Head to Smangus and admire the maple leaves with God!

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

 

The mysterious and beautiful Smangus is situated 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 devoutly Catholic Atayal people call this place "God's tribe." Perhaps it is precisely because of God's blessing that this hidden mountain tribe can boast pristine mountains, rivers, and the magnificent scenery of ancient tree groves, standing apart from the rest of the world.

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, smiling flowers, slipper orchids, bamboo-leaf orchids, and Mrs. Simmons rhododendrons. The autumn maple leaves are equally breathtaking. Visitors can also explore the Giant Tree Trail (Yaya Qparung), where they can admire spectacular red cypress giants and experience the rich ecology of mid-altitude forests.

Getting to Smangus is quite a bumpy ride, requiring the crossing of several mountain ridges. After entering Neiwan in Hsinchu and passing Jianshi, turn onto County Highway 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 Taihang tribe to arrive. This winding and lengthy mountain road is challenging to navigate, taking about 3 to 4 hours, but the journey is accompanied by majestic rocks, mist, and beautiful layered mountain scenery. The arduous trek only heightens the anticipation of discovering this hidden paradise.

On the other side, "Zhenxibao" 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 all-day sunshine and fertile soil. Along the path from the tribe to the entrance of the sacred tree grove, peach trees are planted, and during the flowering seasons of March and April, the roadside is filled with pink peach blossoms.