Hiking in South Korea

Jirisan is Korea’s classic trek: a long, rolling ridge across three provinces with the highest summit on the mainland, Cheonwangbong (1,915 m), at its eastern end. The standard traverse starts at Seongsamjae or Hwaeomsa temple near Gurye, climbs to Nogodan, then follows the main ridge east past Banyabong and Byeoksoryeong to Jangteomok shelter, below the summit. Dawn on Cheonwangbong is the goal, then a steep descent to Jungsan-ri on the Sancheong side. Fit hikers do it in two days; three is more comfortable.

The ridge has a string of shelters, the largest being Seseok and Jangteomok. You must book them in advance (see Shelters below), and you cannot simply camp on the ridge. Water points sit at most shelters, and small shops sell instant noodles, but carry your own food.

For a lower, gentler alternative, the Jirisan Dulle-gil circles the foot of the mountain through farming villages, terraced fields and valleys in 21 stages, walked a day at a time with guesthouse stays.

Seoraksan packs Korea’s most rugged granite into a park 20 minutes from the sea. From the Sogongwon entrance, the half-day climb to Ulsanbawi ends in a long run of steel stairs above the East Sea. Daecheongbong, the 1,708 m summit, is a full day: the shortest route climbs steeply from Osaek, while the longer Cheonbuldong valley approach from Sokcho is the beauty, often split with a night in Huiungak shelter. Gongnyong ridge, the jagged spine between them, is one of the hardest days in the country and only for experienced hikers in dry weather.

Further down the eastern ranges, Odaesan has gentle forest walks between temples, and Sobaeksan has grassy ridges that turn pink with royal azaleas in late May. Near Ulsan, the group of peaks called the Yeongnam Alps is known for its silver grass meadows in October.

Hallasan is a long but non-technical day: Seongpanak (9.6 km) or Gwaneumsa (8.7 km) to the Baengnokdam crater, with a free reservation, checkpoint cutoff times and eight to nine hours return. The Yeongsil trail to Witse-oreum needs no booking and gives most of the views in three to four hours. In Hallasan National Park winter means deep snow and crampons.

The Jeju Olle Trail is the island’s other walk: 27 routes totalling 437 km, mostly along the coast between villages, black lava shores and oreum (small volcanic cones). Each route averages about 15 km and is marked with blue and orange ribbons and arrows. You can walk it end to end in about a month, or pick routes: Route 7 along the sea cliffs west of Seogwipo, or Route 1 past Seongsan Ilchulbong with a ferry hop to Udo.

Seoul is one of the best hiking cities in the world. Bukhansan’s Baegundae (836 m) is a four to five hour round trip from Gupabal station with a final scramble on fixed cables, and Dobongsan starts at the exit of Dobongsan station. For something shorter, Inwangsan follows the old city wall above Gyeongbokgung in about two hours, and Gwanaksan is a rocky half-day in the south.

The Seoul Trail strings these hills together in a loop of about 156 km around the city, split into 21 short sections that start and end at subway stations. Stamp booths along the way let you collect a completion certificate.

The Korea Dulle Trail is a 4,500 km network circling the whole country. Its finished eastern section, the Haeparang, runs 750 km in 50 routes from Oryukdo in Busan to the Goseong Unification Observatory near the DMZ, past fishing harbours, beaches and pine-backed headlands. Most people walk a few routes at a time; Gangneung and Sokcho are easy bases with bus links. The official Durunubi site and app have maps and GPX files in English.

Ulleungdo, a volcanic island about three hours by ferry from Pohang or Gangneung, has a steep forest climb to Seonginbong (987 m) and a coastal path at Haengnam with walkways over the sea. Ferries cancel often in rough weather, so leave a spare day. The islands and beaches guide covers getting there.

October is the best month: dry, clear and cool, with the foliage moving south from Seoraksan in mid-October to Jirisan and Naejangsan by early November. Late April to early June is the second season, with azaleas on the high ridges. July brings the monsoon and summer is hot and humid. Winter hiking is popular and beautiful, with rime ice on Deogyusan and snow on Hallasan, but you need crampons and short days limit the long routes. The best time to visit guide has the month-by-month weather.

• Entry: free in every national park. You pay for parking, cable cars, shelters and campsites.
• Shelters: booked on the Korea National Park Service reservation site, which has an English section. Bookings for the following month open on the 1st at 10am, each booking covers up to five people, and you check in between 3pm and 6pm with your passport. Weekend beds on Jirisan go within minutes. Shelters have a heated floor or bunks, blankets for hire and no showers.
• Cutoffs and closures: long trails stop admitting hikers in the early afternoon, and many ridges close in spring and autumn fire seasons and during heavy rain.
• Rules: no alcohol on summits or at shelters, no wild camping, no fires.
• Getting there: almost every trailhead is reachable by bus; see our getting around guide. Naver Map and Kakao Map show trails better than Google.
• Guides: not required anywhere, and trails are well marked, but few signs are in English away from the main parks.