Tutingzai Hiking Trail l, located near Ci’en Pagoda, is a 600-meter-long scenic walkway that offers a leisurely and comfortable hiking experience. The trail is surrounded by lush greenery, and visitors can often spot vibrant bird species such as the Taiwan Barbet, Grey Treepie, and Formosan White-eyed Nun Babbler flitting among the trees.
At the end of the trail stands Tutingzai Lighthouse, Taiwan’s highest-altitude and smallest lighthouse. What makes this lighthouse truly unique is that it is the only one in Taiwan not located by the sea. Its lighting schedule serves as a signal dividing the activities on Sun Moon Lake—during the day, tour boats take visitors on lake excursions, while at night, when the lighthouse is lit, it marks the end of tour boat operations and the beginning of fishing activities for local fishermen.
Beyond its natural beauty, Tutingzai holds significant historical and cultural value. It was once the site of Shiyinshe, an ancient Thao settlement, and today, it remains an important ancestral worship site for the Shih clan.The trail is symbolized by the owl, a sacred animal in Thao culture, and along the northern side of the path lies the ancestral ritual site of the Shih clan, while the southern end marks the historic ruins of Shiyinshe. At the trail’s summit, a viewing pavilion offers a breathtaking panorama of Sun Moon Lake, allowing visitors to take in its ever-changing beauty from a spectacular vantage point.
