Yinhe Cave Temple (銀河洞)

(Last updates 2023/2) Yinhe cave temple is a beautiful spot not far from the Maokong Gondola Station. I’ve hiked this short trail a few times now though these pictures are mostly from my first trip in 2015. It's an easy hike and it’s doable within a couple of hours. It’s quite a nice one if you have older family members visiting and want a short hike to combine with the gondola and dinner in Maokong. There are still enough stairs that I would say most people over 60 may still find it a challenge.

Some directions here as even though it’s 2023 this trail is not well marked from the gondola station. You need to head from the station to the Zhangshu Trail (this is marked on Google Maps) . When you reach the trail entrance head uphill and you’ll be on a trail that takes you along a gentle slope past farms and a small cemetery. Eventually you’ll be walking along a ridge and you’ll come to a crossroads. The left hand trail heads to Yinhe and is simple to follow (there are maps at this crossroads too).

behind yinhe waterfall

behind the waterfall at Yinhe

The trail to the temple is mostly flat until the cliff where the waterfall is located. On the way we passed some small farms and went through a large bamboo grove. There were large golden orb web spiders hanging in many trees. They keep to themselves high in the trees and you're not likely to crash into one. The metal railings around the temple were full of hairy caterpillars. On some species these hairs will give you a rash. However, I accidentally squished one on a handrail and suffered no ill effects, so I think I got lucky with a harmless one.

Stairs down to the temple.

After climbing down the steep stairs we could hear the waterfall and the temple came into sight perched high within a sheer cliff. The view from the temple is picturesque and the waterfall is calming though small. We stayed for a while. You can climb up through the temple to a large statue of a guardian, but the trail ends there. 

the view down the valley at yinhe

Inside the temple there are the usual fortune telling instruments and a small Buddhist shrine. There are the half moon fortune blocks (you ask a question and throw two, your answer depends which way up they land). There's also a bowl with fortune sticks inside. Shake the bowl until one drops out. Use it to open the corresponding drawer in the cabinet (below right) which contains a fortune. 

The shrine, with the fortune pot on the right.

The fortune cabinet

I'm not sure exactly how old this temple is. On my first visit there was poster hanging from it with 百年, which suggests there has at least been something here for 100 years. The full poster translates as 銀河 (silver river; the English name of the temple) 百年紀念 (centennial). The poster also made the temple look like it was sticking its tongue out!

After visiting the temple we headed back to Maokong as the sun was setting. You can follow the trail a little further to Yinhe Road, then Beiyi Road, where one of those rare little minibuses runs. If you want to find other cool places browse my Hidden Taiwan map here . The adventures that make up these entries are often posted as Instagram stories at tomrookart first. So give that a follow too if you like as it can sometimes be a year or more before stuff turns up here! If you’ve enjoyed these blog entries and are looking for some interesting Taiwan art to bring home or gift to someone, then have a look at the rest of this site!

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