The Taroko National Park Visitor Centre is at the park entrance, just west of Xincheng town. It has English-language displays covering the geology, ecology, and human history of the park — the marble formation, the river cutting, the Truku indigenous people who have lived in the valleys for centuries, and the building of the Cross-Island Highway. The exhibition is well-made and worth 30-45 minutes, especially before entering the gorge, to understand what you are looking at.
The visitor centre issues permits for trails that require them (including the alpine areas around Hehuanshan) and has rangers who can advise on current trail conditions and closures. After typhoons — which close several trails for safety checks — this is the first place to confirm what is open. The centre also has a gift shop with local Truku crafts and good maps of the park trail system.