Location: Changhua City & County/Nantou County
Distance: 90km Elevation Gain: 946m
We have stated previously that it is our desire to cover at least one popular route or loop for each county in Taiwan. A quick scroll through our previous posts will show the reader that we have fulfilled that objective in about a dozen counties so far. We have also, where applicable, included routes that are annual cycling events, and such is the case with this ride, however we did not follow the event route exactly.
In this post we focus on Changhua City & County in central Taiwan. An ideal starting point is the TRC train station in the center of town or equally good, the High Speed Rail Station (HSR), which is 20km south of the city.
Bagua Mt. is part of the Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area, which also includes Lishan and Lion’s Head Mt. More info here.
On this particular occasion, the ride was done counter-clockwise for two reasons, which will be explained later on. Heading southeast, it’s just a couple of kilometers before you get to Provincial Highway No.1, then at the 192km marker, take a left onto County Road No. 137. For the next 37 km, you stay on this road which is mostly flat.
The first reason why this is a good way to start the ride is that the 137 gives you a good warm-up before the climbing starts, and passing through several villages, it has more traffic lights to deal with. I should also mention that this road seems to have the highest concentration of convenience stores I’ve ever seen in a rural area, one every kilometer or so.
At the end of the 137, you connect to County Road No. 152 and after 45 km, you enter the town of Mingjian in Nantou County. This is a bustling place with lots of eats to choose from. Straight in front of you, you’ll see a McDonald’s, head for that, turn left on Provincial Highway No.3 for a few hundred meters, and take a left turn for County Road No.139C.
Now halfway through the ride, this is where the climbing starts. You are now at the southern end of Bagua Mt. With its proximity to Taichung, the bicycle capital of the world, you are going to see tons of riders up here. Also, a very popular hiking destination and you’ll pass through Songboling village, famous for its tea, and lots of dragon fruit is grown in this area too.
The best part about this ride is the views of the central mountains off to the right as you ascend. Signs on the side of the road inform you that it is part of Bike Tour 28-1. This first climb is stretched over 20km on a mild gradient up to 400m elevation, then there is a descent of 4 -5km before you ascend to the highest point on the road at 435m.
The No. 139C connects to County Road No. 139, and you need to follow this due north until it takes you back to Changhua City. There are several roads off to both the left and right down the mountain which would let you extend the ride to include a lot more climbing.
Now, just over 60km into the ride, you get to enjoy the long downhill back to Changhua city. One of the biggest attractions in the area is the Bagua Great Buddha, which stands 22 meters high. You’ll see signs for the turn off on the way down the mountain. At the bottom of the hill, you are back in the urban area of Changhua city and a short distance from the train station. More info here.