Text and photos by Liu Jiawen
The hustle and bustle of the city can often feel suffocating. Come to Huisun Forest Recreation Area, where towering trees and fresh air create a tranquil atmosphere that helps calm and relax both the mind and soul. Covering an area of over 7,000 hectares in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, Huisun Forest Recreation Area has elevations ranging from 2,419 meters at Shoucheng Mountain to 450 meters in the Beigang River valley. As a result, the forest area encompasses three types of forest zones—temperate, warm temperate, and subtropical—with a rich variety of plant species. In autumn, you can admire the red leaves of maple trees, while from December to February, cherry blossoms bloom. The area offers a chance to appreciate different plants in all four seasons, making it a vibrant outdoor classroom of ecology.
In autumn, you can see the maple leaves along the trails turn red. (Photo provided by National Chung Hsing University Experimental Forest Management Office)
The observation deck at Huisun Forest Recreation Area offers a breathtaking view of the distant mountains. (Photo by Scenic Spots Expert Liu Jiawen)
Here, you might want to take a forest bath and enjoy the cleansing effects of phytoncides. You can start by walking from the cabin area to the observation deck to take in the sweeping mountain views. On clear mornings, you may even catch a glimpse of the beautiful sea of clouds enveloping the mountaintops. The forest area features five hiking trails, including Songfeng Mountain, Azalea Ridge, and Frog Stone. These trails are paved with railway sleepers, and along the Azalea Ridge Trail, you can spot Taiwan’s native Tien Tai Lindera, the endemic Puli Azalea, and the representative plant of Huisun Forest — the Taiwan tree fern.
The forest area has five different hiking trails for visitors to enjoy a forest bath. (Photo by Scenic Spots Expert Liu Jiawen)
Taiwan cypress is the world’s only gymnosperm with “Taiwan” as its genus name and is known as a living fossil. (Photo by Scenic Spots Expert Liu Jiawen)
Huisun Forest also has the largest number of Taiwan cypresses in Taiwan. Taiwan cypress is the world’s only gymnosperm with “Taiwan” as its genus name and is listed alongside China’s metasequoia and ginkgo, and America’s giant sequoia as one of the most representative living fossils globally. There are wooden hammocks set up between the trees where you can lazily lounge and take a rest, breathing in the fragrant forest air — a truly relaxing experience. Near the Taiwan cypress plaza, at Mountain Forest Lane No. 1, stands an old building dating back to the Japanese colonial period. It was originally used as the office and residence of the sub-factory manager and is not open to the public, but its rustic architecture makes it a great photo spot.
Mountain Forest Lane No. 1 is an old building from the Japanese colonial period. (Photo by Scenic Spots Expert Liu Jiawen)
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