaozhen Trail is about 6 km round trip, but today Sis Celia only walked the main trail section and didn’t make it up to the peak of Haohanpo at Xuetian Mountain. With all that said... you must be eager to join Sis Celia on a walk along the Zhigaozhen Trail already, right!? (Haha, I’ve pretty much run out of words myself by now...) Alright then!Let’s hit the Zhigaozhen Trail together and enjoy the peaceful vibes it offers us!GO!

%Note to self[Legs not burning note:]This 3-km section, Sis Celia only did this most essential stretch today, and it took less than an hour for the round trip...

%Travel note[On our walk, we started off walking along the concrete path first, then soon entered the area surrounded mostly by farmland — an important irrigation zone for the region, and also a serene part of the urban green trail. Ah Jia Xiaopu, when we entered this section, the first thing that caught our attention was how the tree roots were tightly wrapped around the Zhigaozhen Canal. The roots were twisted around, quite uniquely intertwined, as if the tree can't live without the canal and the canal can't exist without the tree~ (When I — Sis Celia — saw this giant tree for the first time, it reminded me of a scene from Tomb Raider, only smaller lol)

Alright... if we keep chatting like this, we’ll never finish walking the trail, so let’s keep going hehe~ Take another close look — this trail is also made of sleepers, and since it’s built along the canal, you can enjoy a comfortable walk while listening to the soothing sounds of flowing water. %Jia noticed that along the trail you can also see irrigation workers managing the channels. Today, we happened to see some workers here because it was a weekday... Sis Celia is a bit of a scaredy-cat, and while walking, I naively asked Martin a silly question — ah… they’re doing target practice here, what if we get hit by a stray bullet? At that, Martin slowly turned his head and gave me a death glare %Jia The Zhigaozhen Trail is located in the rural area of Wuri, not far from the city center, and the round trip is only about 3 kilometers. It doesn’t require much energy to complete the whole walk easily. %Ji And next, we came across another beloved spot along the Zhigaozhen Trail. I personally think this design of the irrigation canal is really smart. In fact, the flow speed here is quite fast, and if you step into the water, you’ll immediately feel the coolness. When you walk by the water, the locals will often kindly point out the best spots. When we were there, we definitely had to ask about the nicest parts. Remember to be extra careful though~ The scenery along the Zhigaozhen Trail is something Sis Celia really loved. Even though we went after noon, the tree shade made the walk really easy. After crossing the wooden bridge in front of us, it seems we’re almost at the end of the Zhigaozhen Trail, but... since we’ve come this far... let’s keep going and see what’s waiting for us at the very end.
%Jia This sound... the sound of gunfire coming from the other side of the hill must be soldiers from Chenggongling doing target practice huh!Alright, we’ve probably reached the end here!In front of us is the CPC Corporation Taiwan oil depot in Wangtian, so let’s consider this the endpoint. Then... let’s head back the same way, walk along the Zhigaozhen Trail once again, and enjoy that tranquil environment once more. The return trip always offers a different perspective, allowing you to experience even more of the unique charm of the Zhigaozhen Trail. Back at the elevated water intake bridge that Sis Celia loves so much — we just walked on top of it earlier, and now we’re taking the stairs down to admire the beauty of the Zhigaozhen Trail from a different angle.
%Travel note[On our walk, we continued heading down the trail, and as we walked, we discovered more little surprises... %Jia What makes this trail so great is that it’s super flat and easy. Some say the most relaxing part is just strolling alongside the scenic surroundings. Someone even said, “Why not explore it this way?” Hmm, very unique... %Ji Another perspective helps you see things more clearly. This highly elevated irrigation canal is actually designed like this for a reason. In fact, the water flows quite fast here, and if you lean over the railing, the staff will kindly explain the advantages of this design. When you’re walking on the bridge above, you really have to be careful, because there are no guardrails, and if you slip, it could be serious@@ Remember to stay safe!The scenery along the Zhigaozhen Trail is something Sis Celia really enjoyed. Although we went after noon, the shaded paths made it a breeze. After crossing the wooden bridge up ahead, it seems we’re nearly at the end of the Zhigaozhen Trail, but... since we’ve come this far... let’s keep going and see what lies at the end.

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