Enchanted forest of Tengjhih

Finally, just before the road summits the pass at the head of the gorge, the red cedar entrance gate of the Forest Park lies to the left, and a cluster of snack stalls line the road between several nearby car parks that fill up quickly on fine weekends.

Pass through the gate, and the path plunges immediately into a forest of majestic conifers; in ten minutes the Park Visitor Center forms the hub of the 15 kilometers of trails that radiate out to most corners of the 700-hectare Forest Park.

Visitors generally make for the park’s highest point, East Tengjhih Mountain (東藤枝山), via the Begonia Trail, named after the plants — with distinctive, irregular heart-shaped leaves and pink or red flowers — that line the lower reaches of the path.

It’s a surprisingly gentle climb up a wooden boardwalk to the twin, two-story viewing platforms that raise visitors above the tree canopy and give a spectacular panorama over the Central Mountain Range. Two of Taiwan’s 3,000 meter-plus giants are visible from this point in good weather, including — the park guide assures us — the island’s highest peak, Jade Mountain itself.

The fit and energetic can explore further by trotting off along one of the longer trails that penetrate deeper into the forest, but feeling neither especially fit nor energetic on our visit, we opted for a shorter descent through a huge plantation of cedar trees, before completing a two-hour circuit back to the visitor center through a stunning natural forest of bamboo, conifers and broadleaf trees.

I foolishly believed forests were all more or less alike until I paid a visit to Tengjhih. Even a short visit to this magical place, however, will prove that all forests were definitely not created equal. Tenjhih National Forest Recreation Area is truly enchanted.

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