Jirisan National Park

Jirisan holds a special place in Korean hiking culture as the country's very first national park, designated back in 1967, and spending even a day here makes it easy to understand why.

The mountain massif sprawls across three provinces, anchored around Cheonwangbong peak at 1,915 metres, and the landscape shifts dramatically as you climb — from dense broadleaf forests threaded with Buddhist temples to exposed granite ridgelines where the wind hits hard and the views stretch endlessly south toward the coast.

What sets Jirisan apart from the more compact parks like Seoraksan is sheer scale and wildness. The Nogodan to Cheonwangbong ridge traverse takes two to three days and passes through genuine backcountry. Keep your eyes open in the quieter forest sections around Baemsagol Valley and along the Dullegil trail network — Asiatic black bears have been reintroduced here, and sightings, while uncommon, do happen.

Red squirrels and goshawks are far more reliable companions. Temples like Ssanggyesa, near the Hadong gateway, sit in cathedral-like groves of old zelkova trees that feel genuinely ancient.

Overnight hikers must book designated mountain shelters in advance through the Korea National Park reservation system; spots fill weeks ahead during autumn. The entrance fee is modest, currently around 1,600 won for adults, though this can vary. From Hadong or Gurye towns, local buses reach the main trailheads reasonably well, but a taxi saves time if you are working to a tight schedule.

Proper layering is essential — even in summer, the upper ridges turn cold by evening.

Autumn (late October to early November) is the most spectacular season for colour, but spring cherry blossoms along the Ssanggyesa approach trail run it very close.