This used to be a major tourist destination because of the beautful setting and two scenic waterfalls. Unfortunately, the valley was badly hit by typhoon Parma in 2009, and parts of the trail leading to the waterfall collapsed into the river. Due to the fragile geology of the area, the government has decided not to rebuild the trail for the time being.
Officially the trail is closed to the public. However, this being Taiwan, you can go there anyway. In fact it's fairly popular on weekends.
As you walk up the trail, you will encounter three barriers which are supposed to keep people out. You can easily walk over or around these and keep going. The trail to the waterfall is short - you can get there in about 15 minutes. There are a couple of spots where you have to watch your step, but most of the trail is ok.
The valley is extremely beautiful, and the waterfall is impressive. Of course the size of the waterfall 
varies depending on recent rainfall. If you visit after it has been raining, you will get a better show.
The observation platform for the waterfall has been washed away by the typhoon. And the trail up to the second waterfall has been blocked by landslides.
Given the condition of the trail, I wouldn't recommend going too far out of your way to visit this waterfall. But if you are staying in Luodong, or visiting the trails around Renshan, the waterfall is worth a quick sidetrip.
To get here, follow the road to Renshan (see my post). When you get to the parking lots in front of the Renshan Botanical Gardens, just keep going along the road which follows the river until it dead ends in front of the trail entrance.
This is an excellent trail which ascends through a dense rainforest up to a windswept peak about 1000 meters above sea level. Along the way you pass through a variety of micro-climates and see a rich variety of vegetation. Unlike the typical hiking trail in Taiwan, the Marian trail is also a Catholic pilgrimage route. The destination is a large crucifix on a high mountaintop. Although it initially became popular among Catholics, the route is now maintained by the government.
This trail is uphill all the way so you will be quite tired when you finished. If you aren't in decent physical condition, you should try an easier path like the nearby Old Paoma Trail, which is fairly flat. Take plenty of water (more than you think you will need), especially in hot weather. The trail ends on a windswept mountain which can be chilly in summer and freezing cold at other times of year. If you are not doing the hike in summer, bring some warm clothing to wear at the peak. And watch out for snakes and hornets. Several signs warn visitors to beware of poisonous snakes, and sure enough I saw a green bamboo viper (青竹絲) slithering across the trail.
The main drawback to this hiking trail is that it is some distance from the nearest road. To get to the start of the trail you have to walk for almost an hour or more. However, you start from the Wufengqi Waterfalls park, which allows you to kill two (or more) birds with one stone. You can see the falls, walk the Marian trail, and also enjoy the swimming area and riverside park downstream from Wufengqi. And since the trail is so far from the roads, it gives you a chance to get deep into the mountains and experience some unspoiled scenery. Although the trail takes time to reach, it is still fairly popular because it is so beautiful. Even on weekdays there you will encounter a number of fellow treckers.
To get to the trailhead, you can either take the scenic route or else save time by a shortcut through the Wufengqi park. The official path toward the trail starts at the Wufengqi parking lot next to the river downstream from the falls. Walk upstream from the parking lot. The path goes past a pretty riverside park which is extremely popular among families - kids love catching minnows in the shallow water here. Continue upstream and past the swimming area. The trail crosses over a bridge and then continues up a dirt road. After passing along a series of switchbacks up the mountain, you will eventually come to an unusual round Catholic church modeled after the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
To get to the church more quickly, just park as close as possible to the falls, walk past the food and souvenir stands and up toward the falls. Below the second waterfall is a path to the left which goes toward the third waterfall. Instead of ascending to the third waterfall, just keep going straight - this path keeps going along the side of the mountain and right toward the church.
Whichever way you get to the church, once you are there you follow the road which runs to the left of the church complex and up the mountain. Above the church is a nice view of Jiaoxi and the ocean. Follow this road (made of dirt and rocks) until you get to the trailhead.
If you take the long route all the way from the parking lot, it will take 70 or 80 minutes to reach the start of the trail. The shortcut through the waterfall area will get you there in about 50 minutes.
The Marian trail itself is a little more than 1.6 kilometers long and takes about two hours (or more) to walk up and down - depending on how fast you go. The trail is decent quality - dirt and crushed stone reinforced with logs for most of the way, with stone steps in steep spots. If you don't want to tackle the whole thing, the first 400 meters of the trail are particularly beautiful. This section runs through dense subtropical rainforest beside a rocky stream.
After leaving the stream the trail ascends steeply trough the forest. Unfortunately it ends in an anticlimax. The area at the top has been "developed" by Catholics into a place of prayer. This involved building an extremely ugly concrete pond, and rough concrete steps up to an uneven platform with a crucifix on the peak. There is a forlorn little hostel to the side which is used by groups of Catholic visitors who arrange in advance to stay the night. The overall effect is pretty hideous.
However, when there isn't too much fog, the view from the crucifix platform is amazing. You can see all the way down to the ocean, with a spectacular view of almost the entire Lanyang plain all the way down past Suao. In the other direction, there is a strange landscape of high grassy mountains which extends into the distance toward Taipei county. This is surely one of the most spectacular vistas in Taiwan.
These are the most impressive waterfalls in Yilan county. They are also easy to reach - not too far from the middle of Jiaoxi. The amount of water coming down the falls varies a lot, depending on the season. In summer if it hasn't rained much, the falls can be pretty puny. But in the winter or spring rainy season, or after a summer or autumn typhoon, enormous quantities of water explode down the falls.
This site is incredibly popular on weekends. On weekdays there will probably only be a few people around, but on summer weekends you should expect tour buses and a steady stream of cars. Despite the threat of crowds, the falls are so beautiful that they're still well worth a visit.
To get here, drive south on Road 9 through the middle of Jiaoxi. Turn left on Dazhong Road 大忠路. Keep going straight. This road turns into Wufeng Road 五峰路 and takes you all the way to the falls. There are some signs pointing the way to the falls, and also signs to the Royal Jiaoxi Hotel, which is near the falls.
On Dazhong Road you will pass the entrance to the road which goes up to the Old Paoma Trail 跑馬古道 on your right. This is a popular mountain forest walk. You can do this walk on your way back down if you're in the mood for some exercise. See my post on this trail.
Eventually the road will dead end in front of two rows of vendors selling food and souvenirs. Park wherever you can and walk past the vendors and up the trail.
There are three waterfalls. The first two are very close - you can walk up the trail in just a few minutes. But the highest waterfall can only be reached after a strenuous hike.
The third waterfall is the lowest. This isn't very impressive, but you can walk down to the water and splash around in front of the falls.
Keep walking up the trail and soon you will get to the second falls. These are very impressive when there has been rain recently. They are quite high and surrounded by subtropical vegetation.
Unfortunately, the first falls at the top have been closed since the summer of 2009 because of a landslide that occurred during a typoon. To reach the first falls, intead of heading back to the entrance, on your way down you should turn right onto the other trail. If you reach a gate on your right which is closed, this means that the first waterfall hasn't been reopened yet.
If you can go up to the first falls, be prepared for a strenous climb. You have to walk up steep stone steps for about half a kilometer to reach the first waterfall. This is a very strenuous climb, akin to walking up a skyscraper (only inside a steam bath), so don't do it unless you're ready for the climb. Half way up, you'll be wondering if this could possibly be worth it. Don't despair - keep going! The scene at the top is well worth the climb. The first waterfall is huge and gorgeous - a beautiful reward for the steep hike.
If the gate is closed and you can't go up to the first waterfall, keep going down the trail. At the end you will come to a little paved road. Take the steps to the side leading uphill. These lead to a little Catholic church which has a pretty view of the first falls far above in the distance. The road in back of the church leads to the Marian trail (see my post).
On your way back down, as you pass the vendors you might consider buying some wild honey. In addition to maintaining his own hives, the bee guy here also raids hives in the forest and sells honey he's stolen from angry wild bees. This is the best honey you'll ever taste.
If you feel like a swim and brought along a swimsuit, you should walk down from the vendors area to the riverbed. Follow the river downstream for a few minutes and you will come to a large swimming area - it's like a big swimming pool. This little reservoir holds the river water temporarily to create a swimming area. The cement is a bit slimy with algea, but the water is pleasantly cool. This swimming place is popular on weekends, but during the week there won't be too many people here. The cold fresh water is a good alternative to a hot sandy beach.
A bit further downstream is a riverside park which is very popular with families. Kids love wading in the shallow water.
Houdong Waterfall is the first scenic spot in Yilan county you come to after exiting the Xueshan tunnel from Taipei. The trail to the waterfall runs right underneath the highway.
Unless there has been a lot of rain, the waterfall is just a thin stream of water that races down several cataracts in a steep ravine. It's a narrow but pretty place, and there is a fine view across the Lanyang plain to the Pacific from the top. However, if you just want to look at a beautiful waterfall, you should go to Wufengqi Falls above Jiaoxi, which are much bigger.
The reason to go to Houdong is to swim. At the top of the falls are a series of wonderful shallow rocky pools. On a hot day, the water is very cold, clean and refreshing - the perfect mountain swimming hole.If you go here on a weekday you'll probably have the place to yourself. You can climb over some 
rocks and into one of the higher pools for complete privacy and enjoy a clothing-optional swimming hole.
The path to the waterfall isn't well marked, so you might have to hunt to find the trailhead. You can get onto the path from several places, but most are hidden away down a maze of narrow winding roads in a residential neighborhood. The easiest entrance to find is underneath the No. 9 highway. Between the Xueshan tunnel and the main road in Jiaoxi is a river. The trail begins on the left side of the river, under the highway.There is a small sign in Chinese near the road, but the sign is easy to miss. Just look for the river. Park on the left side of the river and start walking uphill along the stone path. Soon the you will be walking next to a large riverbed which is usually dry unless it has recently rained. Keep going. You will reach the falls after an easy 25 minute walk.
varies depending on recent rainfall. If you visit after it has been raining, you will get a better show.
