The road is paved to 13.5k, accessible by four-wheeled vehicles to 19k, then only passable on foot.
Ruisui Forest Road 瑞穗林道, formerly Sanmin Forest Road 三民林道 lies in the Xiuguluan River catchment 屬秀姑巒溪集水區 in Zhuoxi 卓溪鄉 and Wanrong townships 萬榮鄉 of Hualien County. The lower part of the road is chiefly used to access serpentinite mines. Serpentinite 蛇紋岩 minerals are rich in magnesium and water, light to dark green, greasy looking and slippery feeling, are formed by serpentinization, a hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the earth's mantle. The main activity along the upper reaches of the road today is afforestation. After 19 k the road is only passable on foot. At 32k there is a mining warehouse marking a trailhead to the South Section 3 trail 南三段 also known as the Danda-Dongjun Traverse 丹大東郡橫斷.