Recently, an online post titled “Mount Tai Climbing Routes (Jailbreak Edition) – Mount Tai Ticket-Evading Routes” summarized six ways to enter without paying. The Mount Tai Management Committee warns that these routes involve many cliffs, ravines, and other hazards, making unauthorized entry highly dangerous for hikers.
Northeast Route
Take a bus from Taian Railway Station to Aiwa, get off, and walk about 2 kilometers north along the village road, then turn left to Saozhu Yu. Enter the valley from the bottom, bypass the ticket checkpoint, and go around the reservoir by retracing your steps. Pass through Dagou Alley. There will be a ticket checkpoint along the way; backtrack about 150 meters to climb up to the ridge and bypass this point.
At this point, you’ll enter a valley running northeast to southwest. Walk about 300 meters into the valley, and you’ll see a stone-paved path on the left mountainside. Follow the path uphill for about 90 minutes to reach the back gate of Nantianmen. From there, follow signs to Tianjie, Yuhuangding, Wanghai Stone, and Guanri Peak.
Warning: This route involves many valleys and ravines with numerous rocky streams made of large and small stones, making progress extremely difficult. The post mentions bypassing the checkpoint, which necessarily involves passing by Datianzhu Peak. The surrounding mountain paths are steep, densely wooded, and very hard to traverse.
The area around Dagou Alley has complex terrain, with slopes on the western hillside reaching 60 to 70 degrees. Since the route involves fire prevention trails and multiple forks, it is impossible to reach the back gate of Nantianmen in 90 minutes — even those familiar with the path need at least three hours.
Northeast Route 2
As above, get off at Xidajinkou. Walk 1 kilometer northwest to Jiangjiagou, head to Xishaling, then to Damingtan, and follow a small path for about three kilometers to Tianjingwan. In summer, there’s a waterfall here, and in winter, an icefall, which can serve as a water source. After about three kilometers through Yaozigou, you’ll reach the back gate of Nantianmen.
Warning: The entire route consists of narrow trails and forest fire prevention paths, many of which are only half a meter wide, with numerous forks, making it very easy to get lost.
North Route
Travel west from Dajinkou to Heshangzhuang (at the 500-meter mark on the highway), then turn left onto a small path and walk 4 kilometers to Maifanpeng. Go south along the old platform, hike up the mountain via the ridge to Nantianmen. Early in the morning, arrive in Taian and head to Xidajinkou at the northern foot of Mount Tai to find a guide for the hike. Planned hiking route: Tianlong Reservoir → Tianjingwan (620m) → Maifanpeng (1010m) → Xiannvwan → Lao Platform (1217m) → Yaoguanting (1476m) → Yuhuangding (1523.7m)
Warning: The full route is long, requiring 4 hours to descend and even longer to ascend. There are many weathered, steep sections along the way that look solid but crumble underfoot, making slips highly likely.
According to reporters who visited the site, Maifanpeng is at a high altitude with mostly cliffside terrain that is very steep. Some slopes are as steep as 70 degrees, and the narrowest parts are only half a meter wide, barely allowing one person to pass, with sheer cliffs over a thousand meters high on one side.
Southwest Route 1
Directly east of Yingtaoyuan, there is a mountain valley. Follow the path, head north past Songpeng, climb to the top, and traverse the ridge to Longjiao Peak. If you can get through, descending will lead you to Sancha Forest Farm (Taohuayu Cable Car Station). From Sancha Forest Farm, heading north takes you to Taohuayu; heading east along the ridge around Wangfushan leads to Nantianmen; heading south takes you to Aolai Peak and Shanzipan.
Southwest Route 1
From the north of Houchengtanyuan, there is a mountain valley path. Entering through this path also allows you to meet up with Southwest Route 1 at the western base of Longjiao Peak. The rest of the route is the same as above. The difference is that this valley has azaleas covering the mountainsides.
Warning: The so-called Southwest Route 1 and Southwest Route 2 both pass by Longjiao Peak, which resembles dragon horns, with dangerous terrain and high elevation. It is surrounded by ridges, making orientation very difficult. Even finding narrow trails is hard, and those unfamiliar with the land are very likely to get lost. At the end of 2010, a hiker was injured and got lost here, then started a fire for help. The hiker was later sentenced for arson.
Mingtangyuan Tourist Route
Little known to outsiders, with no signs of artificial development. Suitable for adventure travel, exploration, and experienced hikers. This is a route rarely known or visited by regular tourists.
Warning: Currently, there are two checkpoints here strictly monitoring unauthorized entrants, with surveillance and other measures in place. Those caught entering illegally will be fined according to the “Forest Fire Prevention Regulations.” Barbed wire fences have also been installed in mountainous areas. (Source: Qilu Evening News)