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view of Elephant Mountain from Hendryx Street. Photo by Jamie Rothwell.

Top 10 Facts about Nangang District Hiking Trail

The Nangang District Hiking Trail is majorly known by the name Elephant Mountain. It is also officially referred to as the Xiangshan Hiking Trail.

Xiangshan is a Chinese word meaning Elephant Mountain due to its elephant-like shape. The Elephant Mountain is located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan.

Xinyi District is the location where the city government and city council of Taipei are located. It is also located near the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) commonly referred to as Taipei Metro Xiangshan Station.

The Elephant Mountain is about 183 meters high while the hiking trail is 1.5km long. Taipei 101which is a skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan can be viewed from the trail.

Below are the top 10 facts about Nangang District Hiking Trail

1. It is a Tourist Attraction Site

The Xiangshan Hiking Trail is a major attraction site for visitors as well as a resident of Taipei. It contains giant rocks along the trail path alongside other beautiful natural life forms and birds.

The source of its beauty is its natural occurrence making the entire mountain appear like an ecological paradise. It is a great place especially for outdoor activities to view the wonderful natural beauty and to have leisure time.

Along the trail, there is an explanatory sign that provides adequate information to the visitors about the environment.

The beautiful sunrise in combination with Taipei 101 and the magnificent skyscrapers provide a wonderful place for enjoyment all day long.

2. Hiking Trial has Six Giant Rock

The Elephant Mountain is a massive rock 50 meters above ground. Photo taken by Fawaz alsharif.

The Elephant Mountain is well known as the best hiking place in central Taipei due to its proximity to Taipei 101and the giant rocks along the path.

Standing on top of the rocks, visitors can have the best view of the entire city below them. Foreign visitors in the area also have the opportunity to climb up the rocks and take pictures of Taipei.

3. It is a Naturally Occurring  Ecosystem

The Elephant Mountain is a naturally occurring ecosystem that provides aesthetic value and natural beauty to the area.

The region is well diversified with a variety of plant species creating an environment for the growth of the fern family plant.

The two significant fern species were the Taiwanese Cibotium and Flying Spider Monkey Tree Fern. Taiwanese Cibotium was used to stop bleeding in the early days before the medicines were introduced.

Flying Spider Monkey Tree Fern occurs as a very important ecological feature in the city of Taipei.

4. It is a Photographic Site

View of Taipei skyline from Elephant Mountain, Taipei, Taiwan 2015. Photo by Sonse.

The spectacular site is considered the most interesting place to take photos. It gives a clear view of Taipei 101 and other areas around Taipei city.

Its naturally occurring environment gives the visitors a lot of attraction and beauty for photographs. The cool air on top of the hiking trail is preferred for relaxing and enjoying the view, especially for dating couples.

It is also recorded that most professional photographers use the place to capture photos of the skyscraper and the surrounding city.

5. Elephant Mountain is one of the Four Beast Mountains

The Beasts Mountains are a collection of areas that contain about nine little rocky sandstone peaks. The peaks are arranged along the two parallel ridges which rise directly above Taipei’s modernized city center and the Taipei 101.

The lower ridge which is located at the front consists of four beasts which are: Lion, Leopard, Tiger, and Elephant mountains.

Behind them lies the Thumb Mountain which is on a higher ridge with a rocky peak and is found on the southwestern side.

6. The Best Time to Visit is During Sunrise and Sunset

View of Taipei 101, taken from Elephant Mountain. Photo taken by Felix Filnkoessl.

The sunrise and the sunset are the best times for hiking elephant mountain according to the majority of people. During the sunset, there is not much heat while hiking which gives a good time to enjoy the view.

The best view to see the sun rise and set in Taipei makes it very interesting. It is also the time when the place is not very crowded since the tourists leave earlier in the evening and only the residents are left.

7. Elephant Mountain is a Beautiful Place

Elephant Mountain is considered a very beautiful place to be due to the natural vegetation. Its natural occurrence with the beautiful birds makes it very attractive.

It has however not been much artificially modified thus retaining its aesthetic value. The beautiful vegetation is so appealing to the eyes.

8. Elephant Mountain has an Amazing Hiking Experience

The whole hiking experience takes about 20 to 40 minutes to cover the 1.5 km to get to the top of the mountain. It is also less challenging for the elderly to hike up the mountain since there are rest places and viewpoints along the way.

There is no specialized mountaineering equipment that is required only comfortable footwear. The Stone Garden is the most popular rest place and lookout along the way.

9. It is Romantic Site for Couple Dating

View of the night skyline of Taipei, Taiwan from Elephant Mountain photographed in January 2017. Photo by Eleleleven.

Due to its natural appearance with the natural vegetation, it attracts a lot of dating couples in the area. The beautiful sunrise and sunset create a romantic experience where couples can enjoy the view.

The rest places and the lookout offer a great place where the couple can share their snacks and beverages. They also have a good site where they can take photos, especially on the huge rocks.

10. It Provides an Opportunity for Businesses

The huge amounts of foreign tourists and the locals in the area create an opportunity for people to do business.

During the day, the area occurs as a traditional market where the vendors take over the area. Other bigger ultramodern businesses also surround the area to meet the needs of the people.

Elephant mountain is a very beautiful place to visit especially due to the natural vegetation. The beautiful sunrise and sunset create a romantic site that is so welcoming to visitors.

The height of the mountain gives a very clear view of Taipei 101 tower and the entire city creating a good site to take photos.