WHAT TO EXPECT

The hike starts with a dramatic elevation gain that left us (embarrassingly) out of breath within the first thirty minutes. Luckily, the trail has so many beautiful viewpoints that we were happy take it slow and enjoy the climb. The path was pleasantly shaded from the sun and well-maintained, complete with water stations and seating areas, so it was easy to spend hours out there without getting too hot or worn out. In addition to the beautiful views, Shoushan kept us on our toes with its varied terrain, which ranged from flat, paved roads to a trail that was so steep and rocky that we had to physically pull ourselves up using ropes. Whether it’s a strenuous climb or a relaxed stroll, Shoushan has what you’re looking for!

We originally planned on doing the seven mile loop that was listed on AllTrails, but ended up having a more unorganized adventure, meandering to various lookouts and pavilions, following whichever path looked more promising at the moment. As I said before, the trails are very well marked and maintained, but the signs are pretty inconsistent. We would walk on a trail to a certain pavilion for miles, only to check the next sign and find that pavilion had mysteriously disappeared or we had somehow passed it. Either way, we had a great time wandering around and were able to find a lot of great lookouts and places to hang out.