More Panoramic Views of Taipei at Jinmianshan Hiking Trail

Safety tips for COVID-19: This hike can get crowded at the summit, especially on a clear day when everyone wants to take photos. Bring a mask to wear while waiting, or go on a cloudy day, when there are far fewer people.

We recently posted about Jiantan Mountain Trail, an easy hike in Shilin with spectacular views of Taipei. Being free and pretty, we naturally thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and had been keen to try even more hikes around the city. Lucky for us, a colleague recommended Jinmianshan trail, which turned out to be equally straightforward and rewarding. It was hard to say which of the views we preferred — they are both from a similar angle in between Shilin and Neihu — and the hikes themselves were quite similar, but a big advantage that the Jinmianshan trail has over the Jiantan trail is that around half of the hike is a scramble up large boulders, not just monotonous stair-climbing like many other trails.

The trail starts at a car park that is around a ten-minute walk from Xihu MRT Station on the brown line. Follow our Google Maps pin down below to access the trailhead (pictured above).

Continue along the path until it splits into two. Take the path to the right: it’s steeper but much faster.

The first part of the hike is — you guessed it — a whole lot of stairs.  Accept your fate and start climbing: there isn’t much to see at first, but as you climb, you will gradually move above the houses and be granted a panoramic view of Taipei. There are lots of nice little spots at almost every stage of the hike that you can take photos at, but for the most part, the view stays the same.

The real fun starts about halfway up the hike when the stairs give way to large boulders that you can scamper up with the help of several safety ropes. The boulders are quite secure, but do watch your footing, as it can be a long way down. If you stick next to the stairs and watch where you’re going, this part shouldn’t be that challenging — in fact, most of us found it much easier than the stairs. It was definitely more fun. Take your time on the way down, though, as it can be deceptively challenging not to fall flat on your face.

After the boulders, you will come to this little rest spot. You can stay here to catch your breath or continue climbing for a few minutes for a slightly better view.

A short climb away, the path will lead you to a clearing with yet more boulders, many of them huge and climb-able, quite similar to Elephant Mountain. The view isn’t much different from what you’ve had on the ascent, but it’s completely open, and it feels like you can see every corner of Taipei. This is a beautiful spot to recline on one of those big boulders with a drink. We saw people sitting up there reading or painting, like the man you can see in the picture below.

The one buzzkill at this stage is that the summit is very crowded, especially with the young insta-crowd looking to take photos of themselves appearing fierce and daring while crouched on a particularly precarious-looking boulder. It’s completely possible to claim a boulder as your own, but you could be sharing it in a matter of minutes. It’s also good to remember that it gets super windy and cold up here in the winter, so if you plan on staying for more than a few minutes you should definitely consider bringing a jacket.

What’s the vibe?

Fun little hike with great views of Taipei. There are lots of stairs at first, but they give way to large boulders that you can scramble up with or without the help of safety ropes. This hike is suitable for people of all ages, as long as they are somewhat fit and able to balance on precarious surfaces. There was a big crowd of young people at the top taking photos for Instagram.

Worth it?

Sure! It wasn’t particularly challenging (apart from the stairs, which always kill us) or long, and the boulders were lots of fun. The view from the summit is fantastic and makes a great backdrop for photos.

Would you go back?

We sure would! The last time we visited it was pretty cloudy, and we’d love to see what the view is like in the sunshine.

Jinmianshan Hiking Trail

Chinese Name: 金面山步道

Hours: Open 24/7, but should only be done during daylight (for your own safety)

English Address: Section 2, Huanshan Road, Neihu District, Taipei City, 114

Chinese Address: 114台北市內湖區環山路二段