Ergeshan 二格山

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Ergeshan (aka Erge Mountain or Shijianshan) is a magnificent mountain hike in Shiding District of New Taipei. The trail features a short climb to a watch tower with 360 degrees of Xindian, Wenshan, and Shiding Districts. There are also great views of Taipei City and the surrounding area. 

Background:
The rock formations that form Ergeshan formed as sediment under the ocean millions of years ago, and was later uplifted thanks to the collision of the Eurasian and Phillipine plates. The rocks are mainly sedimentary and are part of the same formation that forms the special rock formations on the northern coast around Keelung, and the waterfalls in Pingxi.
Ergeshan is the highest mountain in the surrounding area at 678 meters above sea level. It is one of the 100 lesser peaks in Taiwan. 

Hours:
24/7

Price:
Free

Length:
2.5 KM, 200 meters of elevation gain
About 1.5 hours total

Difficulty:
Easy, The trail can be quite steep in some places, but overall an easy short hike.

Tours:
You can book a tour to Shiding on TripAdvisor here, Klook here or KKday here.  

Hotels in Taipei:
We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). 
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here).
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

How to get there:
By Bus: Take Bus GR12 from Xindian to Xiangdi Temple. The trailhead is about a 12 minute walk from there. You can also book tickets to travel to Shiding via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can also book a Taipei Sightseeing: Hop On, Hop Off Open Top Bus on TripAdvisor here. 
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 9 to Xiandi Temple and take a turn up the mountain, and take a left at the monastery. The road ends at the trailhead. You can park further up the road for the faster way to get there. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or  KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.  
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. 
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 
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Map:
​Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have been to Ergeshan twice and climbed it once. It is a great place for an easy hike that has spectacular views. 

See our drone footage above for a better view of the area. 

Or check out our 360 degree panorama above. 

The first attempt at Ergeshan it was raining, but I got this amazing shot from the trailhead. 

Map of the trailhead from the entrance. There are two entrances, one with a ton of straight steps, and one with switchbacks. The switchback route is faster. 

Beware of bees and snakes.

It also rains a lot here. 

This way up is the longer way, but is the first trailhead you will see.

Pebble steps at the beginning.

Which quickly turns into super steep wooden steps. 

And also super steep stone steps. 

More stone and concrete steps. 

The two paths eventually meet up near the top.

There is a roofed pavilion near the top.

At the very top of the mountain is another roofed pavilion. 

View south catching a glimpse of Feitsui Reservior.

"Monkey Mountain (Houshan)"
Monkey Mountain, rising on the western ridge of the Mt. Erge cordillera, is 551 meters high and supposedly has a simian appearance. The trail here is divided into two, Houshanyue Trail and Dachengdian Trail.
The former is a mountain trail that links Houshankeng Industry Road and Xinguang Road. Dachengdian is a very short trail through the secluded forest on these winding, level trails is an excellent way to get up close to nature."

"Pen Rack Mountain (Bijiashan)"
Mt. Bijia is one of the three rock climbing grounds of northern Taiwan (Huangdidian and Wuliao Peak are the other two). With the precipitous cliffs and narrow ridge that demand great care and induce great excitement. This is especially so for Mt. Bijia, with awesome cliff faces and a trail that winds up and down, back and forth amidst the dense woods, bird and insect songs, and forest aromas, this is a trail to test your fitness and stamina. 

View of Houshan or Monkey Mountain right in front of you. 

View looking north to Bijiashan and Huangdidian. 

Another view of Bijiashan and Huangdidian. 

View of the top of the mountain via drone and more photos from the top in the gallery above. 

Faint view of the Taipei 101 through a rainshower. 

Same view with Instagram filter. I imagine it looks much better with good weather. 

Dark clouds came in fast. 

More photos from the top right before the rain shower. This place would look amazing on a clear day. 

View of the top of Erga Mountain via drone. 

More drone photos above.

You can book a tour to Shiding on TripAdvisor here, Klook here or KKday here.  

You can also look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here or KKday here. 

Check out our Taipei hiking and trails guide here. 
​
Check out our full guide to Shiding here.

Also be sure to check out our full guide to Taipei here. 

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. ​

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