The Number 7 Northern Cross-Island Road (台7線 / 北橫) between the Dahan Bridge (大漢橋) at 49.4K and the Ming Chih Forest Recreation Resort (明池國家森林遊樂區) at 66.5K is the most productive stretch of herping (snake hunting) road in all of Taiwan. Due to its geographical location, it provides a habitat overlap point for over 35 different species of snakes. As you drive east, up towards the Ming Chih Forest Recreation Resort (明池國家森林遊樂區), you’ll also have the opportunity to see monkeys, flying squirrels, Reeve’s muntjacs, masked palm civets, ferret badgers, pangolins, Swinhoe’s pheasants, serpent eagles, lizards, butterflies, beetles, and an astonishing amount of other diverse wildlife. The road is a slip of asphalt that cuts through dense mountain forest, at times along steep cliffs, and at others right next to the cascading mountain river. The views of the trees changing color in the fall are spectacular. This cache is located at an abandoned brick gate a few meters off the downslope side of the road. The gate is a curious feature here, as it’s hard to imagine what it was built to lead to, other than a precipitous drop down the mountain.