Which Taiwan highway passes through Taroko Gorge?

Taiwan’s Central Cross-Island Highway passes through Taroko Gorge.

Also designated Provincial Highway 8, the road crosses Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range between western and eastern Taiwan. Its eastern section descends through Taroko National Park, following the Liwu River and entering the spectacular marble-walled gorge. The Taroko National Park administration identifies Highway 8 as the road that traverses the gorge.

Construction began on 7 July 1956, and the highway first opened to traffic on 9 May 1960. It was built to connect Taiwan’s east and west, while also supporting settlement, transport and economic development in the mountainous interior. The route reaches high mountain areas near Dayuling before dropping toward Taroko.

The Suhua Highway is an easy distractor because it connects with the Central Cross-Island Highway near Taroko and also serves the broader Hualien region. It is not the highway that runs through the gorge itself. Highway 8 is also known for landslides, earthquakes and severe weather; the 1999 Jiji earthquake caused major damage to parts of its western route.