Jinmianshan 金面山

3/9/2022

Jinmianshan is a popular hike in Neihu, Taipei that leads to a rocky hilltop with great views of Taipei and the surrounding area. Because of the ease of transportation, short hike, and great views, it has become an Instagram hot spot.

Background:
The rock formations that form the Jinmianshan formed as sediment under the ocean millions of years ago, and was later uplifted thanks to the collision of the Eurasian and Philippine 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.
Jinmianshan sits at 250 meters above sea level.
During the Qing Dynasty, the area was used as a rock quarry to build the old Taipei City Wall.
Jinmianshan literally means "Gold Face Mountain" which comes from the light shining of the bare rock faces on the sides of the mountain, which makes it look like a gold faced mountain.

Length:
1-2 Hours
3 KM
100 meters in elevation gain

Tours in Taipei:
There are many tour itineraries that you can enjoy in Taipei that will take you to multiple destinations and arrange transportation. For more information, you can check out Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here, which are both great tour websites that can connect you with the right tour and tour guide for you.

Activities in Taipei:
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.

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:
There are basically two ways to get there, by coming from up the mountain on Jinlong road, or from the MRT Xihu Station.
By Car/Scooter: Park near the trail entrance on Jinlong Road (where there is more parking) or below near Xihu MRT station. 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 MRT: The trailhead is within a five minute walking distance from XIhu MRT Station. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook 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. â€‹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.

Map:
Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have been to Jinmianshan only once, but I have always wanted to go back. Especially because the day I went was cloudy and foggy.

As always with all hikes I do I try to find the shortest route possible to the top, and that is from Jinlong Industrial road on the mountain above. You can find the trail intersecting with the road in a number of places.

There are not many views from the road, but you can see Yangmingshan.

The trail can be steep at parts, and has wooden steps through the forest.

Rest area along the trail, with a cell phone tower.

Steepest part of the trail right before the top, with stone steps.

This trail also connects up with Dalunweishan.

Map of the trail.

Getting very close to the top.

View of the backside of the mountain from the top.

Another view of the back side.

First view of Taipei. The weather that day was terrible but so are most days in Taipei.

It did not take us long to find the instagrammerz.

Me trying to get a decent photo of Taipei from this spot. This view would be amazing on a clear day.

View looking down at Neihu from above.

Enjoying the foggy view at the top.

With a touch up, you can see Taipei a little bit better.

More photos of the top from the gallery above.

Overall it was a short hike with great views, the Elephant mountain of Neihu.

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 list of the best views of Taipei here.

Check out our Taipei hiking and trails guide 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.