Huiyao Waterfall 灰窯瀑布

Huiyao Waterfall is a large waterfall and swimming hole near Wanggu Station on the Pingxi Railway, on a tributary of the Keelung River in Pingxi District of New Taipei. It's large cliffs are popular for jumping and has a large deep pool that is safe to swim in. It's lack of accessibility has made it a quiet location, and normally you will have the place to yourself.

Background:
Huiyao Waterfall Is roughly 8 meters tall and only a few meters wide. 
The name Huiyao comes from the nearby mines, Hui meaning dust and Yao meaning coal pit. Just up river lay a few abandoned mines that were once used to transport coal back to Wanggu Station along the Pingxi Railway. 
The coal mine industry in Taiwan has collapsed due to low worldwide coal prices, with the last coal mine in Taiwan closing down around the year 2000. 
The sedimentary rock around Pingxi has made for easily eroding layers, which has created jagged peaks and large waterfalls, such as Sandiaoling, Shifen, Wanggu, and Lingjiao Waterfalls.

Price:
Free

Hours:
24/7

How to get there:
By Train: Take the TRA to Wanggu Station, and then walk the short distance up the hill and to the left to the Zunkou (圳口) Bus station on the south side of the road. Its then about a 30 minute walk up the road (2.2 KM) to the waterfall. 
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 east toward Pinglin, then get off the main highway once you reach Shifen. Then turn right and go west on county road 106 until you reach the the Zunkou (圳口) Bus station right in front of Wanggu station. Then drive up the road about 2 KM until you come to the waterfall. 

Map:
​Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have been to Huiyao waterfall twice to enjoy the scenery there. I have not actually been swimming there. 

Check out our drone footage of the waterfall above. 

The turnoff from the main road can be hard to find. Look for the green sign with the words Huiyao (灰窯), or just follow a GPS!

Once you come to this trail entrance 2 KM in, you know that you have arrived. 

You can see the waterfall right from the road. 

The trail down is super short. 

Apparently there should be a live preserver here but it is long gone. Be careful walking on the rocks here because they are slippery! I got my shoes wet. 

Looking down river from the falls. 

View from above. 

Wider view from above. 

There is also a bridge across the top of the falls the leads to a shrine. 

There is no way down to the falls from here, so just go down by the roadside trail. 

View of the top of the falls. 

There is also a trail that goes to a swimming hole just down from the main waterfall, also off the side of the road. My wife did not feel life walking down there, so we didn't go. The pool there is deep and there are lots of swings and ropes to jump off of. You can see more of it in Follow Xiaofei's blog here. 

Stay tuned for more of our blogs on the Pingxi Railway coming soon!

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