The front gate of the deserted elementary school at Xiaocukeng (Taiwan News/George Liao photo) The front gate of the deserted elementary school at Xiaocukeng (Taiwan News/George Liao photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Xiaocukeng Trail (小粗坑古道) linking the former mining towns of Jiufen and Houtong is a unique portal into a striking landscape that once thrived in the era of gold mining.

The two trailheads are located at Songde Park (頌德公園) on the Jiufen side and in the Gong Ciao community (弓橋社區) near Houtong Elementary School on the Houtong side.

Starting from Jiufen, the 2.5-kilometer trail winds uphill a few hundred meters and reaches its highest altitude looking out on Jiufen and Jinguashih. From this point on, the trail begins to wind down the mountain. The natural earth and rock underfoot give way to mossy stone steps roughened by chisel to prevent falls.

Midway along the trail, hikers arrive at a deserted temple. This startling structure, somewhat larger than most of the archaic earth god temples scattered around rural New Taipei, is dedicated to a mountain god. Most Taiwanese mountain god temples are said to have been built by the Japanese during their occupation from 1895 to 1945.

The trail continues down to a place where collapsed stone houses, overgrown by plants and vines, dot both sides of the path. They are the ruins of the gold mining village Xiaocukeng. Even so, at least two families still live there in well-maintained domiciles that look spacious and comfortable.

It is hard to imagine that this lost village once had a population of over 200 and even an elementary school during the boom years of gold mining. A side trail in the village flanked by more dilapidated stone houses passes through the crumbling school campus, where a playground and classrooms are barely recognizable.

Time seems to stand still here, as it must have done since the economic fortunes of the town turned decades ago, when local miners and their families went elsewhere. It is hard not to think back on what life in these overgrown ruins must have been like in the old days.

After passing the Xiaocukeng village, the trail continues down the mountain and along a creek until it reaches New Taipei Route 37 (北37), which connects Houtong and Rueifang. Take a left at the intersection and then walk for another 20 minutes or so to Houtong Station. Hikers are strongly advised to take a tour of Houtong, which is also worth a visit for its abundant mining heritage.



SongdePark in Jiufen



The deserted mountain god temple



The ruins of the elementary school at Xiaocukeng



The earth god temple not far from the trailhead on the Houtong side (Taiwan News/George Liao photos)