Autumn Silvergrass Viewing Season: A Budget-Friendly Guide to Must-Visit Spots Near Greater Taipei

▲ In autumn, you can enjoy not only maple leaves but also silvergrass. (Photo / From the Facebook page of Taipei Tourism Bureau)

Reported by Yu Jiayun / Compiled report

The best time to admire silvergrass is around October to December each year, when vast expanses of white blooms sway in the wind, creating a breathtakingly rustic and picturesque autumn scene. For a relaxing and enjoyable silvergrass viewing trip, these spots in Taipei and New Taipei City are not to be missed!

Beitou, Taipei · Yangmingshan
After late autumn, Yangmingshan becomes a highly accessible spot for residents in northern Taiwan to view silvergrass. The most spectacular areas include Datun Mountain, Qingshuiyuan, Jinkouli Grand Road, and Xiaoyoukeng. Qingshuiyuan features mainly vast grasslands with gentle terrain, surrounded by silvergrass, making it perfect for families to enjoy picnics and admire the blooms together. Jinkouli Grand Road and Xiaoyoukeng trails are easy to hike, with red-tinted silvergrass lining both sides — the cool autumn breeze adds to the comfort of the walk.

▲ Beautiful silvergrass blooming across the mountainside. (Photo / Provided by Yangmingshan National Park)

▲ Red silvergrass sways at the entrance of the Fishermen’s Trail. (Photo / Provided by Yangmingshan National Park)

Public Transport
Bus: Take bus 108 (Scenic Tour Bus) to Qingshuiyuan Visitor Center, or take bus 小15 to Qingshuiyuan

Xinbei Ruifang · New Taipei City Gold Museum
Located on a mountainside, the New Taipei City Gold Museum overlooks Keelung’s Beauty Mountain to the left and Teapot Mountain to the right, with the Golden Shrine and Rhinoceros Head Mountain behind. The “Gold Museum” also serves as the junction for various hiking trails, allowing visitors to climb and enjoy panoramic views — making it an ideal spot for silvergrass appreciation.

▲ A sea of silvergrass blankets the hills of Jinguashi. (Photo / Provided by Gold Museum)

Public Transport:
Train: Ruifang Railway Station → Keelung Bus 826 (only operates on holidays) → Get off at Gold Museum Park. 2. Ruifang or Keelung Railway Station → Keelung Bus 788 → Get off at Gold Museum Park. 3. Ruifang or Fulong Railway Station → Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Gold Fulong Line 856 → Get off at Gold Museum Park.

Bus: Keelung Bus 788, 891, 826 (only operates on holidays), Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Gold Fulong Line → Get off at Gold Museum Park. 2. Taipei MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station → Keelung Bus 1062 (Highway) → Get off at Gold Museum Park.

Xinbei Ruifang · Earless Teapot Mountain
Though not particularly high, the summit of Earless Teapot Mountain offers sweeping sea views, making it a popular hiking trail. In autumn, the entire mountain is covered in swaying silvergrass. The hike is not difficult, and with the excellent vistas and seas of silvergrass, this is a must-visit during the season!

▲ Earless Teapot Mountain is one of the more family-friendly trails among the Jinguashi mountains. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Government Agriculture Bureau)

Public Transport
Train: Take a train to Keelung Station or Ruifang Station, then transfer to Keelung Bus 788 to Jinguashi Station. Walk about 10 minutes via the Gold Museum to reach the site.
Bus: At Exit 1 of MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, No. 152, Section 1, Fuxing S. Rd., take Keelung Bus 1062, and get off at Quanjitang Station.

Xinbei Gongliao · Caoling Historic Trail
As one of the most iconic historical and cultural mountain trails in Northeast Taiwan, the Caoling Historic Trail offers views of Guishan Island from its high pass and is one of the most popular hiking routes in the region. Each autumn, the silvergrass dances gracefully in the wind, with its elegant spikes standing tall and swaying above the valley. The entire mountainside seems to roll with silver waves, accompanied by drifting clouds and refreshing breezes.

▲ The Caoling Historic Trail’s silvergrass season draws many visitors each year. (Photo / Provided by Northeast Coast & Yilan National Scenic Area Administration)

Public Transport
From Taipei to the trail entrance
Take the TRA Eastern Line from Taipei to Fulong. The Tze-Chiang Limited Express takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Then, take Keelung Bus bound for “Hemei” from the bus stop and get off at “Yuwangkeng” to reach the trail entrance.
From Dali to Taipei
It takes about 10 minutes to travel from Dali Station to Fulong Station by a “local train,” then transfer to a Tzu-Chiang Limited Express at Fulong Station for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.

New Taipei City’s Dahan River Banks
When taking a leisurely stroll along both sides of the Dahan River in New Taipei City, you’ll find the white blooms swaying in the breeze by the riverbanks, pools, and pathways—these are the “silvergrass blossoms” (Miscanthus sinensis), the stars of the increasingly vivid autumn season. Now is the perfect time to walk and admire the silvergrass at the Dahan River Artificial Wetland. If you want to learn more about wetland ecology, volunteers at the visitor center under Huajiang Bridge offer guided tours by appointment.

▲A great place to enjoy silvergrass without hiking. (Photo provided by the New Taipei City High-Platform Engineering Office)

Public Transport
Bus: Take Bus Blue 31, 231, 233, 245, 263, 264, 310, 701, 702, 703, or the Taipei Bus “Sanxia–Taipei” line and get off at Huajiang Bridge Stop. Walk about 10–15 minutes along the side of Huajiang Bridge, where you’ll find a stairway over the embankment on the left leading into the area.