(Each photo has a link to its location and information on TraceTaiwan.) Taipei is a basin, surrounded by mountains, and there are quite a few rivers that people go river tracing.
Rivers mostly locate in Yangmingshan, Pingxi, Wulai, and Pinglin. All rivers in Yangmingshan are banned by YMS headquarters, and thus there is a risk of getting fined 1500NTD. However, quite a lot of people still visit the creeks and hot springs there. Pingxi not only has sky lanterns and a railway, but quite a few interesting natural sites can also be found, including a few creeks for water activities. For some reason, the creeks and rivers in Pingxi always look green and turbid all year round. Pinglin is the basin of Feicui Reservoir, providing water for Taipie City and New Taipei City, and that is the reason that floods come fast and violently in a downpour; Cautions must be taken when river tracing in this area.
Here are 10 rivers in Taipei that are easy for beginners. (random order)
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Scale:
⭐️ Review
🔥 Level of Difficulty: 7 dry days after heavy rain
💦Level of Difficulty at High Water Flow: Level of difficulty after 2 dry days after medium rain
📌Know More About the Scale in the Article
(River tracing after or in rain is strongly unrecommended. The scale does not promise the acutal situation and is merely for reference due to high volatility of rivers. River tracers are on their own responsibility and the reviewer is not liable to any mishaps or accidents.)
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Wulai:
1. Jiajiuliao Creek 加九寮溪
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🔥 🚌 Available by bus
Jialiuliao creek is a popular spot for river tracing for both commercial and non-commerical groups. The river trace is easy and the water is clean. There is a mountain trail leading to the water slide in the left fork.
2. A'yu Creek 阿玉溪
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The river's water is clean and has many fish, a good river for cooling down. The valley has several good sites for camping. At the end is there a very big pool.
3. Siqiye Creek 斯其野溪
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The creek has a bunch of small waterfalls to climb up if you go far enough. The right fork is much more fun than the left one. The rocks here are very slippery.
Yangmingshan:
4. Fushi Creek 富士溪
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A natural bouldering gym, short but fun, ideal for those who want to go boudering other than at a city gym.
5. Touqian Creek 頭前溪
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There are two 5-meter waterfalls at the end of the river trace, and the more upstream one is Touqian Waterfall. This river trace has a few pools and climbing.
6. Laomei Creek 老梅溪
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This is a fairly easy trace. If the rope is present even that isn't much. Clean water, with tons of frogs. This creek's source is in YMS park. But the river trace itself is totally legal and out of the area of YMS park.
Pingxi:
7. Huiyao Water 灰窯溪
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💦💦 🚌 Available by bus
Huiyao Creek is busy with visitors and the people for barbecue on weekends in summer. The creek has several spots worth visiting: Huiyao Waterfall(灰窯瀑布), Wanbaodong Waterfall(萬寶洞瀑布), a natural swimming pool, and a giant pool. It is a creek that is friendly for beginners. The creek has a tiny basin, and thus the water flow is usually low.
Pinling:
8. Bihu Creek's right tributary 碧湖溪右股
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❗ Flash Flood Warning
Trees, water and mountains are all emerald green. Many cool pools are in this river. The right fork is more fun than the mainstream. A downpour in the creek will cause a flash flood and there is no escape. Check the forecast before going.
Xizhi:
9. Qiedong Creek x 2 茄苳溪
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Qiedong Waterfall
Dry most of time in a year even after rain, thus a safe river trace after rain. Qiedong waterfall only has decent amount of water when there is a shower before.
Dajianshan Waterfall
Next to previous creek for 200 meters on a road is another tributary of Qiedong Creek. Several tall waterfalls can be seen during the river trace.
Ruifang:
10. Dagui Waterfall 大鬼瀑布
（Banping Creek 半屏溪）
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🔥 🔥 🚌 Available by bus
A short fairly easy river trace located within an hour of Taipei. The river and surrounding rocks contain tons of pretty colors. In the end, you will be rewarded with a beautiful waterfall sitting behind a perfect swimming pool. Great place for people without much experience to get a taste of river tracing
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