交通路線可標示開發的方向、聚落形成的時間，甚至移民的種類。拓墾區的頭家常是錢修路、並且維持所修路線沿途治安者，也因而擁有了路權，進而有利於頭家募丁沿路拓墾。十七世紀中葉，往蛤仔蘭的道路以路為主，入清後，淡蘭間漸發展出多條陸上夜通路線。淡蘭古道，始成於原住民交通、漁獵所闢，繼而漢人據以拓墾山林，日內山要維持道路通暢不易，地方上各路權擁有者，各自招引同鄉拓墾，形成涇滑分明的移民路線。 淡蘭間的路徑又多又複雜，古道沿線的爭議大，本文試以查考故文獻、探查口碑、及以志書上道里印證的方式，查究清代淡蘭古道的路徑。本文認為漳人清初由艋舺沿基隆河，趨基隆後，循海陸行至三貂社，而後過嶐嶐嶺抵頭圍，合計204里；嘉慶年間改由瑞芳過三貂嶺；道光年間再闢草嶺路赴蘭，全程約174里，此亦為清末官民赴蘭的三貂正道。泉人初由艋舺之大考林進山，從內山抵宜東勢之溪洲。而後改由深坑、考林入蘭；泉人路線支線多、路程皆約一百里上下，行程雖較短，但需穿越內山，沿線經常有遭泰雅族殺害廢莊之事，官方不願修路，所以泉人路線一直沒有發展出公認的正道。

Traffic routes indicate direction of development, period of settlement formation, and forms of immigration. Heads of uncultivated land developers spent money to construct roads and they were usually the right owners and safeguards of the roads. This ownership helped in hiring developers by the heads. In the middle age of the 17th century, developers went to Ko-ma-land (噶瑪蘭) mainly by the water way. In the Ch’ing dynasty, there developed many land routes between Tan-shui and Ko-ma-lan. These old Tan-Lan routes were originally developed for traffic and hunting by aborigines. Thereafter, the Chinese immigrants utilized these routes to develop uncultivated land. Because of the difficulty in maintaining the currency of the routes, distinct immigration routes had been developed by local route-right owners and their country fellows. In view of the variety, complexity, and ambiguity of old Tan-Lan routes, paper is aimed to clarify and verify the Ch’ing Dynasty’s Tan-Lan routes by referring to old literature, folk tales, and country records. Results indicate that the initial route developed by Jangs (漳人) was from Meeng-Ka(艋舺) and along Kee-Lurng river to Kee-Lurng area. It ended at Tou-Wei (頭圍) after passing San-Diau Village (三貂社) and Lurng-Lurng Mountain (嶐嶐嶺). The total distance was 102 kilometers. In Chia-Cheng Era(嘉慶年間) of the Ch’ing Dynasty, to arrive San-Diau Village, the route was changed to pass Rueih-Fang instead of Kee-Lurng. In Dow-Kuang Era (道光年間), the route to Lan of 87 kilometers was thorugh Tsaau-Liing(草嶺) and away form Lung-Lung Mountain. This was the main route in the latter Ch’ing Dynasty. Chyuarns (泉人) departed initially form Meeng-Ka to Dah-Ping-Lin(大坪林), and arrived at Shi-Jou(溪洲) of Duyng-Shyh(東勢). Later, the route was changed to a new one from Shen-Keng(深坑) and Ping-Lin(坪林) to Lan. The new routes that had many branches, although and a distance of roughly 50 kilometers, were easily attacked by aborigines who would kill intruders. Therefore, Chyuarns have never developed any official main routes.