Taroko National Park, National park in Hsiulin Township, Taiwan.
Taroko is a national park in Hsiulin Township, within Hualien County, in eastern Taiwan. The gorges cut through marble and form narrow passages where the Liwu River flows between rock walls and tunnels pass through the stone.
The river formation began millions of years ago when tectonic forces lifted the rock and water started cutting through the marble. The official establishment came in the 1980s after a road opened access through the gorges.
The name derives from the Truku, whose villages dot the terraces above the gorges and whose trails still thread through the terrain. Some residents work as guides, showing visitors the paths their families have used for generations.
Buses run regularly from Hualien city to the visitor center, where maps and guidance are available. The trails range from paved sections along the road to narrow paths that require steady footing.
The rock walls show veins and layers in white, grey and pink that form when minerals in the marble reflect light. In some places the passages are so narrow you need to look upward while walking to see the sky.
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