This amazing, high, secret gem of a mountain belongs to our county! Living in Inje, I felt really proud that beautiful Bangtaesan (방태산) was ours. It was quite a journey to get to it, however. Bangtaesan is about as far from the town of Inje as it could be and still be in the same county!
But, then again, we took the slow bus there. I’m glad we did, as allowed us to savor the rugged, remote landscape of Gangwon province. The bus took us as far as Girin-myeon. Then, after a little searching, we found a taxi to Bangtaesan Recreation Forest on the mountain slopes.
It was a bit of a sneaky start. The gates were closed and a big map had updated closure signs indicating the mountain wouldn’t reopen until May 22nd – and this was May 14th. As an added bonus, when we sneaked in anyways, there was a whole crew of construction workers just up the road to witness our sneaking.
But we were in – and we were doing it! The trail proper was a few kilometers up the road, past several ongoing water management construction projects. A sign posted at the trail recommended a clockwise loop, so we went for it.
We ascended in a lush and shady forest. The trail was runnable only in the beginning, and then it turned into a steady climb. It was quite sustained: about 3k up to the ridge!
We saw lots of scat and heard rustlings in the bushes. Kent and I imagined the different kinds of animals living in this wild, natural corridor near the Baekdudaegan.
The ridge, when we reached it, was runnable! It was a proper ridge, with valleys to either side, but not overly steep. At first, the trail led us through a sparse but scenic forest of young trees. The difference between the warm, lush forest in the valleys and the far cooler, windier forest up top was quite stark!
A little later on, we burst suddenly out above the forest. There would, perhaps, have been terrific views if not for the poor air quality on this spring Saturday.
The first peak, Guryeongbong, was outfitted with three nice viewing platforms arranged around a central weather station. Odaesan was supposed to be visible to the south, and Seoraksan to the east. We caught hazy views of two of our favorite national parks.
We ran on to Jueokbong, the main peak, through a forest that was reminiscent of Seoraksan in its foliage and Odaesan in its remote naturalness and gentle slopes. There are two steles, one in wood and set beside a large stone cairn, the other in stone on slightly higher ground, near a closed area of trail. The first Jueokbong is bare, allowing for great views, while the second is in a cozy grove of dwarf trees.
It was a pretty peak and we celebrated there, but couldn’t linger long due to the poor AQ. Running down, we encountered fellow hikers for the first time. We did stop again to enjoy a photogenic stream, dipping our feet in the icy water!
After a short stretching session near the recreation forest entrance, we returned the way we came by calling our taxi friend and then taking a local bus back home. What a great day trip!
The next time we visited Bangtaesan, it was for a race! Four months later, we got to test out new trails and scale the peak again during Wild Trail Inje! This was our first and only experience volunteering for sweeping duty. Bangtaesan was wonderful all over again, but the race experience was truly wild.
KNOW AND GO! BANGTAESAN
TRANSPORTATION
This peak is about as remote as it gets. Bangtaesan is smack in the middle of Gangwondo. There are no cities nearby. But don’t let that worry you. First, it is possible to get here (mostly) by bus. Also, if you do have to make multiple hops, you’ll be glad you visited Bangtaesan!
Our journey was more complicated because, despite being in the same county, our town wasn’t very well-connected with destinations to the north and south.
So we had to take a slow bus, but you don’t! New highway #60 from Seoul to Gangneung means that you can take an express bus directly to Girin-myeon, the small town closest to the mountain. Once there, you face a long walk on the road or a short taxi ride to Bangtaesan Natural Recreation Forest.
HIKE & RUN
The recommended course on Bangtaesan is a clockwise loop. I think this is a very well-designed route, because it really showcases the wonders of the mountain: forest, summit, waterfalls and river access.
But there are other routes too! When we first visited Bangtaesan in May, a trail on the spine of the mountain to the west was closed. But we got to experience that section in September when we joined Wild Trail Inje! Check Naver maps for current trail conditions, or head out with a Korean friend!
STAY & EAT
When we visited, it seemed like the natural recreation forest was in development. I think there are now numerous accommodation options, including camping and pensions, but I’m less certain about food options.
Because we were living in Inje at the time, this was something of a shorter outing for us: no rental car, no midnight driving, no bulging backpacks full of snacks…But it’s possible that for you, it may be the opposite! Why not stay awhile and enjoy more of gorgeous Gangwondo?
OTHER NOTES
Bangtaesan might be remote, but it’s well-loved: it’s included on both lists of 100 summits in the country. Check out the Korea Forest Service notes here, and the Black Yak notes here.
Kent and I ran a wonderful, 16k loop of Bangtaesan in May 2018. We also returned in September 2018 for 33 kilometers of Wild Trail Inje!
Bangtaesan is a big, classic Gangwondo mountain. It stands 1444 meters tall and offers terrific views of nearby national park peaks! But in addition to the summit(s), I’d definitely recommend making the most of your time there and enjoying time in the forest and streams along the way.
Lots more mountains await on the 120 summits page!
Have a really lovely time on Bangtaesan, my friend!