Ready to go hiking during fall colors while here in Korea? There are some beautiful and colorful destinations you can hike in the fall to see all the beauty of the area. Let us help you visit the mountains and take in some scenic views!
Fall colors in South Korea are badass and you should get out to see them
Fall in South Korea holds incredible beauty and the mountains turn into a stunning vista painted with an assortment of vibrant colors. I’m sure you have all seen images of the stunning reds, yellows, purples, and oranges that wash across the valleys as far as the eye can see. Every travel blogger and website in Korea has told you how much you need to take a pilgrimage to a tall mountain, but here are a few things they might now have talked about.
What is the traffic like when visiting the mountains in the fall?
The traffic during the fall could be considered the seventh level of hell. Plan on experiencing some of the worst traffic of your life. A 1.5 hour drive could take 5-6 hours easily. A 3-4 hour drive could turn into an 8-10 hour drive. This is why, if you can manage it, don’t drive your own vehicle when you go hiking at a national park in the fall. Instead, find a local tour company and go with them on a bus. This is because buses have their own lanes on many freeways, their own bus parking, and you can sleep or relax while stuck in traffic. It’s worth all your money to avoid driving in epic traffic.
How can I view the fall colors in the South Korean mountains without driving my car?
If you can’t go on a bus tour, at least go with a few people who you can laugh within the car while you sit in traffic. Also, pack plenty of snacks and things to do. Make sitting in the traffic part of the plan. Additionally, get on the road by 7am and don’t try to come back until late in the evening. Even with the terrible traffic, visiting the national parks in the fall is 100% worth it!
How crowded are the South Korean mountains in the fall?
Basically, you will hike up the mountain with a small city of people, and that is not a bad thing. Plan on hiking with more people than you ever have in your life. The popular Korean national parks are packed to capacity during the fall season, especially on weekends. If you go during the weekdays and during the mornings you might get lucky, but no promises. Plan on being shoulder to shoulder on the hike up the mountain. Embrace it and welcome it because you can’t fight it. Hiking during the fall in South Korea isn’t about being alone, it’s about being together.
While hiking other people on the trail will be in a great mood. Expect there to be lots of drinks consumed, laughter and banter, and a communal warmth that fills the chilly fall air. I have personally had some of my best times in Korea hanging out with strangers in the mountains. There is something about the beauty that brings us all together. The crowds are part of the unique magic of hiking the mountains in South Korea in the fall.
What kind of food and restaurants are in the mountains of South Korea in the fall?
Mountain food is the best food in Korea. Fight me on that, you can’t change my mind. At least that is my opinion and the opinion of many Koreans. We all go to the mountains to specifically eat mountain cuisine. Korean pancake is especially delicious in the mountains. So is the acorn jelly. Also, mountain bibimbap is the only bibimbap I like, and I LOVE it. They use foods traditionally foraged from the mountains. Such things as ferns, greens, and mushrooms. It’s delicious beyond words. That said, mountain food tastes different. If you don’t like new flavors, consider bringing your own meals because western food isn’t super popular in the mountains.
What are the mountain views like in the fall in South Korea?
As previously mentioned, expansive mountain views of fall colors in South Korea look badass. When you get to the top of the mountain and look out across the fall colors, it’s spectacular. Below I’m going to share my three favorite parks for spectacular expansive views. It changes the way you see the country to stand on top of the mountains and look out at the beautiful expanse. It can’t be put into words. All the struggles are 100% worth it
The Jeong (정)
Korean hiking less about the sights and more about the jeong. Let me explain. I hate hiking. It’s stupid to walk up something for no reason. I complain every step of the way. I complain about everything that has pissed me off in the last twelve months. I’m not alone in this. All around me people are complaining. Everyone is miserable on the hike. We live in cities. We are out of shape. The mountain grandmas race past us all and leave us in the dust. We aren’t there to be happy, we are there to share an experience.
However, we aren’t unhappy.
There is joy in misery. We are laughing and smiling and being totally miserable together. When we get to the top of the mountain, we turn to each other and say, “AHHHHH, this is perfect.” We talk about how it was all worth it and we congratulate each other for surviving the struggle. We smile and talk about how terrible it was but we overcame it. You would be amazed at how healing this feels. To come together with strangers and struggle to overcome something and see the reward at the top.
Suffering to experience beauty together sums up Korean life. It is the experience of jeong that sits at the center of what it is to be Korean. Jeong is why we wear our masks and stay home this year. Jeong is how Koreans came together after the war and suffered great hardship to grow from the world’s poorest country to a leading economic power in just one generation. Fall hikes aren’t about the beauty of the mountains, they are about the beauty of the culture
Beopjusa
043-543-3615
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
충북 보은군 속리산면 법주사로 379
One of Korea’s most stunning temple complexes. An easy walk from town with hiking that takes off into the mountains.
Beopjusa address (Copy and paste into preferred Maps System): 충청북도 보은군 속리산면 법주사로 287
Seoraksan National Park
Seoraksan National Park address (Copy and paste into preferred Maps System): 강원도 속초시 설악동 227
Daedunsan Provincial Park
Hangul Address
전북 완주군 운주면 대둔산공원길 55
Gorgeous hiking with a scary ladder, cool bridge, and cable car.
Daedunsan Provincial Park address (Copy and paste into preferred Maps System): 전라북도 완주군 운주면 대둔산공원길 11
Want to Hike All the Korean National Parks in a Year
If you are looking to do more than just hiking during fall colors in Korea, check out our one-year plan to help you visit all the Korean National Parks! You may need a car or a friend with a car, but it is possible to visit all of these parks in one year. In addition, South of Seoul created the National Parks Adventure Map in 2021 and it’s been a huge hit since then. The adventure map is printed on canvas so that it can travel with you during your trips or it can survive family life on the fridge. It’s your weekly motivation so watch your progress toward your goal!
Join Camp Humphreys Hike and Bike
If you would like to join a wonderful hiking community then Camp Humphreys Hike and Bike is the group for you! The group was created by folks at the Camp Humphreys US Army Base in Pyeongtaek and they welcome everyone.
Founded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences.
