Shitoushan (Lion Head Mountain) 獅頭山

Historical Background:

Lion’s Head Mountain (Shitoushan) is located at the junction of Nanzhuang and Sanwan townships in Miaoli County and Emei Township in Hsinchu County. Rising to 491 meters above sea level, it is one of Taiwan’s “Small 100 Peaks.” The mountain sits on the watershed between the Zhonggang River and its tributary, the Emei River, and is marked by a third-class triangulation point. The summit hosts meteorological monitoring and communications relay facilities and offers clear westward views toward the Sanwan area.
Shitoushan is one of northern Taiwan’s most important Buddhist and Taoist sacred mountains. As early as 1895, Buddhist monks used the natural rock caves to establish temples, beginning with Shiyan Cave (Yuanguang Temple). Over time, numerous temples were built across the front mountain (the “lion’s head”) and the rear mountain (the “lion’s tail”), connected by what is now known as the Lion Mountain Historic Trail. In 1927, the mountain was selected as one of the “Twelve Scenic Spots” among Taiwan’s Eight Scenic Wonders. In 2001, with the establishment of the Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area, Lion’s Head Mountain and its surrounding attractions were officially incorporated into the Shitoushan Scenic Area.

Hours:

11 AM to 7 PM

Price:

300 NT per person.
You can buy tickets for a discount on Klook here or KKday here.  

Cherry Blossom Season:

Cherry Blossoms can be seen here from February to late March. Check out our full guide to Cherry Blossom Season in Taiwan here. 

Firefly Season:

Firefly season is from May to June. Check out our firefly season guide here. 

Where to stay:

You can book a room at Shokolake on Agoda here or Booking.com here.

We have stayed at and recommend Beautiful Landscape Resort, a fish farm and resort near Nanzhuang Old Street (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here), and Yuan Motel, a high-class car motel which includes a great breakfast buffet (you can book on Agoda here or Booking.com here). We also recommend Flying Cow Ranch which includes cabins and camping right on the tourist ranch; you can book a room on Agoda here, Booking.com here, or Trip.com here. 
Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

Activities in Miaoli:

There are many tours and activities available in Miaoli such as Schokolake Chocolate Factory, Shangshun World, West Lake Resortopia, Suweila Manor, Baba Kengdao, Hobbit Valley, Zhuo Ye Cottage Duck Box and more on Klook here or KKday here. 

How to get there:

By Car/Scooter: From Zhunan, take Provincial Highway 3 to Sanwan, and then switch to County Highway 124 until you reach Nanzhuang.
Looking for scooter rental in Miaoli? 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 TRB/Bus: From Zhunan station, take bus 5806 to Nanzhuang. The whole trip should take an hour, one way. You can also book an TRB 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. 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:

Drone Footage:

Play

360 Degree Panorama:

You can also see our panorama of the area below.

Our Journey:

We have been to Shitoushan twice. I cannot say I have hiked all the trails and seen all the temples here. This sacred mountain is riddled with temples and trails anywhere you can shake a stick. It is a fun spider-web of trails to check out for any avid hiker in Taiwan.

Here you can see the entrance to Shitoushan Scenic Area.

Here are only some of the trails around Shitoushan.

First, we drove over to the Shitoushan Visitor’s Center to get our bearings.

View of a tea shop near the visitor’s center.

Another tourist map of Shitoushan.

More maps of the surrounding area at the visitor’s center.

Another map of Lion Mountain Old Trail.

Then we found ourselves at the Wang Yue Pavilion, which literally means “stare at the moon pavilion.”

Wanguyuan Pavilion

The original Wanguyuan Pavilion was built on the instigation of General Huang, as a rest and shelter for travelers. It was later rebuilt at the boundary between Hsinchu and Miaoli counties.

The pavilion is named after the three characters written by General Huang. From here, visitors can enjoy a fine view of Lion’s Head Mountain. A walk of about 20 minutes along the trail brings you to the Lion’s Head Mountain, at an elevation of 492 meters.

The pavilion offers a place to rest, enjoy the scenery, and refresh the mind and spirit.

Shishan Historic Trail

The Wanguyuan Pavilion is perched at the highest point of the Shishan Historic Trail, which is also where Hsinchu and Miaoli counties meet. The width of the trail is narrow and steep, and the old stone trail was built in 1914 during the Japanese occupation period.

The trail runs from the back of the mountain down to the front, and was expanded into today’s scenic walkway in 1971. It was broadened to approximately 2.5 kilometers, running from the Lianda Archway, Gate of Guanyin Temple, to the Lion’s Tail Arch, and generally takes about two hours to traverse.

There are some stone tables here to rest upon.

There is also a service road that traverses the top of Lion Head Mountain.

View of Nanzhuang from the top of Shitoushan.

View of the central mountain range looking east.

Closeup on Snow Mountain.

Another view of scenery down below.

Stone steps leading down the mountain.

Back to Wang Yue Pavilion.

There are temples wherever you go on this mountain.

Weather tracking equipment on top of the mountian.

Finally made it to the top! 492 meters above sea level.

View from the top of Shitoushan.

View of the weather equipment at the top.

The trail curves around this area.

And also follows along this fenced area.

The trail then enters the forest.

We then came upon this park in front of Tianguang Temple.

Stone monument in front of Tianguang Temple.

Viewing platform.

Gate to Tianguang Temple.

View of the main temple here.

View overlooking Miaoli from Tianguang Temple.

Oranges were in season when we visited.

Aerial view looking down at Nanzhuang.

View looking East at Snow Mountain.

Another view looking north with the face of Lion Head Mountain in the foreground.

For more views and insights into this mountain, check out this blog by Taiwan Trails and Tales.

Nanzhuang Old Street 南庒老街

Nanzhuang Old Street is a large tourist street and shopping area in central Miaoli. It is actually three old streets combined into one, and includes a night market too. You can find all kinds of food options here, and authentic Hakka dishes. Nearby, you can also find amazing hiking trails and mountain scenery to enjoy…(read more)

Sanwan Old Street 三灣老街

Just down the road is Sanwan Old Street, which is a historic area of the small town of Sanwan in rural Miaoli County. Here you can find historical buildings, rural scenery, and wildlife. You can also discover more about Hakka culture in the most Hakka town per capita in Taiwan…(read more)

Thanks for reading, and check out more of our blogs on Miaoli to come!

Check out our full travel guide to Miaoli here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.