Shikongzi Waterfall and Mt Moumou Hike, Pingxi Valley 石硿子, 畝畝山
There's been quite a gap since the last time I wrote anything here! The past year has been a string of exhibitions, commissions, and other projects and anything outside of that has been a bit sidelined. Now Taiwan has gone into a form of semi-lockdown things have slowed. While having projects delayed and an exhibition postponed is not an enjoyable experience I am appreciating having some time to create a few more articles here. I've decided to start with one of the less well known hikes in the Pingxi Valley: The Shikongzi and Moumoushan Loop Trail. I imagine this hike is currently closed off due to restrictions but of course you can always plan for when level 3 is lifted.
Lots of insect life along the trail
Some quick details for planning this hike: The start and end points of this trail are at the end of an unnamed road near Wanggu in the Pingxi Valley. It's the same road that the waterfall and pool at Huiyao are located on. If you don't have transport the only options are to get a train to Wanggu or take the 795 bus from Muzha and get off at Zunkou (圳口) stop. The bus will be easier and faster from Taipei but both will add a gentle 2.6km walk on to each side of the hike so plan for that extra hour or so total of walking. The hike is a loop trail but there is a short and a long loop. I've done both so will cover each route here. I should also note that the trail maps are at a pretty weird scale and don't bear much relation to the reality of the routes. They should be considered very approximate otherwise you will feel like you've taken wrong turns or walked too far. The longer trail will take about 3.5 hours if you drive to the trail entrance, and the shorter trail about 1.5 to 2.
Above Shikongzi Waterfall
The Short Loop
The Pingxi Valley was a center for coal mining and many of the trails at the tops of the side valleys were built for mine access. You may have noticed an old mine called Qinghe just beyond Huiyao on way up the road here. There was another mining complex around Shikongzi which stopped operations in the late 20th century. At the start of the trail are the remains of a small generator room and some coal chutes. Just around the corner is a large bridge that would once have been used to transport coal. If you scramble up the slope to the right you can get up on to the bridge itself and enjoy a good view along the thickly forested valley. The end overlooks a giant fern which looks very cool from above.
The old mine building
You can cross the bridge underneath on a rickety boardwalk. It leads to some farms and other mine remains but nothing particularly diverting. The mine entrance would be somewhere up here but I was unable to locate it and like many others it may be buried now.
Crossing the boardwalk under the bridge
Up ahead is an intersection with some mossy stone steps leading steeply up on the right. This is the start of the loop (on the trail map the steps are marked as the Power Line Trail). If you want to get the steep climb over and done quickly head up here to Moumou Mountain. I'm going to describe the route that takes the left turn and sticks to the river valley.
On the Power Line Trail
This is one of the prettier valleys I've walked in this area. The trail hugs the riverside and skips across some small streams. In places it almost collapses into the main river but there are some ropes to help across these slippery sections. Shikongzi Falls is a curtain of water rushing across a granite slab into a small pool. It's possible to take a narrow path around the edge to the lip of the waterfall.
The valley trail continues to a fork near an Earth God Temple and an old concrete bridge. This is where you can take the shorter route on the right.
An earth god shrine near the bridge
This trail is rough but fun with a few rope sections and small bridges. The trail follows a small stream and it's hard to avoid getting wet feet. The last section is quiet and steep. In winter it's one of those few magically silent forest sections where the only thing you can hear is your own breath. The trail emerges just under the Mt MouMou summit which is a 5 minute climb to the left.
A small waterfall on the short loop and a rope section
The Longer Loop
If you want to try the longer trail continue on the main valley route. You'll pass a mossy Earth God shrine and then join a road near a temple complex. Head right along the road towards the temple area and the entrance to the MouMou trail will be on the left.
Everything’s so green!
To be honest this longer trail is a bit uneventful when compared to the verdant paths you will have just left. It's a winding trail through dry, thin forests over a series of rocky ridges. It's quite up and down and the views aren't really that amazing. There are a few nice sections, including one through a strange valley that looks like it was cleared by fire a year or so previously, but most of the trail is a little samey.
A typical section of the longer trail and a rare view over the hills
It's fairly easy to follow however a couple of times I felt like I had been spun around and was heading in the wrong direction. I personally would recommend doubling back at the end of the Shikongzi Valley Trail and doing the shorter loop. You can easily add the little spur from the top of that trail to the Moumou Mountain summit, though that summit itself is not amazing.
The cleared valley
Looks like a little fine dining ensemble
Along much of this trail I could hear barking deer, sometimes quite close, but unfortunately I didn't get a visual of them. One little bit of wildlife I did see was this mock viper engaging in a pretty amazing camouflage technique. I startled it and it slithered a little way, but instead of hiding it raised its neck and rested its head on some leaves. It then stayed perfectly still. I realized that all around it were thick brown plant stems that were bent almost at ninety degrees near the top. The snake was quite convincingly imitating these plant stems and were I passing quickly I would have completely missed it. I've never seen this behavior from a snake in person before and was very grateful to see it first hand. To those curious the mock viper is a fairly harmless species that you can identify by the small distinct markings on the top of its head.
The mock viper tries to blend in with the stems
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! Locations are on the Hidden Taiwan Map.
A few pools in this part of Taiwan are this inviting color