Tri-Mountain

Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area in central Taiwan covers 77,521 ha in three non-contiguous areas named for Baguashan, Shitoushan and Lishan, spread across Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua and Nantou^[1].

Forests at Shitoushan hold kingfishers, Taiwan barbets, Taiwan blue magpies and crested serpent eagles, and native fish live in its streams. Grey-faced buzzards pass through Baguashan in March and October, making birdwatching a feature^[2].

Forest trails at Shitoushan pass tung trees, shell ginger and blood vine^[2]. At Lishan, above 1,600 m, temperate fruit such as cherries, peaches, plums, pears and apples is grown^[2].

Baguashan covers the whole Bagua Plateau, a raised tableland in Changhua and Nantou^[1]. Shitoushan is a mountain of cliff faces where temples are built into the rock^[1].

Elevation sets the climate: the Bagua Plateau is a lowland plateau, while Lishan sits above 1,600 m and is cool enough for temperate orchards^[2].

Shitoushan is a northern Taiwan mountain sacred to Buddhism and Daoism, and Beipu and Nanzhuang keep Hakka and Indigenous heritage sites^[2]. Atayal and Saisiyat peoples are associated with Shitoushan, and Lishan was historically Atayal land^[1].

The three areas were formerly separate provincial scenic areas, merged on 16 March 2001 into one national scenic area after the Taiwan Provincial Government was abolished^[1]. Its management office is in Wufeng District, Taichung^[1].

Baguashan has a 26 m Buddha statue and a nearby skywalk. Shitoushan has the 5 km Shishan Path connecting eleven temples and Nanzhuang Old Street. Lishan includes the hot spring town of Guguan^[1].

The Lishan section lies at the junction of Highway 8 and Highway 21; from there roads lead north to Yilan, east to Hualien, west to Taichung and south via Dayuling to Wushe and Nantou^[2].

The area is managed by the Tourism Administration through an office with three management stations^[2]. In November 2024 the Baguashan zone was extended by about 239 hectares in Wufeng District, Taichung^[2].