Mountain park · Gangwon
Seoraksan
설악산국립공원
Granite spires and the country's most famous autumn colour, near Sokcho.
The best-known mountain park in Korea and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1982. Daecheongbong tops out at 1,708m, the third-highest point in the country.
Most visitors start from Sogongwon near Sokcho, where a cable car runs up towards Gwongeumseong and the path to the great rock dome of Ulsanbawi begins. Come in October and you will not be alone — the foliage here draws crowds from the whole country.
Photograph by Taewangkorea, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. 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.
Bus
Express bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Sokcho, about 2h 30m, then local bus 7 or 7-1 to the Sogongwon park entrance. This is the standard route and runs frequently.
Train
No direct line. The KTX to Gangneung (about 2h) then a bus north to Sokcho works, but the direct coach is simpler and usually quicker.
Car
About three hours on the Yeongdong expressway. Parking at Sogongwon fills early on autumn weekends — arrive before eight or don't drive.
Wildlife & plants
Animals
Long-tailed goral, a cliff-dwelling wild goat and a protected species, lives on the crags here. Also Eurasian otter, musk deer, marten and, at altitude, the Korean hare. Peregrines and golden eagles use the rock faces.
Trees & flowers
One of the richest botanical sites in Korea — over a thousand plant species. Korean fir and dwarf pine on the summit ridge, and the autumn maple that draws the October crowds.
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
Sobaeksan
Open grassy ridges at 1,400m, and royal azaleas at the end of May.
Songnisan
Beopjusa temple and its great bronze Buddha, under a rocky ridge.
Taeanhaean
Beaches, dunes and mudflats along the west coast.