Hiking in La Trinidad : Tayawan View Deck and Mt. Kalugong

After hiking Mt. Yangbew (post here), my friend and I walked back to Tawang Barangay Hall. Just outside its building is a path that leads to our next stop, Tayawan view deck. 
 Similar to the start to Mt. Yangbew, we were welcomed by a steep trail, but thankfully, not as "breath-taking". 

Interestingly, there is a cemetery built on a mountainside along the trail, so we walked  quietly as we passed tombs out of respect for the deceased. 

It took around 30 minutes to get to the shed  of Tayawan View Deck. Fortunately, we had the spot to ourselves. It was almost 12 noon and the sun was out to play but we could hardly feel its heat as the breeze was cool. Once again, we put on our jackets, slumped on the benches and ate our snacks. 

From where we sat, we can see houses and other structures in La Trinidad. Gazing down, everything looked like tiny, colorful Legos scattered at the foot of mountains. 
Tayawan View Deck in Barangay Tawang, La Trinidad
From Tayawan view deck, we followed a trail to Mt. Kalugong, our last stop.
Again, the trail was easy to spot and unlike the first two trails we did, it was much easier but still scenic. Along the way, we spotted huge rock formations at the side of the trail.
Trail from Tayawan view deck to Mt. Kalugong
Behind us, a view of Mt. Yangbew. It was amusing to see where we were a few hours earlier. :)

The hike from Tayawan to Mt. Kalugong took less than an hour. We emerged at the side of the eco park where we found nice picnic tables, tree swings and traditional huts. There's also a store selling snacks. After paying the entrance fee (50 Pesos), we explored the area to check out more rock formations.
One of the numerous areas in Mt. Kalugong where you can see La Trinidad.
To be honest, climbing over rock formations has become very scary for me every since my rock climbing accident in 2009 where my left leg got stitched up and took months before I fully recovered.  If it wasn't for my brave friend Jules, I may have skipped the rocks at Mt. Kalugong, which would be a shame because seeing clouds hovering over the town below was beautiful, truly a must see for nature lovers!

Mt. Kalugong has several small peaks that can accommodate several small groups. Though there were other visitors, we enjoyed a quiet time and even met the friendly manager of its cliff side cafe! (Check it out here.)

On the way down, we took the road to Barangay Cruz which is close to the main road to La Trinidad where you can take a jeep or cab back to Baguio city. This is also the road used by non-hikers or people who just want to enjoy the park's facilities at Mt. Kalugong. You can actually take your vehicle or cab all the way up to the entrance. 

How to Get to Mt. Kalugong 
From the jeepney terminal along Magsaysay Avenue in Baguio city, take a jeep bound for La Trinidad and asked to be dropped off at Barangay Cruz (Upper). Your marker would be Baguio Memorial Services which is an establishment along the main road. From there, ask for directions to Mt. Kalugong. You can also take a cab either from Baguio or La Trinidad town proper until you're close to the park entrance. Take note that Mt. Kalugong is in Barangay Tawang but is accessible from Barangay Cruz. 

Entrance Fee : 50 PHP

Check out my post about other easy hike in La Trinidad, Mt. Yangbew. :)

Other helpful resources:

https://roamulofied.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/mount-kalugong/
http://www.pagnapagna.com/2015/11/mt-tayawan.html
http://francramon.com/taleofthetrail-mount-kalugong-and-mount-yangbo-la-trinidad-benguet








Past adventures

Show more