Tianxiang is the main settlement in the upper gorge, about 19 kilometres from the gorge entrance at an altitude of 480 metres. It has a visitor centre, a few basic restaurants, a 7-Eleven, and the only accommodation inside the park (a hotel). The Tienfeng Pagoda on the hill above the village is a seven-storey Buddhist pagoda visible from the road below; a short steep path leads to it and provides views over the gorge junction.
Tianxiang is the jumping-off point for trails into the interior — the Baiyang Waterfall Trail starts here, and the road continuing into the mountains toward Hehuanshan and the high-altitude areas passes through. The village fills up with day-trippers from Hualien by mid-morning in summer; staying overnight at the hotel allows quiet morning access to the gorge before the buses arrive.