It started out normal enough, just another four-hour hike through the woods. At the three-hour mark, we could have sworn we were making good time and would be out of the woods before dark. Two hours later, it's five o'clock and we're still in the woods. It's getting foggy, the sun is going down and we can't see ten steps ahead of us in the slippery medium-altitude evergreen forest. We just walk now, no stopping, no talking. We have to get out of the woods. Luckily, half an hour later we reach, drop the bags and give each other a big hug of relief. On the lake shore, we have just enough time to set up camp and collect firewood before night sets in.
Needless to say, this hike did not go as planned. The anticipated mostly flat four-hour trail turned out to be a five and half hour trek with four steep, roped rock climbs. Surprise! Not a problem, just unexpected, especially since the dogs were with us. There were multiple instances of dropping the bags in order to carefully assist the dogs down through the more challenging sections. They were champs though. No one panicked, complained, gave up or turned around. In fact, Atai really came alive on the second-day trekking back to the car. I could see the wolf. Poor Snoopy started strong but then began to wilt on the second day. An early morning swim in the lake may have had something to do with this.
What's been said so far doesn't sound very flattering, but the truth is we'd gladly do it again. We'd just be smarter and drive up the night before to camp at the trail head to get an earlier start and have more time at the lake. Staying two nights on the lake is also an option as there's a healthy running stream right next to the campsite. It'd be a great long-weekend getaway. I dream of going back there with a hammock, swimsuit and good book. Especially if you catch it during the week and have it to yourself.
The location is just amazing and the best camp site I've seen to date in Taiwan. This is mostly because of the view, lake, and freshwater source. The trail isn't bad either, a good three hours of it is on flat ground, winding in and out of evergreen forests and silver grass. It also crosses over a handful of running streams that could be made useful with one of those special filtering straws. As we learned the hard way, it's the final two hours of the trail that get you.
As we were running low on time, we hiked the lower, faster forest path to the lake. However, there is a higher mountain-way that crosses over a 2,000ish m peak. There are conflicting opinions over which way is easier, but the mountain way is most definitely longer, averaging out to about seven hours. The split in the trail for the different paths is clearly marked and easy to see. With more time, I'd have loved to try both ways, taking one in and a different one out.
The trail entrance is tucked behind a pagoda inside the Sun Link Sea Recreation Area. Campers will need to pay a $300 deposit per person upon entrance that includes overnight parking. From the resort parking lot, the trail entrance is about a 20-minute walk down the road. The pagoda is just beyond the flower center? or something like that? You'll figure it out. From the pagoda, the trail goes up into the woods, cutting over a road multiple times before letting out onto an old logging road. Follow the yellow and red tree flags.
Avoid Saturday night if possible when there can be as many as 50 to 80 people camping with tour groups. We went on a Sunday/Monday and it was perfect. There were maybe eight people total at the lake, including us.
How to get there thanks
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