The Old Jhuilu Road opens on July 19 on a trial basis
Visitor numbers to be subject to a daily limit. Mountain and park entry permits are required
After carrying out assessment work, Taroko National Park Headquarters decided to open Old Jhuilu Road, which crosses Jhuilu Cliff in Taroko Gorge, to visitors on a trail basis. Applications to enter the trail will be accepted from July 19. Visitor numbers will be limited to 48 people a day and 72 at weekends and on holidays. Visitors require both a mountain entry and a park entry permit before entering the road. Taroko National Park stressed that because the road is narrow and the cliff section is precipitous, it is not a scenic trail suited to all, it is actually a difficult and challenging trail and, for this reason, it is not suitable for people who are physically weak, sufferers of coronary artery disease or vertigo, pregnant women and children. Visitors are asked to carefully consider their physical ability before applying for permits to enter.
The Jhuilu Old Road is part of the Japanese-era Old Cross-Hehuan Mountain Road. The 10.3 km road crosses Jhuilu Cliff, above the Cimu Bridge> Jiucyudong >Yanzikou section of the Central Cross-island Highway. The elevation of the cliff section is between 750 and 780 meters and there is a vertical drop of approximately 500 meters from the road to Liwu River valley. At its narrowest point, the road is only 60-70 cm wide. From the road, the visitor has a bird’s eye view of the magnificent and breathtaking Taroko Gorge scenery. This section of road is the best preserved part of the Old Cross-Hehuan Mountain Road. Along the trail there are remnants of aborigine villages and memorial stones. The historical value of the road led to it being designated a historical site preservation area.
Jhuilu Old Road is long and narrow, has a large vertical drop and the cliff terrain is precipitous, making it potentially dangerous for visitors, therefore, the park HQ has been very cautious in its preparations to open the trail to visitors. On July 11, park Director Lin Yong-fa led officers from the Taroko Park Police Corps and related park HQ personnel to inspect the whole length of the road. After repeated discussions, it was decided to begin accepting applications from visitors to enter the road from July 19. A meeting will be held for further discussions after visitors opinions have been collected in the end of July and August.
Before entering Jhuilu Old Road, a park entry permit has to be acquired from the park HQ’s Conservation Section and a mountain entry permit is also required from the police. Jhuilu Old Road is open from 6 am to 6 pm every day. Visitors are prohibited from camping on the road and spending the night. Because completing the whole road requires around seven hours, visitors are requested not to enter after 10 am to avoid being on the road when the light fades. The cliff section of the road is narrow and only allows one person to pass at a time. To avoid the increased danger when visitors meet at this point, and also taking into account the lack of parking space at Yanzikou, visitors are asked to start their walk from the Cimu Bridge entrance and finish at Yanzikou. On the road, visitors are requested to walk in order, stay with companions and not to separate from your group and walk alone, leave the road or take a shortcut. On the cliff section, do not overtake the people in front of you and do not linger in areas prone to rock falls. Taroko National Park HQ may also close the trail when the weather is bad or in the case of sudden situations.
Taroko National Park HQ stresses that the protecting the natural and cultural environment of Jhuilu Old Road and visitor safety depends on everyone’s effort. In the event that illegal behavior is observed or an accident happens, it should be reported immediately. Contact telephone numbers: Taroko National Park HQ 3-8621100,038612528, Taroko Park Police Corps 03-8621405, Hualien County Fire Department 03-8322119
Source：Taroko National Park Headquarters
Translated by：Kevin Lax