Complete Guide of Mt. Teapot in Jiufen, Plus Mt. Canguanliao, Mt. Banping, and Mt. Nanzilin
Mt. Teapot is the must-do hike in Jiufen Taiwan for many tourists. You can find tons of blogs and photos on social media. But there are also many less-known mountains nearby that you should not miss. This post is the complete guide about those amazing trails you should put into your itinerary when visiting Mt. Teapot.
Table of Contents:
- About this Loop Hike
- How to Get There
- Peaks to Reach
- Mt. Teapot: Easy to Get There but Scary to Get Out
- Mt. Banping: A Rock Ridgeline Hike with Panoramic Views
- Mt. Canguanliao with Class 1 Triangulation Stone
- Mt. Nanzilin: A Short and Sweet Hike to See Mountains Mentioned Above
- Thoughts about this Hike and Big and Little Ghost Waterfall
- Map and Itinerary
- Recommended Blogs and Resources
- Related Posts on Taiwan Hikes
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All content provided is for inspirational and informational purposes only. Creating, using, hiking, or traveling with Taiwan Hikes' suggested services, or itineraries is at your own risk. Please use your best judgment and follow all safety precautions as Taiwan Hikes and Anusha Lee are not liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of this information.
Please also note that Taiwanese government agencies tend to change their URLs without bothering to redirect to the new ones. As a results, you will find some external sites on TaiwanHikes website are not working from time to time. Taiwan Hikes will try to update those URLs if possible.
Taiwan Hikes is not responsible for the content of external sites.
About this Loop Hike: Mt. Teapot, Mt. Canguanliao and Mt. Banping, plus Mt. Nanzilin
Mt. Teapot is probably one of the most shared trails in Taiwan or internationally. The striking views on the peak with the easy public transport make it popular among backpackers from other countries. Just Google Mt. Teapot and you will find a lot of posts.
One thing I love about this hike is there are many exits, entrances and different ways to enjoy. I've been here several times, and I still can find new things to explore. Moreover, you can also get to see different views in different weather or seasons. In autumn, silver grass covers all the mountains, and it is so mesmerizing to see the silver grass waves shining under the sun.
Furthermore, you can decide to take all the trails or just some of them. After the hike, there are other attractions within walking distance to visit.
If you’ve been hiking in Taiwan, you probably have heard of 10 Golden Ridgelines 黃金十稜 established by a famous hiker and author, Mr. Lin Tsung-sheng, and this list has become the goals for many hikers in Taiwan. Mt. Teapot, Mt. Canguanliao, Mt. Banping, and Mt. Nanzilin are all listed there.
When I was in college, there weren’t many tourists in Jiufeng and Jinguashih, and one of my favorite things was sitting at the bus stop watching the sunset. It's getting difficult to find a quiet time in Jiufeng and Jinguashih now, but sometimes I'm still lucky to catch a nostalgic glimpse of what it was like in the old days.
How to Get There
From Taipei MRT to Quanji Temple 勸濟堂:
There are several ways to get to the trail entrance. My favorite and recommended one is to take Keelung Bus 1062 from Exit 2 of MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, and get off at the last stop, Quanji Temple.
When you arrive at Quanji Temple, you can get some water and go to the toilet before hiking. There are several shops near the temple, but they aren’t open yet if you get there early. So, please bring your trail food and lunch in advance.
From Taipei MRT to Gold Museum 黃金博物館:
Please note that Keelung Bus 1062 will also stop at Jingguashi or Gold Museum. There are toilets near Gold Museum, and you can also hike to Mt. Teapot from there.
From MRT Fuzhong Station 捷運府中站 to Gold Museum:
Take Bus 965 and get off at Gold Museum.
From Keelung Train Station to Gold Museum:
Take Bus 788 and get off at Gold Museum.
From Ruifang Train Station to Gold Museum:
Take Bus 856 and get off at Gold Museum.
Bus 856 also goes to Shueinandong (Shueinan Cave) 水湳洞 (where you can get close to Yingyang Sea 陰陽海), Bitou Cape 鼻頭角, Fulong Beach 福隆海水浴場 and Sandiaojiao Lighthouse (Magang) 三貂角燈塔 (馬崗).
From Taipei Train Station to Mt. Nanzilin 南子吝山:
Take Kingbus 1811 or Kingbus 1812 and get off at Nanya Nanxing Temple 南雅南新宮.
From Ruifang Train Station to Mt. Nanzilin:
From Keelung Train Station to Mt. Nanzilin 南子吝山:
Take Bus 791 and get off at Nanya Nanxing Temple.
Peaks to Reach
Mt. Teapot, aka Cha Hu Shan: 茶壺山, 599 meters (1,065 feet). The full name of Mt. Teapot is Wu Er Cha Hu Shan 無耳茶壺山, Earless Tea Kettle, meaning a kettle without the handle (ear here means handle). From certain places, this mountain does look like a kettle without a handle. Great views on the top but getting inside and out of the cave can be dangerous.
Mt. Banping: 半平山/半屏山, 713 meters (2,339 feet). Mostly hike on the ridgeline with great views.
Mt. Canguanliao: 燦光寮山, 738 meters (2,421 feet). There is a Class 1 Triangulation Stone on the peak and the views there are amazing.
Mt. Nanzilin : 南子吝山, 196 meters (643 feet). If you go to Mt. Nanzilin, you can’t miss Mt. Nanzilin Southeast Peak, 南子吝山東南峰, 60 meters (197 feet). Those two are very easy to reach, and the trail is very short, only 2 km (1.24 miles). But the views on the tops are stunning.
Mt. Banping: 半平山/半屏山, 713 meters (2,339 feet). Mostly hike on the ridgeline with great views.
Mt. Canguanliao: 燦光寮山, 738 meters (2,421 feet). There is a Class 1 Triangulation Stone on the peak and the views there are amazing.
Mt. Nanzilin : 南子吝山, 196 meters (643 feet). If you go to Mt. Nanzilin, you can’t miss Mt. Nanzilin Southeast Peak, 南子吝山東南峰, 60 meters (197 feet). Those two are very easy to reach, and the trail is very short, only 2 km (1.24 miles). But the views on the tops are stunning.
Mt. Teapot: Easy to Get There but Scary to Get Out
GPS coordinates at Quanji Temple: 25.11063, 121.859658
GPS coordinates at Mt. Teapot trailhead: 25.108815, 121.866061
GPS coordinates of the trailhead near Gold Museum: 25.106738, 121.859866
GPS coordinates at Mt. Teapot trailhead: 25.108815, 121.866061
GPS coordinates of the trailhead near Gold Museum: 25.106738, 121.859866
I took a slow stroll here before it got crowded with tourists in February 2021, and this reminded me of why many people including myself love Jinguashih and Jiufeng so much. The old buildings, history and mountains make this place so unique.
Two Trailheads to Reach Mt. Teapot
The first option is you can start from Quanji Temple, take the road to the parking lot. If you take this one, you get to see Yingyang Sea, and the views from the parking lot are great. Then you just follow the signs and stairs, and you will find the trailhead to Mt. Teapot.
The second one is you can visit Gold Museum first and then take the trailhead near the museum to Mt. Teapot. You will see a sign pointing the direction to Mt. Teapot. This trail is obvious, just endless stairs.
Then you will see a very curved road and just take the road up. Soon you will see a pavilion and the entrance to Mt. Teapot. The rest is the same.
But if you decide to visit Gold Museum before your hike, you may not have enough time to hike Mt. Banping and Mt. Canguanliao later. Gold Museum opens at 9:30 am.
Option One: Get Inside Mt. Teapot and It Can Be Dangerous
The front sections of the trail were mostly stone steps. After reaching a platform, the stone steps disappeared and were replaced by rock footpath. I went to the platform and saw a footpath extending from there. I took that one, but it was a deadend. The views at the end of the footpath were great.
When reaching last pavilion before Mt. Teapot, I took a break at the pavilion to catch my breath. Walking on endless stairs is still not my strong suit after hiking several years.
From the pavilion, Mt. Teapot looked like a pile of rocks. When you started climbing, it was indeed like rock climbing.
When I hiked there in December 2019, there was only one way to climb Mt. Teapot, which was to get inside the cave. If you take this route, please be aware of the huge gaps inside the cave and it’s very dark to see where you are inside. A headlamp will help. Please also check the rope first. This was what I saw when I hiked there in 2019.
I have to say when I was inside the cave, I got disoriented and I just followed the light to get out. Then, here came to the scary part. I had to lower my body weight and tried to move myself forward on the edge of this rock. There wasn’t enough space for me to stand straight and it was easy to bump your head against the rock, and I was so afraid that I would slip and fall to my death.
When I came out of the cave, this was what I saw.
Finally, when I got myself out of this rock to the other side, there was a steep slope waiting for me. But compared with the excitement caused by climbing inside out Mt. Teapot, this one was manageable.
Option Two: Bypass Mt. Teapot and Take the Outer Edge Route, But Still Scary
When I decided to hike Mt. Teapot in February 2021 again, I checked the map online and saw there was a bypass. When I was standing before Mt. Teapot again, I did see two warning signs to reminds tourists about the potential risks of doing either route.
When I took a look at the outer edge bypass, I told myself that this one wasn’t easy either. The footpath was very narrow and the consequence of lose your footing there could also be ugly.
I sucked it up and told myself to go. While on this bypass, I could see where I came from in Jinguashih and peaks on the trail to Mt. Keelung.
I was so glad that I took this one on a work day, otherwise it would be difficult to pass when people from both sides trying to take this route.
It took me just a few minutes to get to the other side of Mt. Teapot, but I didn’t have to deal with the steep slope.
You Can Stop Before Mt. Teapot or Continue with Extra Caution
You don’t have to get inside Mt. Teapot or take the outer edge route, and just turn back to Quanji Temple from here. I guarantee you that the views alongside with this trail are already worth it. The distance of the round trip from Quanji Temple to Mt. Teapot and back to the temple is around 5 km (3.1 miles).
Please note that there were several injuries and even deaths here, whether you hike with a group or alone. If you still want to try it, please take it slow and make sure you are safe before making the next move.
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Mt. Banping: A Rock Ridgeline Hike with Panoramic Views of Northeastern Taiwan
GPS coordinates from the easy side of trailhead: 25.09627, 121.866867
After exiting Mt. Teapot, I continued the trail. The following trail was on the ridgeline. It can be very hot to hike especially after you climb up Mt. Banping ridge because there is no shade, and you are exposed under the sun.
A Detour to A Tableland and the Chimneys Ridges But Not Recommended
On the way to Mt. Banping, you will see an entrance cutting through Niufu Ore Body 牛伏礦體, to Gold Tableland 黃金台, Gold Cave 黃金洞, and to Mt. Fuxing 復興山.
I took this trail twice and it was so slippery and steep. From this photo, you can see where we descended, where Gold Tableland was. You can see it’s a huge descending if you take this entrance to Gold Tableland.
This trail can also take you to hike the old chimneys left from the old mines. But I don’t encourage people to hike there, because there have been accidents like hikers falling off the edge of the chimneys. Those chimneys are old and fragile, too.
Looking at Mt. Nanzilin and Ruifang
If you visit Gold Museum, you will get some ideas about mines in Jinguashih and Jiufeng areas, or you can check out Foreigners in Taiwan’s post to know more about the history of the mining in Taiwan.
When I looked back at where I came from, I could see Gold Tableland and Mt. Nanzilin Southeast Peak from the ridge.
Not to mention the whole view of Ruifang area.
The trail terrain on the ridge to Mt. Banping was more of a dirt trail, and steeper. You'll have to climb a little bit on some sections, but not too difficult.
Exciting Rock Ridgeline and the Notorious Stegosaurus Ridge
After a while, I reached the end of the ridge trail and had to climb the rock. There were many small spaces carved by hikers to help you find your footing.
When I reached the top of the rock, the view of Mt. Keelung and Mt. Teapot looked amazing through the opening.
This was also a junction to two different trails, the one toward the south was to Mt. Banping, and the other was to the notorious Jianlong Ridge or Stegosaurus Ridge 劍龍稜 . Pease note that usually, people don’t get to Stegosaurus Ridge from the top. It's better to climb up to this ridge from the entrance of Mt. Nanzilin, and I'll explain this later.
Different Weathers, Different Amazing Views
As a person who has a decent fear of height, I never considered climbing Stegosaurus Ridge, and I certainly didn’t plan to do it at that moment, either. But I was curious about what it looked like if I could just take a look at it from the above. So, I plucked up my courage to move myself a few meters toward the ridgeline.
However, the fear of height still got hold of me and I told myself at least I was closer to the scary ridge by a few meters. That was enough for today.
It was probably because of the scare caused by the thought of Stegosaurus Ridge, I found it scarier to hike on the rock ridge to Mt. Banping. I thought it was quite easy last time.
When I visited Mt. Banping in December 2019, I was very lucky to have a sunny weather. But it was gloomy when I hiked again in February 2021. However, the weather forecast said it would turn sunny around noon, and I was hoping it would be true. By the time I got to the ridge of Mt. Banping, it was around 11 am and things started to look good.
Suddenly, I realized that this would be a great opportunity to try out time-lapse videos, and I scrambled to get my selfie stick/tripod ready. It took me several trials and errors to finally get a decent video.
Mt. Banping Might Be the Easiest If You Take Another Trailhead
The rest of the trail was easy to hike and there were wooden steps that led to the trailhead and connected to the road. I think this might be the easiest section among my loop hike if you take this one to Mt. Banping.
But if you choose to continue the hike, you will get to the entrance of Mt. Canguanliao right after Mt. Banping.
Mt. Canguanliao: A Peak That Lets You See Mt. Nanhu 3,742 meters, Located at 90 km Away
GPS coordinates from the easy side of trailhead: 25.096079, 121.867199
Whether you hike fast or take your time to enjoy the spectacular views on Mt. Banping, it will be around time for lunch after you get to the entrance of Mt. Canguanliao.
The entrance to Mt. Canguanliao is right next to the one of Mt. Banping, but for some unknown reason I didn’t find it during my first solo try.
Some parts of this trail are rugged, and you have to climb up some rock slopes, but still manageable.
It took me around 25 minutes to reach the peak of Mt. Canguanliao. On the way to the peak, I used an app called PeakFinder, and I was delighted to find out that I could see as far as Mt. Xue Main Peak 雪山主峰, 3,886 meters (12,749 feet) and Mt. Nanhu 南湖大山, 3,742 meters (12,277 feet), which were 90 km (55.9 miles) away from Mt. Canguanliao.
There was a Class 1 Triangulation Stone on the peak, and the panoramic views of mountains and sea were stunning. I almost forgot it was cloudy when I arrived in Ruifang on that morning.
I Got the Peak to Myself
I can’t remember how many times I've been to Mt. Canguanliao peak, but I can remember I was very lucky to have a gorgeous weather when I was on the top. When you are on the top, you get to see the whole view of Ruifang: Shenao Bay 深澳灣, Mt. Keelung Main Peak and its East Peak, Mt. Banping, Mt. Cao 草山, Fulong Beach 福隆海水浴場, etc., the whole 360-degree view.
Usually, this place was packed with hikers taking all kinds of photos. Lucky for me, I was able to go on the weekdays on my both trips. It still took me a while to be left alone by other hikers. I sat there, quietly, absorbing the surroundings by myself.
Finally, when it was time to leave, I reluctantly pulled myself away from the spectacular views. You can take the same way back and connect to the road or take the other direction to the northwest like what I did.
The following train terrain was rugged as well, and it could be slippery sometimes. There were ropes on the trails to help you descend. Always proceed with caution.
When the views opened up, there were paddy-field like layers on the hills. Those were left by the mining industry in the old days.
A Historical Site and Also Movie Scenes
One thing worth to mention is some scenes of Martin Scorsese’s historical drama, Silence, were shot here.
When I got out of the bushes and reached the grass slope, I could see Ganzidian Ruins 柑仔店, the ruins of the old grocery store, from the trail.
When you reach Ganzidian Ruins, you also have two options. The first one is getting back to Quanji Temple or Gold Museum. The second one is taking Canguanliao Old Trail. I took Canguanliao Old Trail before, and you can check out Taiwan Trails and Tales for the details about this wonderful trail that is full of history.
I took the road and got back to Gold Museum/Quanji Temple. There are several things to see after you finish your hike, and I will elaborate on Thoughts about this Hike section.
Mt. Nanzilin: A Short and Sweet Hike to See Mountains Mentioned Above and the Scary Stegosaurus Ridge Nearby
After finishing Mt. Canguanliao, you can either take a bus or walk to the entrance of Mt. Keelung Main Peak if you still want to enjoy the trails.
However, if you really don’t want to spend that much time on the trail but still want to see the epic mountain and ocean views, the trail to Mt. Nanzilin is for you. The round trip of this trail is 2 km (1.24 miles), and you will get to visit 2 peaks: Mt. Nanzilin and Mt. Nanzilin Southeast Peak. The views on both peaks are stunning.
You will find toilets near the temple before your hike. This is a popular trail, and you can just follow the crowd and take the stairs up. There will be some dirt trail, but very mild uphill.
This trail reminds me of Bitou Cape Trail, which is also short and easy to see the amazing northeastern coast of Taiwan. You will find chairs on the peak of Mt. Nanzilin, and you can sit there quietly (if it is possible to find an empty chair with the crowd around) to enjoy the epic views.
I was surprised to see that Mt. Banping looked so different from this perspective. I could also see the trail going through Niufu Ore Body and heading to Gold Cave and Mt. Fuxing. It felt so surreal when I was able to see those trails where I’ve hiked.
If you aim for Stegosaurus Ridge, this is also one of the entrances to this challenging sharp ridgeline hike. There is a junction to Stegosaurus Ridge, and you will find a warning sign. This is because there were too many people who are not fit enough or underestimate their fear of height and ended up asking for rescue.
Before you go, please do a thorough homework. The trail to Stegosaurus Ridge isn’t for anyone. I don’t plan to hike there, either.
Thoughts about This Hike and Big and Little Ghost Waterfall
Since there are so many trails around here, it’s difficult to for me to cover them all. Those mountains are just my personal favorites and where I keep coming back.
For more trips around here, please check out Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration and Taiwan Trails and Tales to exlpore Tamsui-Kavalan Historic Trails.
Dagui Waterfall (Big Ghost Waterfall), Xiaogui Waterfall (Little Ghost Waterfall) and Xiaozhuilu Trail
Other than those easy trails to hike, there’s another trail that like Stegosaurus Ridge hike that I don’t think I dare to try. That is Dagui Waterfall (Big Ghost Waterfall) 大鬼瀑布, Xiaogui Waterfall (Little Ghost Waterfall) 小鬼瀑布 and Xiaozhuilu Trail 小錐麓古道 (yes, another with the same name but different from the one in Hualien).
This trail is also famous for river tracing and very popular in summer. My favorite hiking group, LOHAS had this trip before, but I was too scared to try because it was involved of steep slopes.
To get to those waterfalls, you have to hike along with the water hoses 水管路, which is so dangerous that hiking guides don’t think it’s for everyone. Acer Lee shot this video and he is very generous to let me use this clip.
Ruifang: Wonderful Place to Visit and Hike
There are so many wonderful trails in Ruifang and it can take years to hike them all. Without a doubt, Ruifang is my favorite place to go hiking. You can check out Recommended Blogs and Resources to see more attractions to visit. But please also remember certain trails are dangerous and it’s always Okay to turn back if you don’t feel right.
If you get to visit here, please stay longer and I'm sure you won't regret.
Have you been to Mt. Teapot? What do you think about those trails nearby? Please leave comments below. Don't forget to subscribe to newsletters to know more about the exciting trails in Taiwan.
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Map and Itinerary
Group Hike or Solo Hike: Solo hike
Date of Hike: December 16, 2019
Date of Hike: December 16, 2019
Click Menu in the map to download, print or share the map.
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to change the speed to meet your condition.
Note:
Due to GPS accuracy setting, there may be some difference between my GPS tracking and the exact distance.
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to change the speed to meet your condition.Note:
Due to GPS accuracy setting, there may be some difference between my GPS tracking and the exact distance.
Based on my hike on December 16, 2019
08:55 Arrived at Quanji Temple, went to the toilet, and got ready for the hike
09:14 Reached the trailhead of Mt. Teapot
09:30 Reached the first pavilion
09:41 Arrived at the observation platform and took photos
09:52 Reached the second pavilion before Mt. Teapot
10:00 Arrived at Mt. Teapot
10:07 Sat next to the triangle Rock after getting out of the cave in Mt. Teapot
10:13 Left Mt. Teapot and headed to Mt. Banping
10:18 Reached the junction to another trail
10:40 Reached the rock slope before Mt. Banping. Took a short break.
10:45 On the top of the rock slope, which was also the junction to Stegosaurus Ridge
11:00 Reached the peak of Mt. Banping and took photos
11:26 Reached another trailhead of Mt. Banping. Took a while to find the trailhead to Mt. Canguanliao
11:45 Lunch break
12:13 Headed to Mt. Canguanliao
12:30 Reached the rock slope
12:40 Reached the peak of Mt. Canguanliao, and Class 1 Triangulation Stone
13:00 Reached the dirt slope
13:16 Reached Ganzaidian Ruins
14:20 Got back to Quanji Temple
Total time: 5 hours 25 minutes, including breaks