Travel/POI: Taiwan Yangmingshan National Park Xiaoyoukeng, Lengshuikeng, Qingtiangang 陽明山國家公園 小油坑, 冷水坑, 擎天崗

Xiaoyoukeng 小油坑

On April 9, 2025, I took my daughter to Xiaoyoukeng. Located on the northwestern slope of Mt. Qixing at an elevation of approximately 805 meters above sea level, Xiaoyoukeng is a prominent post-volcanic geological landscape within Yangmingshan National Park. It is famous for its active fumaroles, sulfur crystals, hot springs, and dramatic terrain—all shaped by residual volcanic activity. The area was formed by heat retained underground after volcanic eruptions ceased; this thermal energy heated trapped gases, increasing steam pressure until it eventually escaped through surface faults. Today, Xiaoyoukeng remains highly active, with fumaroles continuously emitting sulfurous steam at high temperatures year-round. We also visited this spot on July 12, 2022, and the following photos are from both outings.

2025 年 4 月 9 日帶女兒來小油坑。小油坑位於七星山西北麓，海拔約 805 公尺，是陽明山國家公園內的一處後火山活動地質景觀區，它以「後火山作用」所形成的噴氣孔、硫磺結晶、溫泉及壯觀的崩塌地形最具特色。其成因乃火山活動終止之後，地底下殘留的熱能加熱殘留的氣體，使地底下累積的蒸氣壓力增大，最後在火山口或斷層附近爆破地面而出，如今，小油坑仍保持著高度的活躍性，噴氣孔終年噴吐著高溫的含硫蒸氣。2022 年 7 月 12 日我們也曾來過此地，以下照片是這兩次出遊的照片。

* Note: If the video below on YouTube is blurry or of poor quality, you can change the quality to 1080p in the settings.
* 如果以下的油管影片模糊或畫質不佳，可在設置上更改畫質，改成 1080p。

Lengshuikeng 冷水坑

Lengshuikeng is located on the southeastern slope of Mt. Qixing, about 740 meters above sea level. It was originally a lake, but the water later dried up, exposing the lakebed to form a basin. It earned its name—which translates to "Cold Water Pit"—because its hot spring temperature is only 40°C (104°F), which is much cooler than the springs in surrounding areas. Another theory suggests the name comes from a spring hidden in a nearby stone cave; its water is clear, pure, free of sulfur and iron, and cold to the touch.

In 2025, we drove directly from Xiaoyoukeng to Qingtiangang. However, back in July 2022, we hiked the Lengqing Trail from Lengshuikeng to Qingtiangang, and this is a record of that journey. The Lengqing Trail is about 1.6 kilometers long. During the summer, the cicadas chirp in a chorus that, while not entirely deafening, is still incredibly loud. As soon as we set foot on the trail, we were greeted by beautiful bald cypresses. Not far along, we hit a fork in the road leading to Milk Lake. From there, we walked through a lush broad-leaved forest filled with fascinating insects and plants, which made the hike truly unforgettable.

冷水坑位於七星山的東南山麓，海拔約 740 公尺。此處原為一座湖泊，後因湖水乾涸，湖床裸露，因而形成了一處窪地。也因溫泉溫度只有40℃，遠低於其他地區泉溫度而得名。另有一種說法認為，此名源自於附近一處石洞內隱匿的泉水；該泉水質清澈純淨，不含硫磺與鐵質，且觸感冰涼。故名冷水坑。

2025 年，我們從小油坑直接開車到擎天崗。而在 2022 年 7 月，我們則由小油坑到冷水坑走冷擎步道至擎天崗。這是那段旅程的紀錄。冷擎步道全長約 1.6 公里。在夏天，蟬鳴聲雖然不是完全震耳欲聾，但仍然非常響亮。一踏上小路，迎接我們的是美麗的落羽松。走了沒多遠，就有一個叉路去牛奶湖。從那裡，我們穿過一片鬱鬱蔥蔥的闊葉林，裡面充滿了迷人的昆蟲和植物，讓這次的健行增加不少趣味。

Milk Lake is home to the only sedimentary sulfur deposit in Taiwan. Its observation deck is located right on the bowl-shaped edge of the volcanic crater. Although the volcano itself is no longer active, low-temperature hot springs still flow into the basin below. Over time, sulfur particles released by these springs have accumulated at the bottom of the lake, turning the water a milky-white color and forming this unique geological feature.
牛奶湖其實是台灣唯一的沉澱硫磺礦床，其觀景台正位於碗狀火山噴口邊緣之上，雖然火山已經不再活躍，但下方爆裂口內尚源源不絕的泊出低溫溫泉，日積月累之下，這些泉水所釋放的硫顆粒在湖底不斷沉積，不僅使湖水呈現出乳白色，更造就了這獨特的地理奇觀。
The Jingshan Suspension Bridge is the only suspension bridge in Yangmingshan National Park. Flowing beneath the bridge is Lengshuikeng Creek, a tributary of the upper Shuangxi River that carries a distinct scent of sulfur. The creek and its surrounding wetlands are home to a variety of aquatic plants, including bog bulrush, common rush, and feathery bogmoss.
菁山吊橋是陽明山國家公園園區內唯一的吊橋，橋下有硫磺味的溪水為冷水坑溪，乃雙溪源頭支流，其中生長著許多的水生及濕生植物，如水毛花、燈心草、狹葉泥炭蘚等。
From the ecological pond to Qingtiangang, the landscapes and creatures seen along the way.
從生態池到擎天崗，一路上看到的景觀及生物。
The last photo is the Pomponia linearis, I was very excited to get a close up photo and video of it.
最後一張照片是台灣騷蟬，我很興奮能有它的近距離照片及影片。
We are almost at Qingtiangang.
快到擎天崗了
When you see the cattle-avoiding piles (to avoid chasing by the wild cattles), you have reached the other end of the Lengqing Trail - Qingtiangang. There was no shade on the prairie, and the sun was shining brightly in July. I actually got heatstroke. I finally made it to the visitor center to enjoy some air conditioning and wait for my friend to go back to Lengshuikeng to get the car to pick us up.
看到避牛樁，就到了冷擎步道的另一頭--擎天崗。大草原上沒有遮陽的地方，七月艷陽高照，我居然中暑了，好不容易支撐到遊客中心吹冷氣，等朋友回去冷水坑拿車來接我們。

Qingtiangang 擎天崗

Qingtiangang is located at the heart of the Datun volcanic peaks. Formerly known as Daling or Niupu, it has served as a significant cattle grazing area since the late Qing Dynasty and throughout the Japanese colonial period. During the colonial era, Qingtiangang and its surrounding areas were designated as part of the "Daling Pass Ranch," where a cattle-fostering system was implemented. At its peak, the ranch supported around 1,600 head of cattle. Grazing primarily occurred from April to October, after which owners brought their cattle back to lower elevations to care for them during the colder months.

With the advent of agricultural mechanization, the grazing industry gradually declined, leading to a sharp decrease in cattle numbers. Some water buffaloes that were left unclaimed eventually became feral, forming the wild herds seen today. Because these buffaloes have developed strong defensive instincts, visitors are advised to maintain a safe distance and exercise caution. Originally, carpet grass was planted to support grazing, but over time, the grassland vegetation has been partially replaced by other plant species. Despite these changes, Qingtiangang’s lush, rolling meadows remain a favorite destination for outdoor activities and scenic outings. Below are the photos from our 2022 and 2025 visits.

擎天崗位於大屯火山群峰的核心地帶。此地舊稱「大嶺」或「牛埔」，自清末至日據時期，一直是重要的牛隻放牧區。在日據時期，擎天崗及其周邊區域被劃入「大嶺峠牧場」的範圍，並在此推行了牛隻寄養制度。極盛時期曾蓄養約 1,600 頭牛隻。放牧活動主要集中在每年的 4 月至 10 月；此後，牛主便會將牛隻帶回平地，以便在寒冷的冬季自行照顧。

隨著農業機械化的興起，放牧業逐漸衰退，導致牛群數量急劇減少。部分無人認領的水牛最終野化，形成如今可見的野生牛群。鑑於這些水牛已形成了強烈的自我防衛本能，建議遊客保持安全距離並提高警覺。起初，這裡引進栽植類地毯草是為了滿足放牧需求；但隨著時間的推移，草原植被已部分被其他植物物種所取代。儘管歷經這些變遷，擎天崗那片綠草如茵連綿的草原依然是人們從事戶外活動和觀光遊覽的熱門目的地。以下是我們於 2022 年和 2025 年造訪時拍攝的照片。

In the evening of 2025, we feasted on delicious food at the Michelin Bib Gourmand-recommended "Songzhu Garden" (No. 546, Yonggong Road, Shilin District, Taipei City).
2025 年晚上在米其林必比登推薦的「松竹園」(台北市士林區永公路546號) 大快朵頤。

References 參考資料

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