Shakadang Trail

The Shakadang Trail is a flat, easy walk along a narrow ledge above the Shakadang River — a turquoise tributary of the Liwu River that cuts through a smaller but equally dramatic marble canyon. The trail runs about 4.5 kilometres from the trailhead (near the gorge entrance) to a rest area with cold drinks; the return trip takes about three hours at a leisurely pace.

The path is carved into the cliff face or runs on narrow concrete ledges above the river, which in places is extraordinarily clear and brilliantly blue-green. This section of the gorge is less trafficked than the main highway and gives a better sense of the gorge's actual scale. The turquoise colour comes from fine mineral particles suspended in glacier meltwater; it is most intense in spring and early summer. The trail requires no special equipment; regular walking shoes are adequate.

things to do sight
A story
The Shakadang Trail was originally called the Mysterious Valley Trail (Shenmi Gu) because early visitors noted that the turquoise water of the Shakadang River appeared to emerge from nowhere — the river disappears underground in a dry season and reappears downstream. The current name comes from the Truku Indigenous word for the area. The Truku people have lived in this valley for centuries; their ancestors built many of the paths that became the Cross-Island Highway.