Location: Taitung
Distance: 70km Elevation Gain: 800m
In our series, we have covered several loop rides to cover specific counties and part of the grand plan is that every county will have at least one loop that is popular with local riders listed. For #065 we are in Taitung riding the back country that will take the cyclist on some of the best roads in the county.
We have, where possible, started these rides from the nearest train station giving the rider the option of using public transport if a vehicle is not available. The reader may observe that our GPX track and graph shows a distance of 112km – this is due to the fact that the ride was recorded starting from Dulan on the east coast.
Starting right outside Taitung train station, take a left turn onto Yanwan Rd. (Tung 46) straight away, this is a stiff climb with gradients over 10%, taking the rider up to 300m over a very short distance. Excellent views over Taitung city down to the ocean offer a great distraction from the pump of the climb. After 10km the rider veers right to connect to the Tung 37 heading due north. This is a nice roller taking you through several miles of mango orchards. The main point of interest along this road is Chu Lu Ranch, a popular tourist farm attraction.
When the Tung 37 ends it intersects with the Tung 38 where the rider takes a left turn to get onto Provincial Highway No. 9 for a few kilometers. After crossing the Luye River, a right turn will take you onto the Luye Bikeway as an alternative to the busier No. 9. This Bikeway then connects to the Beinan River path, taking the rider into Luye town. This is the only place along the ride to pick up refreshments and is a good halfway point. Luye Highlands is a well-known attraction in Taiwan as the primary hot air balloon location every summer.
For the return journey, take the Luanshan Communication Rd. to connect to the very popular County Rd. No. 197 – this has been covered in #056 – The Rift Valley – of our series. There is a couple of hundred meters of ascent here. After approx’ 8km there is the option of taking the Tung 45 as a means to get back to Taitung train station.
Another reason why this is a good option is it gives the rider the opportunity to pass the Liji Badlands geological park also known as the ‘Moon World of Liji’.
A great downhill spin on this road will pop the rider out on Provincial Highway No. 11B just a few kilometers from the train station.
Here is the GPS information. Feel free to snag it and make any appropriate edits to your ride.