Enjoy Cool Forest Baths in Tengjhih National Forest Recreation Area

　Thanks to its moderate summertime temperatures of 18 to 21 degrees Celsius, Tengjhih National Forest Recreation Area（藤枝國家森林遊樂區）is a well-known escape from the scorching heat of central Kaohsiung. It takes only two hours to drive from downtown Kaohsiung to this idyllic woodland, where you can breathe in cool, fresh forest air.

　The area’s abundant moisture sustains a rare tropical broadleaf mist forest that is home to a variety of plant species and a habitat for numerous animals. Lai Ming-cing（賴明慶）, one of the recreation area’s staff members, shares his daily experience. “Some of my colleagues have seen black bears on the forest trail, and I’ve encountered Formosan serows in the parking lot,” he says, the latter being an endemic bovid species.

　Within the forest recreation area, there are four trails, and each has its own distinct character and unique features. Perhaps the most representative is the Begonia Trail（秋海棠步道）, where nearly half of Taiwan’s native begonia species can be found, including the Tengjhih Begonia（藤枝秋海棠）named for this location. The Begonia Trail gradually ascends to an observatory located 1,804 meters above sea level. On clear days, distant ridges are clearly visible, forming a layered and seemingly endless picturesque mountainscape.

　The Spruce Trail（雲杉步道）is shorter, and along it you can see the Plank Road Demonstration Area（木馬道示範區）, which shows how logs were moved in the mountains. The first section of the Rhododendron Trail（西施花步道）was formerly part of the Liouguei Police Patrol Road（六龜警備道）, built during the 1895-1945 period of Japanese rule by the colonial authorities to prevent indigenous communities from obstructing Japan’s exploitation of forest resources. Hikers can see tree shadows gracefully falling across the mottled stone riprap and remains of old police stations. At the end of the trail lies a towering Amygdalate-leaved Tanoak（苦扁桃葉石櫟）, the buttress root of which is an awesome height, nearly two meters.

　The Sea of Trees Trail（樹海步道) is the most accessible and suitable trail for people of all ages. Along the wide and flat gravel path, dense cypress trees form a natural green barrier. The melodious calls of the Taiwan yuhina（冠羽畫眉）and Formosan lesser scimitar babbler（小彎嘴畫眉）resonate, forming a birdsong symphony that blends seamlessly with nature.

　In 2009, Typhoon Morakot devastated the mountain areas of southern Taiwan, and the only access road to Tengjhih collapsed. After years of restoration, the forest recreation area is now open for visitors without any need to make prior reservations. However, due to damage to the access road, visitors are required to walk an additional one kilometer from the parking area to the entrance. If possible, visitors should allow enough time for both an ecological tour and to enjoy forest bathing. Understanding Tengjhih’s past helps us better appreciate this hard-earned forest sanctuary.

天然冷氣房森呼吸 藤枝國家森林遊樂區

　　藤枝國家森林遊樂區是高雄知名的避暑勝地，年均溫約攝氏18~21度，從高雄市區出發，僅需2小時車程，就能甩開平地的豔陽與燥熱，大口呼吸森林的新鮮空氣。充沛水氣形成罕見的熱帶高山闊葉霧林，植物種類豐富，也成為多種動物的棲息地，工作人員賴明慶聊起日常：「有同事在樹海步道看見黑熊，我也曾在停車場遇過山羊。」

　　森林遊樂區內共有「秋海棠步道」、「雲杉步道」、「西施花步道」及「樹海步道」，四條步道各具特色。最具代表性的是「秋海棠步道」，藤枝的原生秋海棠佔全臺近半，「藤枝秋海棠」即以藤枝命名。「秋海棠步道」和緩爬升至終點為1804公尺的瞭望臺，天氣晴朗時，遠方山稜線清晰展開，層層疊疊、連綿不絕。

　　「雲杉步道」路程較短，途中可見昔日山上搬運樹木的木馬道示範區；「西施花步道」前段與日治時期六龜警備道重疊，路程中可以看樹影婆娑落在斑駁的石砌駁坎和駐在所遺址上，終點的苦扁桃葉石櫟，板根高度近2公尺，令人驚嘆稱奇。

　　「樹海步道」是園區內最平易近人、老少閒宜的步道，寬闊平坦的碎石路兩邊，茂密柳杉組成綠色屏障，冠羽畫眉、小彎嘴畫眉的清脆叫聲此起彼落，合奏自然的交響曲。

　　2009年莫拉克風災重創南臺灣山區，藤枝唯一聯外林道嚴重崩塌，經過休園重整，目前免預約入園，惟因聯外道路中斷，需於停車處再步行1公里至園區入口。了解藤枝的過去，更加珍惜這得來不易的森林秘境。