Mountain park · South & North Jeolla
Naejangsan
내장산국립공원
The country's most photographed autumn maples, in early November.
Naejangsan is not high — 763m at Sinseonbong — but for two or three weeks each autumn it is one of the busiest places in Korea. The maple tunnel on the approach to Naejangsa temple is the shot everybody comes for.
The ridge forms a horseshoe around the valley, and walking the rim is a good way to escape the crowds on the valley floor.
Photograph by Café Bene, licensed under CC0. Resized for this page.
Getting there from Seoul
Door-to-door estimates for a normal day; they stretch on a holiday weekend. Check the timetable before you rely on a last bus back.
Train
KTX to Jeongeup, about 1h 40m, then a local bus or taxi for the last 20 minutes. In peak foliage season extra services run.
Bus
Express coach to Jeongeup, around 3h.
Car
About three hours. Don't drive in the first two weeks of November unless you enjoy queueing — the approach road gridlocks.
Wildlife & plants
Animals
Wild boar and roe deer, plus a well-known colony of bats in the caves near Geumseon valley.
Trees & flowers
The reason to come. The maple tunnel on the approach to Naejangsa is around a hundred years old, and the park holds several maple species that turn at slightly different times, which stretches the season. Also a large natural stand of nutmeg yew.
Korea’s wildlife is shy and mostly nocturnal — you’re far more likely to see tracks than animals. Wild boar are the one to know about: keep your distance, don’t run, and never get between a sow and her young.
More parks
Odaesan
A thousand-metre fir forest and two of Korea's most important temples.
Palgongsan
Korea's newest national park, and the stone Buddha everyone climbs to.
Seoraksan
Granite spires and the country's most famous autumn colour, near Sokcho.