Longfeng Valley Hot Spring 龍鳳谷溫泉

Share

---

Tweet

Longfeng Valley in Yangmingshan National Park is a large volcanic sulfur hot spring area with hiking trails, steam vents, sulfur deposits, and large natural hot springs. Longfeng Valley remains as a mostly untouched natural pool that retains its natural beauty without man made structures surrounding it. It is a unique and interesting stop on the mountain and worth a visit on your trip to Yangmingshan. 


Background:
The area known as Yangmingshan now was formed by volcanoes about 700,000 years ago, forming many mountains about 1000 meters or less in northwestern Taiwan. The park still features active volcanoes, vents, and hot springs.
The original name of the area was Caoshan (grass mountain 草山). During the Qing Dynasty, the area was used to harvest sulfur, and many of the hills were burned to help catch sulfur thieves. 
In 1927 during the Japanese era, Yangmingshan was made as the first national park in Taiwan, then known as Datunshan National Park Association. 
In 1950 after the ROC took Taiwan Chiang Kai-shek renamed the park after the philosopher Wang Yangming, and called the area Yangmingshan. 
In 1985, after resolving many land disputes, Yangmingshan National Park was officially designated as a national park in the ROC era. 
The hot springs at Beitou were first converted into hot spring resorts in 1894, and Beitou become a popular hot spring location during the Japanese era, and there are many hot spring hotels and baths that exist there today.
Longfeng Valley literally means "Dragon and Phoenix Valley." Longfeng Valley remains as a mostly untouched natural pool that retains its natural beauty without man made structures surrounding it. 

Hours:
24/7

How to get there:
By Bus: From Xinbeitou MRT station, take the 508 shuttle bus up the mountain to Dunu Vocational High School of Business, and then walk about five minutes down to the valley.
By Car/Scooter: From downtown Beitou, drive up Quanyuan Road until you reach Longfenggu Visitor's Center. You can park at the visitor's center or down in the valley below.

Map:
Please see below:

Our Journey:

​I have been to Longfeng Valley once. It is a cool place to explore and enjoy some unique scenery and geology in Taiwan. 

There is a small road that goes down into the valley. From the side of the road you can already see sulfur vents coming out of the ground.

View of the area from the road coming down.

At the bottom of the valley is a dirk parking lot and a large hot spring pool that is too hot to swim in.

There is hot spring water pouring from those rocks into the pool. 

And there is a hot spring river flowing in between pools.

Another view of the hot spring river flowing through the dirt.

The trail continues along ths rocky patch of sulfur vents.

Closer view of more steam vents and small hot sprins in the rocks.

Grassy part of the valley.

More sulfur vents, and pipes likely to haul out spring water.

Nearby the valey you can visit the Longfenggu visitor's center, and there is a cemetery on the top of the hill with some great views.

Excellent view of Tianmu in Shilin from the top of the hill.

If you come down the valley, you can also visit the old Xinbeitou train station, which has been restored from the Japanese era. For more about this train station, check out this blog by Josh Ellis.

And while you are in the area, you might as well soak in the local hot springs.

Share

---