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Yangmingshan Summer Getaway: Discover Tianmu Water Pipe Trail, Cuifeng Waterfall and Shamaoshan

Posted by:  Anusha Lee
Published date: August 4, 2024
Once part of the Grass Mountain Waterworks from the Japanese Era, the Tianmu Water Pipe Trail (aka Tianmu Old Trail) is now a beloved hiking route in Taipei. Starting in Tianmu, the trail takes you past the stunning golden Cuifeng Waterfall and up to the uniquely shaped Mt. Shamao.
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The iconic water pipe on the Tianmu Water Pipe Trail (Tianmu Old Trail.)
This trail combines historical significance with natural beauty, offering stunning waterfalls, peaceful woods, and panoramic views, especially with the hidden gem of Cuifeng Waterfall awaiting exploration.
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Cuifeng Waterfall
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Table of Contents:

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Trail Information, Map, and Transportation: Tianmu Water Pipe Trail, Cuifeng Waterfall, Hengling Old Trail to Mt. Shamao/Yangming Lake Trailhead – Easy Route

Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 miles)
Route type: point-to-point
Days/Hours Needed: 4-6 hours
Total Ascent/Descent: 802m/432m
Best Time to Go: All seasons.
Permits: Not required
Difficulty Level: trail difficulty

Peaks or Places to Reach

  1. Cuifeng Waterfall
  2. Mt. Shamao, or Shamaoshan, is 643 meters (2,109 feet) above sea level. On its top is a Class 3 Triangulation Stone. The summit offers a great view of Mt. Qixing Main and East Peak.
Qingxing Mountain hiking guide
Mt. Shamao from Shilin, Taipei. The distinctive dome-shaped mountain is Mt. Shamao.
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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 timer to change the speed to meet your condition.
rakuten-express

How to Get There by Public Transport: To the Mt. Shamao Yangming Lake Trailhead

Your location ➔ Yangmingshan Bus Terminal ➔ Mt. Shamao Trailhead
Take bus R5 紅5 from MRT Jiantan Station 捷潭捷運站, bus 260 from Taipei Station 台北車站, or Bus 230 from MRT Beitou Station 北投捷運站, and get off at the last stop.
  1. R5 bus information
  2. 260 bus information
  3. 230 bus information
Walk to the Mt. Shamao trailhead after getting off the bus.
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How to Get There by Public Transport: To the Tianmu Water Pipe Trailhead:

There are several buses going to Tianmu. Here, I only list those leaving from MRT Shipai Station 捷運石牌站.
Your location ➔ MRT Shipai Station ➔ Tianmu Stop ➔ Mt. Shamao Trailhead
You will get off around this Tianmu Bus Stop (map).
  1. Bus R19 information: get off at the last stop, Tianmu Stop
  2. Bus 224 information: get off at the last stop, Tianmu Stop
  3. Chongqing Metro Bus 重慶幹線 information: get off at Tianmu Stop
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Brief Itinerary

Tianmu ➔ Tianmu Water Pipe Trailhead ➔ junction to Chinese Culture University ➔ junction to Cuifeng Waterfall ➔ Cuifeng Waterfall ➔ junction to Banling Trail and Banling Suspension Bridge ➔ Banling Suspension Bridge ➔ Ming Xuan Temple 明玄宮 ➔ Parking Lot ➔ Hengling Old Trail ➔ Yangmingshan Qianshan Park 前山公園 ➔ Mt. Shamao Yangming Lake Trailhead 紗帽山陽明湖登山口 ➔ Mt. Shamao ➔ Mt. Shamao Yangming Lake Trailhead ➔ Bus 260 stop

My Hike: from Tianmu Water Pipe Trail, Cuifeng Waterfall, to Mt. Shamao Via Yangking Lake Trailhead

I did the easy route with a friend in March 2023, and 1,300 steps awaited us.
10:23 Got off at the Tianmu stop.
10:30 Arrived at the Tianmu Water Pipe Trailhead at Lane 232, Section 7, Zhongshan North Road in Shilin District, and started tackling the 1,300 steps.
tianmu-shamao-01-trailhead
Tianmu Water Pipe Trailhead
10:48 Reach the pond. We took a short break to enjoy the view.
11:07 We reached Zizai Pavilion 自在亭. We took a short break to enjoy the city view again. Taipei 101 can be seen here.
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Zizai Pavilion 自在亭
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View from Zizai Pavilion
You will see a stone house under big trees, which is Adjustment Well 調整井. I can't find the jargon for this name, so I translate it literally from Chinese. This adjustment well was finished in 1929.
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Adjustment Well
The adjustment well was completed in 1929. Water was stored here and then flowed through a large black pipe, using gravity to power the Sanjiaopu Power Plant 三角埔發電廠 from an elevation of about 300 meters down to 90 meters. However, this function was replaced after the completion of the Feicui Reservoir in 1987.
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If you take the steps next to the Adjustment Well, you will find toilets on the right and reach the Chinese Culture University.
tianmu-shamao-04-pavilion-4
We took the left, and no more steps or steep slopes from here. It was pleasant to walk here. Mt. Datun and Sulfur Valley Geothermal Scenic Area 硫磺谷遊憩區 can be seen from here, too.
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tianmu-shamao-05-tianmu-trail-3-view
Mt. Datun (right) and Sulfur Valley Geothermal Scenic Area (left center)
11:44 We arrived at the junction to Cuifeng Waterfall and sat at Cuifeng Pavilion for another break.
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Junction to Cuifeng Waterfall
The slope descending to Cuifeng Waterfall was steep and slightly rugged, and finally, my feet could touch the soil instead of concrete steps.
tianmu-shamao-07-trail-terrain-2

Cuifeng Waterfall Bathed in the Golden Hue

12:07 We reached Cuifeng Waterfall. I did this hike on Friday, and there weren't many people around. I could smell sulfur from the waterfall, which is why the boulders in the waterfall and Song Creek (Songxi 松溪) have a golden hue.
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Cuifeng Waterfall
If you are looking for a place to avoid the summer heat in Taipei, this is the perfect place. The water, sunlight, colors, and sounds are so soothing. I made myself a cup of coffee and sat there to savor the tranquility.
tianmu-shamao-08-cuifeng-waterfall-1
After the break, we continued the hike. I made a wrong turn during my first hike. If you visit here, remember to go downhill by following the creek.
Following the creek, we reached a road. The signage points in two different directions to Banling Trail and Banling Suspension Bridge. We went uphill to the bridge.
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tianmu-shamao-11-to-banling-suspension-bridge
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Banling Suspension Bridge is small, and you will see residential houses and farms again. Not far from the houses, we reached City View Platform (lookout) 市景平台.
tianmu-shamao-12-banling-suspension-bridge
Banling Suspension Bridge
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City View Platform (lookout) 市景平台
13:32 The view was great, but the scorching heat from both my hikes made me continue without staying too long. From here, I saw the Chinese Culture University on my right and Mt. Shamao ahead of me.
13:34 We reached a junction and Ming Xuan Temple 明玄宮. This place is a perfect place to have a break. There are toilets (remember to donate some money) and cold drinks if you want to buy one.
tianmu-shamao-14-ming-xuan-temple
Ming Xuan Temple
Ming Xuan Temple is also where you decide whether to take the easy or more challenging route to Mt. Shamao. I took both. You will find details of the more difficult route later.
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From Ming Xuan Temple to Banling Trail 半嶺步道and Hengling Old Trail 橫嶺古道

We passed some houses and walked on the road before reaching the steps of Banling Trail. We followed the directions to Hongtan 紅壇 and saw a parking lot.
tianmu-shamao-15-parking-lot
The parking lot in Hongtan. You will find a small earth god temple here.
14:08 The entrance of Hengling Old Trail was easy to spot. Soon, we were surrounded by beautiful bamboo woods. This section was shaded and flat to enjoy.
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Hengling Old Trail circles half of Mt. Shamao.
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Bamboo woods on Hengling Old Trail.
14:42 Hengling Old Trail is short, around 800 meters. You will see a sign of Datunshan, and the end of the trail is connected to Hushan Road Section One 湖山路一段. Turn right, and you will see the Yangmingshan Bus Terminal.
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A beautiful park with cherry trees near Mt. Shamao Yangming Lake Trailhead
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One of the facilities of Grass Mountain Waterworks System
You can call it a day by taking the bus back home or continuing your hike to Mt. Shamao.

From Shamaoshan's Yangming Lake Trailhead to the Summit

But if you persist, you will be rewarded with great views. The distance from the Yangming Lake Trailhead to Mt. Shamao is 1 km.
15:23 It didn't take long for us to reach the Yangming Lake Trailhead. From there, follow the steps.
tianmu-shamao-21-shamaoshan-trailhead
Mt. Shamao Yangming Lake Trailhead
The first section of the Shamaoshan Trail is the zig-zag steps, and it isn't as steep as some to Mt. Qixing.
We passed the Chen He boundary border 陳何界石 and the old tomb of the mother of Chen Xialin 陳霞林, built in 1832. Chen Xialin was a Juren 舉人 in the Qing Dynasty. A juren was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level in the Ming and Qing dynasties. That's the explanation I found on the internet.
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Chen He boundary border
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The old tomb of the mother of Chen Xialin and two flag pole holders
16:05 We arrived at Mt. Shamao, 643 meters above sea level. Standing at the deck, Mt. Qixing Main Peak, East Peak, and Zhongshan Building 中山樓 were in front of us.
tianmu-shamao-25-shamaoshan
tianmu-shamao-26-shamaoshan-view
View from Mt. Shamao overlook
If you are based in Taipei or a visitor, I'm sure you have seen this building. Zhongshan Building is depicted on the back of Taiwan's 100-dollar banknote.
After spending time admiring the view, we headed to the trailhead.
15:03 It took longer than I anticipated to reach the trailhead. It usually takes less than one hour.

Trail Information, Map, and Transportation: Tianmu Water Pipe Trail, Cuifeng Waterfall to Mt. Shamao/Dapu Trailhead – More Challenging Route

Distance: 7.1 km (4.4 miles)
Route type: point-to-point
Days/Hours Needed: 4-6 hours
Total Ascent/Descent: 769m/397m
Best Time to Go: All seasons.
Permits: Not required
Difficulty Level: trail difficulty

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 timer to change the speed to meet your condition.
Prepare for your next adventure with high-quality gear from Decathlon (shipping in Singapore only) Decathlon Singapore

Brief Itinerary

Tianmu ➔ Tianmu Water Pipe Trailhead ➔ junction to Chinese Culture University ➔ junction to Cuifeng Waterfall ➔ Cuifeng Waterfall ➔ junction to Banling Trail and Banling Suspension Bridge ➔ Banling Suspension Bridge ➔ Ming Xuan Temple 明玄宮 ➔ Banling Irrigation Canal ➔ Songxi Waterfall Platform and return the junction ➔ Mt. Shamao Dapu Trailhead ➔ Mt. Shamao ➔ Mt. Shamao Yangming Lake Trailhead ➔ Bus 260 stop

My Hike: from Tianmu Water Pipe Trail, Cuifeng Waterfall, to Mt. Shamao via Dapu Trailhead

On May 11, 2024, I revisited this route and decided to explore the Banling Irrigation Canal 半嶺圳幹線 after Ming Xuan Temple and ascended Shamaoshan via the Dapu Trailhead. The trail remained the same until Ming Xuan Temple. Thus, the following highlights our hike from Ming Xuan Temple to Mt. Shamao via the Dapu Trailhead.
tianmu-shamao-hard-01-junction-songxi-waterfall
The junction to Songxi Waterfall Platform is next to Ming Xuan Temple.
13:22 After the break at Ming Xuan Temple, we followed the Banling Irrigation Canal. Although it was pretty hot in early May, following this canal gave us a fresh breeze to escape the summer heat.
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I saw a snake in the canal.
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We passed a small waterfall, and our map said it was Banling Waterfall.
13:42 After climbing a few steps, we reached a footpath with a deck overlooking a creek. A beautiful waterfall was right next to it, and the rocks around it still had a golden hue.
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Songxi Waterfall
A door blocked the footpath, and a sign posted there stated that this was the residents' water source and asked visitors NOT to dip their feet in it.
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We could only reach here.
13:46 We returned from the door to locate an entrance to a shortcut to Shamaoshan's Dapu Trailhead.
14:52 The shortcut was short and had some rough terrain, but we quickly reached the Dapu Trailhead.
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Mt. Shamao Dapu Trailhead
According to the signage at the Dapu Trailhead, the distance from here to Mt. Shamao is 1.2 km. Little did I know it took me almost 1 hour to reach Mt. Shamao. The hot and humid weather made this step climbing worse, too.
tianmu-shamao-hard-06-steep-steps
tianmu-shamao-hard-07-signage
It took me 20 minutes to climb 200 meters.
14:43 After the painful ascending, we reached a flat area with building structures. This building was the Crown Prince's Pavilion 太子亭, built for Crown Prince Hirohito during Japanese Rule. But he never visited here. You probably won't see this if you go from the Yangming Lake Trailhead.
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The Crown Prince's Pavilion
Within 2 minutes, we reached Mt. Shamao's Class 3 Triangulation Stone and the observation deck to enjoy the view.
15:54 Reached to the Yangming Lake Trailhead and called it a day.

About Tian Water Pipe Trail and Mt. Shamao

Tianmu Water Pipe Trail (aka Tianmu Old Trail)

The Tianmu Water Pipe Road, also known as the Tianmu Old Trail, features a large black water pipe and the Sanjiaopu Power Plant 三角埔發電廠, both part of the "Grass Mountain Waterworks System" built during the Japanese era.
tianmu-shamao-03-water-pipe-1
This historic system is a designated municipal heritage site in Taipei and is the only heritage site classified as an engineering system. Sanjiaopu is also the old name of Tianmu.
The Tianmu Old Trail is the later section of the ancient Fish Road Trail 魚路古道, which was an important route connecting Jinshan 金山 and Tianmu. Starting from Tianmu, hikers must climb 1,300 steps to reach the Adjustment Well, after which the path becomes a flat forest bath trail. Source.

Mt. Shamao or Shamaoshan

Located at the southwest end of Yangmingshan National Park, Shamaoshan is a parasitic volcano of Qixing Mountain, part of the Datun volcanic group. Its name comes from its resemblance to the traditional black hats 紗帽 worn by ancient officials in China.
Qingxing Mountain hiking guide
The twin-dome-shaped Mt. Shamao
The trail, which mainly consists of stone steps, has two trailheads: Yangming Lake Trailhead in the north, near the Yangmingshan bus terminal, and Qianshan Park, which offers a gentler climb. Dapu Trailhead in the south, near the first lookout on Shamao Road, is steeper.
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Mt. Shamao's footpath
Shamao Old Trail is one of the 33 historic trails in Yangmingshan National Park. It is known as one of the "Top Ten Legends of Yangmingshan 陽明山十大傳奇," written by a Taiwanese mountaineering pioneer, Mt. Lin Zong Sheng 林宗聖, who dedicated his life to exploring Yangmingshan.

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TIANMU WATER PIPE TRAIL and BANLING CANAL via MOUNT SHAMAO (天母水管路/紗帽山/半嶺古圳)

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Hiking Note: Tianmu Water Pipe Trail (Tianmu Old Trail) 天母水管路步道 (天母古道)
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