According to Hsu Hui-lung, who has thrown himself heart and soul into researching the history of the Lanyang plain, late in the rule of Qing emperor Qianlong (l736-1796) a Taiwanese aborigine of the plains walked from Taipei to Kavalan.
據潛心鑽研蘭陽史蹟的徐惠隆表示，乾隆末年時平埔族人走出了台北到噶瑪蘭的山路，即今天的淡蘭古道，從艋舺（萬華）經過水返腳（汐止）、暖暖、雙溪、貢寮而入，途中要翻越三貂嶺及草嶺兩座山。