Mizhan Ancient Trail, A Journey to Explore the History
In Hualien, you can enjoy the natural phytoncide, put all your worries down, recharge yourself, and carry on to the next page of your life.
Mizhan Ancient Trail is at the 42 km mark on County Highway No.193; it’s next to the Mizhan Elementary School, transformed into a rest area after school abandonment. Between 1888 and 1979, Mizhan Ancient Trail had a length of 7 km; it was an essential road for transporting commodities from Shuilien Village to Hualien. People hired porters to carry and transport commodities to the trail. Afterward, along the Hualienxi (river), items were shipped to the markets in Shoufeng or Hualien by ferries or oxcarts. Since rice was the primary commodity and rice pallets were piled here, the place was named “Mizhan.”
Explore the Nature and Surprises on the Ancient Trail
When County Highway No. 193 and Provincial Highway No. 11 were open to traffic, the Mizhan Ancient Trail was no longer the main route after traffic improvement in the area. People abandoned the trail afterward. Later, with the efforts of the local community, the ancient trail was renovated and transformed into a new hiking trail. The renewed Mizhan Ancient Trail has a length of 2.1 km and is rich in natural landscapes and tranquil surroundings. The trail is ideal for experienced hikers to reminisce about the prosperity and hardship in the old times.
At the entrance of the Mizhan Ancient Trail, you can see an art installation consisting of eight poles and a big rice urn inscribed “米棧古道 (Mizhan Ancient Trail).” The marks of the year 1888 and 2007 refer to the trail’s history; it was built in 1888 and renovated in 2007.
To preserve the original route of the Mizhan Ancient Trail, the residents built a simple trail paved by bamboo and lumber. When visitors come to the instruction sign, they realize the curvy course makes them spend more time moving on a short distance. A small observatory platform is at a 400-meter walking distance away from the start point. It’s a lovely place to see the blue sky, greenish land, and the mountains far away.
The Higher You Climb, the Farther You Can See, The Overlapped Landscape Reveals a Historic Atmosphere
The uphill way has stone steps on a steeper slope with more tree shade. The sunlight through the leaves creates a beautiful picture of light and shadows on the ground; your efforts paid off from the inspiring scene. After hiking a distance of 1,200 meters, the trail becomes narrow, with primitive landscapes, bees, and butterflies everywhere. The road is a little rough. When there’s a choice of routes, take a left, because the paths on the right always lead to residences.
After crossing the ridgeline, you reach the observatory platform. Two-hundred-year-old trees stand on both sides; the vast Pacific Ocean is in front of your eyes. Also, you may see the Shuilian Village in the distance. Imagine that porters used to walk on the same trail in the old times. You may wonder whether they had ever taken rest under the banyan tree and appreciated the scenery as we do.