WuFenShan

Lao Liao Keng Mining Ecological Park – WuFenShan Hiking Trail

Keelung City/Pingxi District, New Taipei City

The oddly-named WuFenShan (五分山, Five Minute Mountain) is a grassy peak located on a ridge between Keelung and Pingxi. The mountain is easily spotted by its golf ball weather station on the peak. This hike starts at the Lao Liao Keng Mining Ecological Park, climbs up to the top of the ridge, then goes along the ridge to the peak of WuFen.

Access: take the train to NuanNuan Station then bus 603 to the last stop 暖東峽谷 (NuanDong Valley), though it might be better to just take a taxi. Our metered taxi fare was $140.

Trail Conditions: stone, boardwalk, gravel, and dirt trails. The hike is well signposted in English with trail maps.

Length: 5 hours

The Hike

From the bus stop it is about a 3km road walk to the mining park. From the bus stop keep walking up the highway across the bridge, then turn right and follow this road to the end.

Take the trail and the end of the parking lot next to the rest shelter, signposted for LaoliaoKeng Trail. This short, self-guiding interpretive trail goes through the mining area passing some ruined building, though all explanatory signage is in Chinese 0nly.

start of the trail through the mining park

trail through the mining park

ruined building

At the end of the trail turn right taking the trail climbing up, signposted for Wufenshan Trail. From here it is 800m to the top of the ridge. The trail is all steps and gets fairly steep.

end of the trail, turn right here for Wufenshan

climbing up to the ridge

At the top is a stone trail and a Land God shrine with a rest shelter. Turn left and the 1700m long stone trail goes along the top of the ridge to WuFenShan.

trail junction at the top

Land God shrine at the trail junction

More steep steps climb up until a couple of switchbacks. After this the trail levels out and becomes much easier.

trail to Wufenshan

heading towards Wufenshan’s golf ball

trail along the ridge

Just before the peak is a rest pavilion.

pavilion near the peak

Turn right onto a dirt trail just after the rest area to reach the actual peak. The peak is in the bamboo and there is no view from it.

fork right here for the peak

Wufenshan peak

From here there are two options. Continue on the dirt trail going down from the peak. This trail descends moderately steeply with a few rope sections and ends a road that goes between Ruifang and Shifen. From the road catch bus 846. The bus stops here at about 4:00 going to Shifen and 5:10 going to Ruifang on weekends (there are only 2 buses a day on this route).

Otherwise return back to the Land God shrine and continue on the stone trail going down to Shifen.