In November 2011, I had my first taste of Hallasan National Park (한라산국립공원) – and it was a winter wonderland! I flew to Jeju for a quick weekend getaway to visit two dear friends who live there. They had promised to show me around the island, and they were terrific hosts who took me on a short Hallasan hike, as well as to an oreum (a small but steep volcanic cone), Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) and many other pretty places.
On that trip, my friends opted to show me the enchanting Yeongsil trail. They chose it for it’s beauty and serenity, and I was suitably awed. But I knew one day I’d have to come back for Hallasan’s summit!
That was our plan when I returned with Kent in October 2014. We visited the same dear friends and spent one day hiking together on one of the Jeju Olle courses. The following day, we hiked up to Hallasan’s summit for the first time! We had an incredible day for our hike: crisp, clear and sunny autumn weather. Combined with light packs, this made for a joyful and speedy day of mountain exploration!
We followed the recommended route for our Hallasan adventure: up Seongpanak trail and down to Gwaneumsa temple. The climb was gradual, and we took it easy, appreciating the forest and stopping for picnics with new friends along the way. Our summit featured bright, warm sunshine and a glorious cloud inversion! But best of all was the descent. The Gwaneumsa trail was so stunningly scenic: dramatic valley vistas, fall foliage at it’s finest, and mists that melted away as we approached. We spent the whole day on the mountain, and it was still over too soon.
Satisfied, but never satiated, we began planning our next trip to Jeju as soon as we returned home. And we did go back: exactly one year later, in October 2015! But this time, instead of summiting Hallasan, we circled it. We spent 12 days walking around the edge of Jeju island on a whole different adventure.
We went back yet again in October 2016 – this time thinking to sneak in a second summit. However, Hallasan eluded us on this trip too: the weather took a turn for the worse after we completed the our bikepacking journey on the Jeju Fantasy Path. We managed to bag the Olle course that had been closed during our circumnavigation – but not Hallasan.
Having intended to stand on every single summit during our national parks mountain mission, we were somewhat chagrined. Especially considering that we’d been in the very same situation in Gyeonju just one week earlier!
But we knew we’d be back…and indeed we were: in October 2017, we finally revisited the heights of Hallasan – running over the summit during the Trans Jeju 100k race!
Know and Go! Hallasan
Transportation
Hallasan National Park is located on Jeju Island. The link between Seoul on the mainland and Jeju Island is the busiest air route in the world. As such, it’s super easy to get there! Flying from Gimpo Airport, the flights are just one hour long. In addition to flights, taking a ferry is another fun option. This is an especially good option if you’re based in or planning to leave from somewhere on the southern end of the Korean peninsula. From Wando and Yeosu, a ferry to Jeju takes 4-5 hours. There are also ferries from Mokpo, Busan and Incheon to the island.
Once on the island, public buses can take you to most of the trailheads. However, the Gwaneumsa trail is pretty far from the bus stop. You could also consider renting a car (or scooter!) or hiring a taxi to get around. Of course, Jeju is also a great place to cycle around!
Hike & Run
Hallasan National Park has a small selection of hikes, but all of them are excellent. Heading to the summit, follow the Seongpanak or Gwaneumsa trails. I recommend heading upwards on the gently sloped Seongpanak trail and down on through steep and dramatic valley scenery on the Gwaneumsa trail. Although the Eorimok and Yeongsil trails don’t climb to the peak, they do showcase some of the beautiful scenery of Hallsan’s slopes.
Stay & Eat
Hallasan National Park forms the center of Jeju Island, and as such, the trailheads are in close proximity to both Jeju City in the north and Seogwipo in the south. Both are great places to base yourself, brimming with restaurants, cafes, boutique hotels and even hostels. Jeju Island has a unique cuisine that many visitors enjoy sampling, in addition to all the usual mainland staples. You can also find good supermarkets to stock up on snacks, if that’s your thing. Hallasan has limited mountain shelters for day-use only, but it does have a campground near the Gwaneumsa entrance.
Other Notes
The highest point of Hallasan’s crater rim is also the highest peak in South Korea at 1950m! Accordingly, this peak is on both the Black Yak and Korea Forest Service challenge lists. View the Black Yak listing here and the KFS info here.
I’ve visited Hallsan National Park thrice now. I hiked the Yeongsil trail in 2011, and in 2014 my husband and I hiked to the summit using the Seongpanak to Gwaneumsa route. We returned to Hallasan in 2017 to retrace that route in reverse on our first 100 kilometer race, the Trans Jeju! We’ve also circumnavigated Hallasan (and Jeju Island) twice: once on foot and once on bikes.
You can use this website to research mountain trails in advance, but note that it’s primarily in Korean. There’s an option to translate the page, but this site is best used for getting hiking distances and specific bus numbers.
Next up? Return to the Hallasan home page. As always, you’re also welcome to join me for additional national parks and more of Korea’s famous 120 summits!