Hike Mt. Qixing: the Seven Star Mountain

It's a climb! For those who want to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city, Yangmingshan National Park is a great escape. Hiking to the top of Mt. Qixing can be completed in a handful of hours, but includes a significant amount of (beautiful) steep stone stairs. 

Because the weather significantly limited our views, we've linked the National Park's main page so you can check out more of their epic photos! That being said, even though we hiked through the clouds soaked through, this trail was still one of the coolest we've been on. 

Once you begin your hike, pace yourself for stairs on stairs on stairs. Though they may be strenuous, these stairs are right out of a story book and prime for some pictures. If you'd like to extend your trip, there are plenty of off-shoot spots to see on your way including hot springs, pagodas, and fields of flowers. 

The top of the mountain has fantastic views of the city, though we hiked in a cloudy rainstorm and saw nothing farther than 10 feet in front of us. 

Directions:

If you have a vehicle of your own, follow road signs and your GPS for the best way to get to the national park, where there is plenty of parking. 

If coming by bus from one of the countless bus stops in Taipei, the bus will drop you off at a location just downhill of the trail heads. Once you've reached that final bus stop, exit with everyone else, and follow the road on the left leading uphill. After a couple hundred meters, there will be pedestrian signs for the visitor's center / park headquarters and the foot path. 

At the visitor's center / park headquarters, the signs (and the flow of foot traffic) will direct you to the trail heads, where you can decide which route you want to take. From this point, you can customize your hike depending on preferences.

If you choose to begin your journey at any alternative point in the park, wait at one of the many bus stops for bus 108 - the national park bus service, which loops the trail heads. Use this bus at any point to bring you back to your parking spot, the original bus stop you arrived at, or a variety of other points in the park. 

Give it a go!