There is always more to explore in Seoraksan National Park (설악산국립공원)! On two previous adventures, we’d seen either end of a very mysterious trail. This trail seemed to lead through the very center of the park! It stretched from Madeungryeong pass, at the start of Dinosaur Ridge in the northeast, to a massive boulder near Bongjeongam in the southwest. But what was between? We aimed to find out on this adventure!
Once again, we set out long before dawn. This time, we had a bright, nearly full moon to light our way. We dashed through the forest and began the climb towards Madeungryeong. There were rustlings in the bushes nearby and deer barked, far away.
We made it up and over the pass before the sun was up. We began to descend on a narrower, slightly overgrown trail. Signs pointed us towards an hermitage, but all was quiet. We were the only hikers on the trail.
A lot of forest separated us from Oseam (오세암): there were no visual or auditory hints of it from above. So it felt like we came upon our first secret temple quite suddenly! There, we were most definitely not alone anymore.
There were dozens of people milling around the small temple: pilgrims consuming a free temple breakfast. Despite the crowds, the temple retained an air of serenity, tucked underneath rocky peaks rising out of the lush forest. But all of these people were bound to be headed the same way as us, from this temple to the next. So we couldn’t linger if we wanted to be speedy. Still, it was hard to rush on…until we remembered we had more forest to explore!
This forest trail was well-trodden, but narrower and less built-up than others in the park. It felt rustic and somehow secret, even though we were leading a large crowd. There were slippery sections of loose dirt, makeshift bridges over stream crossings and tough scrambles up boulders. The rope-assisted climb near Bongjeongam (봉정암) was perhaps the most dramatic of all: a small price to pay for sublime views!
I was overjoyed to be back at one of my favorite places. We stood on the rocks above Bongjeongam, our second secret temple, looking down on a peaceful scene. It was like a window into a different era; one where silence reigned and hikes like these served as meditations.
After a little while, we continued on to another of my favorite places: Daecheongbong! On this day, the peak was all ours once again. We sat and enjoyed some stillness, as moist, heavy clouds draped themselves around nearby peaks.
We descended through the mists down the Yangpok trail, where a little refreshing rain and a feast awaited us!
*This route described above makes a loop consisting of the following three segments: an ascent up Madeungryeong, the traverse between the secret temples Osaeam and Bongjeongam described below, and a descent down Yangpok. For more information on the Madeungryeong and Yangpok routes, head here. For more about Bongjeongam and an alternative descent via more temples, try the Baekdamsa article.
Know and Go! Osaeam to Bongjeongam
The trail between the two secret temples is just 4 kilometers long. However, both temples are in the heart of Seoraksan National Park, so you’re going to have to get there first!
For us, getting there involved linking up several of our favorite trails, with this section in the middle. We were after a long run, as pilgrims of the forest.
But most pilgrims make a loop starting from Baekdamsa temple that takes in both temples and the summit. If you’re interested in doing your own pilgrimage, it’s about 11 kilometers one-way. Get started by either walking up the road (6 kilometers) or taking one of the temple shuttle buses from the town below to Baekdamsa temple proper. Then, follow the one trail heading up for around 2 kilometers to reach Yeongsiam. From there, turn left and head through the forest for 2.5k to arrive at Osaeam. The trail narrows from here, and you’ll follow a more rugged path for the next 4 kilometers. Another 2.3 kilometers takes you to the peak!
After the peak, you can make a loop by descending back down to Baekdamsa on the main trail, bypassing Osaeam. Descending this way makes a 24 kilometer loop, so some opt to break it up by sleeping at one of the shelters on top (by reservation only – on this website). The shortest descent option from the summit is, as always, the 5 kilometer Osaek trail. If you want to end up on the Sokcho side or you have a little bit more time and/or energy, take the 11k Yangpok trail.
Head back to the Seoraksan main page to check out other great hikes in this great national park!
Thanks for reading, and enjoy your secret temples adventure!