Mianyue Line Adventure: Trekking Through Alishan's Historic Rail Trails
The Mianyue Line (眠月線) is one of Taiwan's most sought-after rail trails, alongside the renowned Jancing Historic Trail. Once a vital part of the Alishan Forest Railway, this trail has evolved from transporting logs to becoming a beloved destination for hikers.
Although I never experienced this railway in its prime, walking along its weathered tracks to Shihou Station (石猴車站) gave me a deep appreciation for its charm. If you're planning a trip to Alishan, don't miss this unique slice of history in nature's embrace.
In this post, you will learn how to apply for a permit to hike the Mianyue Line, utilize public transport, and discover highlights about this trail.
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Table of Contents:
- Trail Information: Mianyue Line 眠月線
- Maps/GPX, Transportation, and How to Apply for Permits
- Details of My Mianyue Line Hike
- About Mianyue Line, Taiwan Aspidistra Nature Reserve (Taiwan Pleione) 台灣一葉蘭自然保留區 and Extended Hikes
- The Checklists You Need to Hike Yushan and Other Hike Mountains
- Related Posts
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Trail Information: Mianyue Line 眠月線
Trail Name: Mianyue Line 眠月線
Distance: 16 km (10 miles)
Route type: Out and Back
Days/Hours Needed: 5-7 hours
Total Ascent/Descent: 642m/723m
Best Time to Go: All seasons except during typhoons, heavy rains, or earthquakes
Permits: Required. See How to Apply for Permits
Difficulty Level:
Distance: 16 km (10 miles)
Route type: Out and Back
Days/Hours Needed: 5-7 hours
Total Ascent/Descent: 642m/723m
Best Time to Go: All seasons except during typhoons, heavy rains, or earthquakes
Permits: Required. See How to Apply for Permits
Difficulty Level:
Additional Information:
- A headlamp (head torch) and extra batteries are a must.
- If it rains, the path in the collapsed tunnel might be washed down by rain and become dangerous.
- Please don't bypass when many people are on the railway bridges at the same time. Some hikers fell to their deaths on the bridge when doing this.
- The planks on the railway bridges might be slippery when it rains.
- Taiwan Aspidistra Nature Reserve (Taiwan Pleione) 台灣一葉蘭自然保留區
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Maps/GPX, Transportation, and How to Apply for Permits
GPX Track From My Hike
Click Menu in the map to download, print, or share the map.
You can see more options after clicking the Play button.
Click
to change the speed to meet your condition.
You can see more options after clicking the Play button.
Click
to change the speed to meet your condition.
Public Transport
- Take Alishan Route A (7329、7329A) from Chiayi High-speed Raiway Station.
- Take Alishan Route B (7322C or 7322D) from Chiayi Train Station.
- Take Kuokuang Bus 1835 from Taipei Bus Station.
- Take Sun Moon Lake Alishan Route (Bus 6739).
How to Apply for Permits to Hike Mianyue Line
Visit the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency's permit application website. The daily limit is 350 people. Applications can be submitted 60 to 5 days prior to the hiking date.
Important: If you plan to camp on the Mianyue Line, apply for Day 1 and Day 2 separately.
After your application is approved, the permit is available to download 4 days before the hike. The permit is still in Chinese. You need to get your printout. Here's what to do with your permit. You can use your application number to check your application progress.
You only need to apply for the permit if you want to cross bridge No. 13 and explore the rest of the trail.
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Details of My Mianyue Line Hike
Brief itinerary: Zhaoping Train Station ➔ Tashan Trail ➔ Wood platform/junction to Mianyue Line and Tashan Trail ➔ the first half-open tunnel and collapsed area ➔ No. 13 bridge and the mailbox for the permits (Taiwan Aspidistra Nature Reserve) ➔ Shihou Recreation Area and Train Station and return ➔ Zhaoping Train Station
I stayed at a hotel in Anding/Eryanping (post coming soon), so I took the earliest bus to Alishan Forest Recreation Area and arrived at 8:26. The first train left Alishan Station to Zhaoping Station at 9:00, which saved me a 1.2 km walk.
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09:06 Arrived at Zhaoping Station.
I walked toward the Alishan Gou Hotel 阿里山閣大飯店. If you want to start the hike early, you can stay here.
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09:12 After a short walk on the footpath, I reached a junction to Tashan Trail with a 0km signage.
After ascending in the woods, there was a flyover over a railway track. You will see tourists walking along the railway tracks. Walking along the railway is illegal, and you might get a hefty fine. I'm not sure whether those people get a fine, but I chose to follow the footpaths.
The footpaths are slightly up and down, but it was relaxing to see the forests.
09:44 I reached the junction/wood platform to Mianyue Line and Mt. Data or Tashan. I arrived in Alishan the day before my Mianyue Line hike, and I debated whether I should hike to Tashan again. However, the steps and overcast weather put me off.
I continued to hike on the Mianyue Line. Some hikers say it's okay to enter here without a permit if you don't enter the Taiwan Pleione area at No. 13 bridge, but I don't want to take the chance.
As you can see, walking along the railway is easier than the previous footpath. There's almost no elevation gain or loss before reaching the first half-open tunnel.
10:06 I reached the first half-open tunnel, and the section was destroyed by the landslide. This exposed section was so extensive that it can be seen from Alishan Train Station.
Traversing the collapsed section might look scary, but ropes, rails, and rungs provide places to hold and for footing. As long as you proceed with caution, it is safe to go.
If you encounter heavy rain, please return. Some hikers were blocked by the downpour and had to ask for rescue.
When I did this hike, there were not many hikers around. So, it took me around 3 minutes to pass. If you do this hike on the weekend or holiday, expect a long queue.
And there are many stingy nettles, which is not a good place to release yourself.
10:22 I reached the No. 2 tunnel, the longest one on this hike, 414 meters long.
It was dark and slippery inside this tunnel. Wearing a headlamp is a must. I reached a section with a big pile of rocks almost touching the tunnel's top. You have to squeeze yourself a bit when trying to get to the other side.
10:34 It took me 12 minutes to finish this tunnel. After exiting the tunnel, there was a long deck with toilets. This deck is Tashan Station. Some hikers camp here.
10:58 I reached bridge No. 13, where the Taiwan Pleione Nature Reserve and the mailbox for submitting the permits. Remember to leave your permit in the box.
11:27 I reached a wide area with some buildings and two railway tracks converge and diverge here. The sign said this used to be the dormitories. You will find toilets here, too.
11:38 I passed a water source.
11:42 I reached Shihou Recreation Area 石猴遊憩區 and Shihou Observation Deck 石猴觀景台, where the views were taken by the trees.
11:45 I hiked further inside and saw Shihou Station 石猴車站 (2,318 meters above sea level), and I'd reached my destination. There are toilets here, too. The distance between Zhaoping Station and Shihou Station is 9.2 km.
While getting to Shihou Station, I saw a sign on the tree saying to Shui Yang Forest 水漾森林, a popular hiking destination formed by the 7.3-magnitude Jiji Earthquake in 1999.
I returned to the Shihou Recreation Area to have a lunch break. Mianyue Line is one of the popular hiking trails in Taiwan. Lucky for me, there weren't many hikers when I did this hike.
After lunch, I returned to the trailhead because I had to catch the bus to my hotel. The mist started forming, which gave out a different atmosphere.
12:55 I arrived at Bridge No. 13, where the permit mailbox was located.
13:02 I reached Tunnel No. 2, and more and more hikers were coming. Many of them carried big backpacks. They either planned to stay at Shihou Station overnight or do a Shui Yang Forest hike.
13:23 I arrived at the collapsed section of the first half-open tunnel. I waited for a while for the hikers to pass.
13:56 I returned to the junction/deck at 2 km and went back to the footpath.
14:32 I am back to 0 km, where Tashan Trail starts. I finished my hike here and went to explore the Alishan Forest Recreation Area.
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About Mianyue Line, Taiwan Aspidistra Nature Reserve (Taiwan Pleione) 台灣一葉蘭自然保留區 and Extended Hikes
About Mianyue Line
The Mianyue Line, also known as the Tashan Line 塔山線, was one of Alishan's two main forestry railway routes in its early days, the other being the Eryu Line 兒玉線 (later renamed Zhizhong Line 自忠線). See my post about the hike to Mt. Zhizhong
Stretching 9.26 kilometers from Alishan New Station to Shihou, the Mianyue Line features 24 bridges and 12 tunnels. Among these is the remarkable Tunnel No. 2, 414 meters long, which cuts through the towering rock formations of Tashan—a testament to the challenging engineering feats of its construction. Originally built to transport massive logs from the forest, the railway began serving tourists in 1983, using steam trains that quickly captivated railway enthusiasts.
Unfortunately, the route was severely damaged by the 921 Earthquake in 1999, leading to its suspension. Despite this, the Mianyue Line remains a treasured part of Alishan's rich history.
Extended Hikes – A Xi Thru Hike 阿溪縱走 or Xi A Thru Hike 溪阿縱走
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Xi-A Traversal (溪阿縱走) was one of the most popular hiking routes in Taiwan. This 32-kilometer trail started at Xitou Sacred Tree Forest Road, passing through Liulongtou, Andingwan, Shanlinxi Workstations, and the No. 9 Forest Compartment trailhead. It then continued through the Mianyue Sacred Tree, Shihou, Mianyue Station, and Tashan Station before ending at Alishan. The route spanned an average altitude of 2,000 meters, offering breathtaking mountain landscapes.
In 1996, Typhoon Herb unleashed devastating floods, with Alishan Weather Station recording an unprecedented 1,094.5 millimeters of rain in a single day on July 31. The torrential downpours and powerful winds destroyed large sections of the Xi-A Traversal trail, making it nearly impassable. After the 921 Earthquake (Jiji Earthquake) in 1999, further landslides and infrastructure collapse left the trail completely cut off. Restoration efforts stalled, and the trail was gradually overtaken by nature, fading into obscurity.
Today, a reimagined version of the route, known as the New Xi-A Traversal, spans approximately 27 kilometers. Starting at Alishan and ending at Shanlinxi, hikers are taken through the Mianyue Line's lost tracks and the Shuiyang Forest's ethereal beauty, creating a journey of history and natural wonder.
Sources:
- Author Hong Zhiwen 洪致文, Alishan Forest Railway History 阿里山森林鐵路紀行
- Taiwan Public Television Service: Mianyue Line 眠月記：阿里山鐵道支線眠月線故事
- Alishan History from Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
About Taiwan Pleione Nature Reserve 台灣一葉蘭
The Taiwan Aspidistra (Taiwan Pleione) 台灣一葉蘭 is a native orchid of Taiwan, thriving in the lush, misty mountain forests at altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 meters. Its habitat extends from Chatienshan 插天山 in Taoyuan in the north to Beidawu Mountain 北大武山 in Pingtung in the south.
In its natural environment, the Taiwan Aspidistra typically grows on steep, damp rock walls or in lightly shaded forest areas with filtered sunlight. Its bulbs are often found nestled in moss or decaying leaves and can occasionally attach to fallen tree trunks. The orchid blooms from March to April, with each flower lasting 1 to 2 weeks; the flowering season lasts for about a month.
Taiwan Pleione Nature Reserve was proclaimed in Alishan on March 12, 1992, and the area is 57.8 hectares with an elevation between 2,075 and 2,650 meters.
The Checklists You Need to Hike Yushan and Other Hike Mountains
What now after you receive your hiking permit to Yushan and other high mountains?
Here's the thorough checklist that saves you 3+ hours of Googling. With those checklists, you will know what to do for your hikes within 10 minutes:
- A schedule to apply for permits and arrange your transport, accommodation, and catering service
- What to do during your hike, and more
- Gear list suggestions
- Snow season and mountain regulations
- Weather, temperature, and typhoon warnings
Disclaimer:
All content provided is for inspirational and informational purposes only. Creating, using, hiking, or traveling with Taiwan Hikes' suggested services or itineraries is at your own risk. Please use your best judgment and follow all safety precautions, as Taiwan Hikes and Anusha Lee are not liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from using this information.
Please also note that Taiwanese government agencies tend to change their URLs without bothering to redirect to the new ones. As a result, you will find some external sites on the Taiwan Hikes website are not working from time to time. Taiwan Hikes will try to update those URLs if possible.
Taiwan Hikes is not responsible for the content of external sites.
All content provided is for inspirational and informational purposes only. Creating, using, hiking, or traveling with Taiwan Hikes' suggested services or itineraries is at your own risk. Please use your best judgment and follow all safety precautions, as Taiwan Hikes and Anusha Lee are not liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from using this information.
Please also note that Taiwanese government agencies tend to change their URLs without bothering to redirect to the new ones. As a result, you will find some external sites on the Taiwan Hikes website are not working from time to time. Taiwan Hikes will try to update those URLs if possible.
Taiwan Hikes is not responsible for the content of external sites.
