Cheonggyesan (청계산)

A familiar mountain face. A journey into our past – and our future. It was late November 2017, and we were running the well-worn route between Cheonggyesan (청계산) and Gwanggyosan (광교산). I’ve nicknamed this the ‘summits over the city route’ – and it was here that Kent and I got our start in the mountains of Korea.

A photo capturing the beautiful autumn scenery around Cheonggyesan mountain. This picture, taken from a peak slightly south of Cheonggyesan along the route to Gwanggyosan, looks back towards the summit. The forested, south-facing slopes are all orange, and especially brilliant in the early morning sun. Several power towers dot the mountain slopes, looking like little Eiffel Towers. A thick, cottony cloud fills the valley in between the shady, still-green slopes of this peak and Cheonggyesan's orange sides. The image is also nicely framed by a ring of orange foliage.

In 2014, we lived near the base of Gwanggyosan. We’d completed a couple of marathons, and had grand plans of setting off to Nepal for a month of trekking when our contracts were up. To get ready for that, and to challenge ourselves anew, we began to explore the mountains near our home.

We’d first climbed our neighborhood mountain in 2013, actually, while visiting a friend who lived in the area before we did. In 2014, we were there every weekend. A regular routine was established: we’d bike along the river to the trail-head, stash our bikes and climb to the top. But those hikes seemed to only stoke our curiosity. The trail did not stop at the peak. Where did it go? We decided we had to know.

A selfie containing the author and her husband in the foreground and two of their friends in the background. Kent's face is half in sun and half in shadow, and Carrie's is totally in the shade of Kent's head. Behind this pair, another pair are perched on a rock. Both Alicia and Dan are bleached white by the bright sunlight, but look smilingly towards the camera. Above the grey rocks, green foliage fills the background.
Good times on Gwanggyosan

That summer, every weekend we’d go a bit further on the trail. We’d come down in different neighborhoods to explore and then find our way home. Eventually we walked all the way to Cheonggyesan! As our adventures grew longer and longer, we started to see ourselves a little differently. Previously, we’d defined ourselves as road runners and cyclists who loved nature. We’d done our workouts on the pavement, and then relaxed in the forest. That was all changing now.

Back then, we weren’t running in the mountains yet. Running was reserved for those weekday 5k’s along the river and some weekend long runs. We’d hike Gwanggyosan at a relaxed pace, wearing huge backpacks filled with enough sandwiches and water to stay out from dawn til dusk. We were content just to be on the trail. Trail running would come later.

A portrait of the author in the forest of Gwanggyosan. She's sitting on a rock, facing away from the camera but with her head turned towards it. She's wearing a black sweater and knee-length leggings, and has a large bottle of Pocari Sweat in her lap. Her large purple backpack is beside her on the rock. Aside from the brown dirt trail at her feet, the rest of the image is of the thick trunks and green leaves of trees in the forest.
Me in the mountains

By the end of that year, we were mountain people. We’d been transformed: there was nowhere else we’d rather be. Our local climbs inspired us into tackling bigger challenges: in autumn of 2014, we climbed Korea’s big three mountains: Hallasan, Jirisan and Seoraksan. All of these days in Korea’s mountains prepared us well for our Annapurna adventure, and years of other mountain adventures that would follow.

So, returning to this particular trail in 2017 was a special treat. It felt like a homecoming. This adventure would marry a familiar route with our new running ways. And, we’d be traveling in the reverse direction to get new views of old sights!

Cheonggyesan also has the distinction of being the first mountain we’d climbed (again) since learning about the 100 summits challenge. We had not officially committed yet to scaling every peak on the list, but we were awfully tempted. Already in Seoul for the weekend, we decided this trail warranted a revisit. It would give us a peek into the kinds of mountains that were on the list.

We started our 2017 adventure before dawn, taking a taxi from our motel to the main trail-head. Recognizing the trail instantly, we ran uphill by the light of our headlamps. This being such an urban setting, we were surprised to find ourselves completely alone on the mountain slopes. But, the silence seemed a wonderful gift; one I did not take for granted.

The trail was a simple ribbon leading through the forest and eventually up a series of numbered stairs.

In this vertical image, taken on a previous hike, a set of wooden steps is the subject. Each stair has a tiny metal plaque bolted into its side, bearing a number. This number is corresponds to how many steps there are to reach the top! Numbers 1413 to 1417 are in focus here.
Yep, 1400+. I like that someone counted!

We made it to the top long before sunrise. Unable to remember how easy or challenging our ~25 kilometer route was, we thought we’d better start early. Turns out, we were really early – too early even for photos!

A portrait of Cheonggyesan's Maebong peak before dawn. The beam of the author's headlamp illuminates just the middle of the summit stele, so that the characters for Maebong can be read. The irregular shape of the grey stone is visible, but everything beyond this small circle of light is black.
Maebong!

But we had the whole day ahead of us. Even before the sky showed signs of brightening, it wasn’t quite dark. The orange glow of the city below spread over the lower slopes of the forest. It was beautiful in its own way – a contrast to the inky nights and remote peaks of our home in Gangwondo.

We headed off down the ridge past the peak. The sky lightened in increments until we finally could turn off our headlamps and look beyond our shoes. Orange leaves carpeted the forest floor, with a few left clinging to the branches of trees.

A photograph of the trail leading around Cheonggyesan's main (closed) peak. Huge grey boulders rise up out of view on the upper left side of the frame. The forest floor is covered by a carpet of orange leaves. Several slender, dark brown tree trunks rise up through the frame. Some have a few orange leaves still clinging to their branches. The trail cuts diagonally through the image, a fairly wide ribbon of dirt lined by wooden posts and rope.
Cheonggyesan trail

Some movement in a clearing ahead alerted us to the fact that we were not actually alone on the ridge this morning. There was a mountain cat, prowling around up there with us! It was extremely friendly and accepted many pats. For the first time, I sort of regretted that we don’t go do our mountain missions carrying little dried fish or something. But this cat looked well-fed. We suspected him of taking advantage of the mountain-top vendors that line the ridge in the daylight hours.

An image of Kent and a cat. The cat is in the foreground, on the dirt close to the camera. It looks away, down towards its paws. Kent stands some distance away, looking at it. There is a gate between the two that serves to count the number of hikers on this route. The sky is bright with first light, and the ground is scattered with fallen leaves.
A portrait of the author with the cat. She is crouched down near the ground beside the cat. She smiles towards the camera while patting the cat with a mittened hand. She is still wearing her headlamp!

The morning continued to brighten as we ran on to Isubong. But the warmth built slowly, and I kept my mittens on. We were following the Uiwang heart mountain signs that we recognized.

It wasn’t until Guksabong that we saw the sun. Finally, a little warm golden light! In my mind, this is where Cheonggyesan ends. That’s because immediately after this peak, the trail descends to a pass. On the other side of a dramatic pedestrian bridge spanning Haogogae, the trail continues, now heading towards Gwanggyosan.

A photograph of the author atop Guksabong peak! She is facing away from the camera, tracing one fingertip over the writing on the summit stele. She's wearing a mint sweater and black and grey leggings. A tall lightning rod/telecommunications tower rises up from behind the stele, alongside a wooden bench. In the distance, white clouds are woven in and amongst amber peaks and power towers. This early morning sunlight is soft but has a warm hue.
Guksabong!

As we began this descent, a thick orange mist completely enveloped the trail. It was pretty magical! I ran down to the bridge in the unusual light, chasing my husband and reminiscing about all the times we’d climbed up this way.

An image of Kent on a forest trail suffused with golden mist. He faces away from the camera, heading down the mountain on a leaf-strewn trail. The leaves carpeting the forest floor are extra orange in the warm yellow light of the sunlit mist.
A photograph of a large and beautifully constructed pedestrian bridge. This bridge crosses highway 57 and connects Cheonggyesan to Gwanggyosan. Here, the Gwanggyosan side is almost lost in the thick fog.
The bridge over Haogogae
A vertical photograph capturing the grandeur of the Haogogae pedestrian bridge...and Kent running over it. Huge white railings line the sides, and a massive white column rises up from the center. Kent, near this central post, is a tiny figure.

Our saffron-hued run continued. I noticed more details on the signs and in the scenery. All of the mountains we’d explored between then and now, and all of the running we’d done seemed to have made me sharper; more attuned to and at home in the forest.

This fun trail undulates over a series of mountain peaks. It’s easy and pretty runnable from start to finish, so we both got kind of lost in our thoughts and in the rhythm of our movement. The crisp fall air was perfect for running: constant motion kept us warm and cool breezes pulled any sweat from our skin. We ate and drank only occasionally.

An image of Kent tying his shoe on a bench behind the summit stele of Uiwang Baegunsan. This Baegunsan, one of many scattered across the peninsula, is near Gwanggyosan, and is backed by a lovely observation deck.
It’s a Baegunsan!
A portrait of a wild cat, slinking around near the summit of Baegunsan. This was the author's second cat sighting of the day! It is treading through the leaf litter at the base of a tree. Beyond is a well-developed rest area complete with a gazebo, benches and a large map.
And another mountain cat!
A close-up on a handmade sign strung on the trunk of a tree. The sign reads 'Gwanggyosan' and an arrow points down. The trail leading down is visible along the left side of the frame. It's bordered by wooden railings to either side. Behind the tree, the forest is covered in orange leaf litter.

Now, approaching the popular peak of Gwanggyosan and well into mid-morning, we began to see groups of hikers on the trail. While I’d appreciated the serenity of having the trail all to ourselves until this point, the colorful crowds and cries for maekgeolli were exactly what I recalled about this area, and just right.

We lingered on Gwanggyosan a little longer than previous peaks, climbing up on the rocks where we’d had many a picnic in years past. Looking out over the urban sprawl, we wondered again whether or not we could see the tall building where we used to live. The sun felt warm now, and we were half tempted to sprawl away the afternoon on these high rocks.

A portrait of the author standing alongside the massive Gwanggyosan summit stele. She's standing on the right, with both hands resting on the stele, smiling towards the camera.
Gwanggyosan!
A portrait of the author's husband in his element. He stands with his running vest on and jacket tied around his waist on top of a large grey boulder. The rock is high above a fall valley. Hills and mountains rise into the mist in the distance, and a pine tree enters the frame from the left in the foreground. Kent looks really happy here.
Kent on the rocks!
A selfie of the author and her husband as the pair enjoyed a few moments of reminiscing and sun-bathing atop Gwanggyosan.

Instead, we ran down towards Suwon. The soft dirt trail made for a simple, speedy descent, and we reveled in it. Until we realized we were about to run out of maekgeolli stops – and then we stopped short. It had been a long time since Kent had a mountain maekgeolli, and this seemed like just the right opportunity!

The focus of this image is on a round purple sign pointing the direction of the Suwon dullegil. The sign is in the bottom left of the frame, and beside it, a trail overlaid with canvas matting runs away through the center of the image. The author's husband stands on this trail, looking back at the author.
On the Suwon dullegil
A candid photo of the author's husband joining a group of hikers under a rainbow umbrella for some libations. There are backpacks propped up against tree trunks and laying on the forest floor. There are several large pots and jugs, and even a fire extinguisher behind this gathering!
Mountain maekgeolli!
A slightly blurry close-up of the author's husband, enjoying a paper bowl full of Korean rice wine. There are several other hikers in the image, most wearing caps and colorful jackets. Sunlight streams through the bright rainbow umbrella, illuminating the scene.

Under a colorful tent, we were treated to repeated offers of food – everything from raw onions to those little dried fish to cookies – as Kent sipped his drink. He was especially funny for the remainder of our descent!

Know and Go! Cheonggyesan

Transportation

Never was a mountain more conveniently located! Except perhaps Bukhansan, Namsan, Namhansan or Gwanaksan. This is one of those awesome mountains located right in the Seoul metro area; a short subway journey away from anywhere!

Cheonggyesan actually has it’s own subway station on the red Bundang line. The major trail-heads start and end here (there is also one less-accessible trail-head near the Yangjae station to the north).

Hike & Run

The maps show several trails to and from the summit, but you’ll only need one. The main trail to the top hits Maebawi and then Maebong – the main (accessible peak). It’s a quick climb up, too, at just around 3 kilometers. (My apologies that the maps below don’t actually show the climb up!)

However, if you’re up for more fun, you should definitely consider trekking (or running!) along the ridge that connects Cheonggyesan to Gwanggyosan! There are also options to connect Cheonggyesan to Namhansanseong via Seongnam on a network of dullegil trails (see map #2).

An image depicting the trail on the ridge of Cheongyesan, and including peaks: Maebong, Isubong and Guksabong. This map also illustrates the connecting trail leading towards Gwanggyosan at the bottom of this map.
Cheonggyesan ridge trail map
In this image, another series of trails is shown. The map is actually rather small, but the distances in both times and kilometers of each section appear large on the left side of the frame. This image was taken before dawn, so it is lit unevenly by headlamp. It provides useful information for hikers looking to connect Cheongyesan to Namhansanseong and the communities in between.
More Cheonggyesan & beyond hiking

Stay & Eat

Between the mountain and the subway station, you will find not only a wealth of restaurants and food stands, but a sea of shops offering up all the hiking apparel  one could ever need or want. That’s the plus side. The downside is that there don’t seem to be any motels or even minbaks in this area. There’s a brand new housing development close to the station, and this kind of neighborhood has little to offer an overnight visitor.

That being said, there’s no real reason for you to stay at the foot of this mountain. If you’re coming from out of town, stay with friends or in your favorite neighborhood instead! Cheonggyesan is an easy day hike. Even the trail to Gwanggyosan is at most a one-day effort.

Other Notes

Cheonggyesan is on the Black Yak 100 mountains list, online here.

We did a self-supported KnC adventure of just over 23k kilometers, running south from Cheonggyesan to Gwanggyosan. Gwanggyosan is not on either summit list – but is nonetheless awesome. I highly recommend the route between the two summits in either direction.

There is some discrepancy about the height of this peak. I think it stems from the fact that the main peak is actually part of a military base and as such, is off limits. It may very well be the reported 618 meters, but hikers visit Maebong instead, which is 582 meters.

Visit Korea has this short write-up about Cheonggyesan for you as well.

Want more of Korea’s marvelous mountains? Head back to the 120 summits main page now!


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