Walking ancient trails has long been a great way to learn about local history. The two-century-old Baojia Ancient Trail reveals from the name Baojia that it was constructed during the Qing Dynasty period. Previously, it was also known as "Tiaodan Ancient Trail," a name reflecting its role as a crucial path for porters traveling between Xinwu, Hsinchu, and Taoyuan's Daxi when the Yangmei Laoke neighborhood lacked external communication roads. It was mainly used to transport agricultural products such as persimmons, citrus fruits, tea, and camellia oil.
The trail originally spanned 20 kilometers, but due to years of disrepair, it became overgrown for decades. In 2014, residents of Yongning Village devoted six months to manually restoring 750 meters of the Baojia Ancient Trail using traditional methods passed down by their ancestors. The circular cobblestones on the trail were sourced from the Laoke Creek nearby. Villagers meticulously recreated the historical freight scenario by placing large stones in the center and smaller stones on both sides according to fixed patterns, ensuring a slope below 5 percent. Although reconstructing the trail using Hakka traditional methods was more time-consuming and laborious than employing concrete pouring, it offered better water permeability, avoided disrupting the original ecological habitat, enhanced soil and water conservation, and demonstrated local residents' love and care for their land.
Starting from the entrance mural wall along LaoZhuang Road, visitors will find along the way facilities such as trail maps, tea-serving pavilions, informative exhibition pavilions, and decorative stone sculptures, allowing travelers to experience Hakka village culture firsthand. The flat trail is especially suitable for family outings. Venturing into this quiet ancient trail amidst lush tea gardens and camellia oil plantations brings a sense of tranquility. During May's white camphor blossom season, many flower enthusiasts flock to admire the breathtaking sight of blooming white camphor trees lining the canopy. The rest pavilion located at a high point of the trail offers a fantastic vantage, providing panoramic views of the Yangsheng Golf Course and the romantic white blossoms swaying in the forest beyond.