Taebaeksan (태백산)

Janggungbong (장군봉) and Munsubong (문수봉)

A thick mist blanketed the approach to the peak, although it was late morning. It blurred the boundaries between land and sky, and swallowed up trees and boulders. The mist also cast a spell of silence over us, and we crept forward slowly, step by hushed step. I felt lost, even though we were on a well-marked trail in Taebaeksan National Park (태백산국립공원). Lost in time, maybe.

A low chanting rose up from the silence. Stepping out of the forest onto the rocky peak of Taebaeksan, we found ourselves surrounded by tall, conical stone cairns. These were altars, and we were now in the domain of the mountain gods.

An image in shades of grey. The misty sky is an ombre of pale blue near the horizon and bright white at the top of the image. Rocks in the foreground are grey, covered with grey-green mosses, and their shapes are well defined. The central features of this image are the conical, grey stone cairns of Munsubong. These cairns have historical and religious significance. — The magical, misty scenery of Munsubong (문수봉)

Kent and I had been looking forward to this big mountain and the little alpine town below it – and both exceeded our expectations. Taebaeksan was indeed huge and mystical, and Taebaek, the small city tucked beneath the mountain, had a unique ambiance and terrific views. Arriving early the day before, we spent a little time relaxing in and exploring the highest city in South Korea!

In the wee hours of the morning, we hit the trailhead. We hiked all the way up in the dark, hoping to catch a fabled stunning sunrise. Alas, it was a foggy day. But what it lacked in sunlight, this mountain made up for in moody atmosphere. We found many gnarled, old trees, special stone altars and a couple of wild bunnies. We were almost entirely alone until the very end of our hike. The two other humans we saw on top were shaman, performing ancient rituals and uttering haunting chants.

An image of a large, rectangular stone structure on Janggungbong, the largest peak in Taebaeksan National Park. Out of view on the reverse side, there are stone steps leading up to an alter. The sky is misty and grey, and the image is slightly fuzzy in the haze. — Large stone altar at Janggungbong (장군봉)

An image of the author and her husband at Janggungbong. The author's husband stands in the foreground, facing the camera, wearing a green jacket and blue running vest. The author stands behind, with her back to the camera, arms wrapped around the wide summit stele. The massive stele is enscribed with the Korean characters for the peak's name, as well as its elevation. The misty sky is visible above the green foliage surrounding the peak. — Summit snuggles!

Along the ridge, we spotted a turn-off for the cross-country Baekdudaegan trail. We enthused about it and imagined turning right and staying high in the mountains and distant from the cares of modern life. But we carried on within the national park, ultimately content with our day’s mission.

An image of the author and her husband, again posing with a large stele, The author's husband is near the camera, and the author stands behind him. She is wearing a red rain jacket and is dwarfed by the massive concrete stele. These stele is almost twice her height and enscribed with Chinese characters! — Another massive monument!

Among the magical, misty altars of Munsubong), we took our longest break. We listened to ethereal chanting and watched droplets of water forming from inside the cloud.

A panoramic image of the rocky summit and stone cairns of Munsubong. The rocky cairns pierce the misty grey sky, and the peak is surrounded by lush green foliage. There is no discernible trail, just a jumble of rocks in various shapes and sizes. — Munsubong

An image of the largest stone cairn standing on Munsubong. In front of the large rock sculpture is a wooden stele with painted Korean characters for Munsubong as well as the elevation.

An image of a stone altar. This altar is a small opening at the base of one of the large stone cairns. One large, pointed rock stands on top of the opening. Inside, there is a gold figure and a silver bowl of rice. A small canned drink sits on a flat rock just outside the opening.

Descending, we came across the source of the Han river! It came pouring out from under the the rocky path, long after we’d started to hear its rushing, gurgling sound.

An image of the very start of one of Korea's biggest rivers, the Han! Large grey rocks covered with green moss surround a clear, bubbling stream. A brown, plastic communal ladle sits upside down on one of the rocks. — The source of the Han River!

A vertical image of tall trees surrounding a dirt trail. The tree trunks are thin, brown and as straight as pencils, with some lush green leaves branching off from the trunks. — Old forest trail

Down at the base of the mountain, we finally spotted a bit of blue sky. We did some stretching (ftw) in a lovely patch of sunlight, then had a glorious meal of rice and veggies. A bit tired after our weekend’s adventures, but nonetheless happy and peaceful in a beautiful park after another successful outing in Korea’s incredible mountains.

Know and Go! Taebaeksan

Transportation

Taebaek National Park (태백산국립공원) is well-connected to Seoul by rail, and to other places in Gangwondo by bus. Taebaek is the main point of access for the Taebaeksan mountain range, but certain trails can also be accessed from Bonghwa in Gyeongsangbukdo to the south.

From Taebaek, the trailheads to the main peaks of Jangunbong and Munsubong are somewhat southwest of the city. But just a short bus or taxi ride away!

Hike & Run

As a high-altitude town, you’d expect Taebaek to have a ton of great hiking, and it does! There are short jaunts up to the summit and longer, ridgeline treks to suit all kinds of hiking wishes. The main peak, Janggunbong and its cairn-topped friend Munsubong, are located southwest of town near the park’s main entrance. A horseshoe-shaped route beginning at Yuilsa Temple and ending at the park entrance would give you a chance at a sweet sunrise and takes in both peaks.

An image of the main trails in Taebaeksan National Park. This map is unlike the rest of the national park trail maps, because this image was taken before Taebaeksan became a national park. The map is a satellite image depicting the green slopes of the mountain with white trails along its ridges. — Taebaeksan National Park trail map

Stay & Eat

…in Taebaek, of course! Although small by Korean standards, Taebaek is nonetheless a proper city. As such, there are lots of great options for dining and sleeping, and loading up on snacks.

Other Notes

My husband and I visited Taebaeksan National Park in July 2016. We did an 11k point-to-point route.

The main peak is 1567m Janggunbong (장군봉). This peak features a huge stone alter and similarly massive stele. Nearby Munsubong is a just slightly lower elevation and covered in mystical stone cairns. Taebaeksan has its rightful place among Korea’s 100 most magical mountains. Learn more about it on the Black Yak challenge or on the Korea Forest Service website.

When we visited Taebaeksan in 2016, it was not yet a national park! It was a provincial park with especially excellent signage. In 2017, it was upgraded to a national park. About time, considering this mountain’s height and importance! These days, you can get a bit of background on the park on the Korea National Park Service website, but until more information is added, Naver is a bit more useful for trail maps.

Head back to the main Taebaeksan page to explore more!

Want to explore more national parks and 120 summits? Come with me!