Last Updated on April 8, 2022
Seoraksan National Park is one of the most-visited attractions in South Korea. The park is filled with so much history and natural beauty. Spend a day (or multiple!) exploring this wonderful park during a trip to the Gangwon Province in South Korea.
Where is Seoraksan National Park and how do I get there?
Seoraksan National Park is located in the northeast region of South Korea near the city of Sokcho and Yangyang. There are a few different ways to get there.
To get to Seoraksan National Park by Car:
The simplest and most-direct way to get to Seoraksan National Park is via personal car.
Depending on where you are coming from, it can definitely be quite the hike to get there. Though, having a personal car with you to get around the surrounding cities, like Sokcho and Yangyang, is very helpful.
Military Spouse Travel Tip:
If coming from Kunsan Air Base, the route takes you right past Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base. The drive is approximately 4-5 hours long. It may be worth either stopping at one of the bases for lunch or even spend the night to break up the trip a little bit. The trip from Osan Air Base or Camp Humphreys to Seoraksan National Park is about a 3-hour drive.
Type this address into the Naver App (which I highly suggest using for navigation around South Korea). Or use the English or Korean address below to type into Kakao Maps or Waze (other good navigation options).
English Address:
Seorak-dong Sokcho-si Gangwon-do
Korean Address:
강원 속초시 설악동
Note that this address will take you to the main entrance of Seoraksan National Park. There are various parking lots or entrances to trails around the area. I suggest taking a look at the trails map below to determine where you need to start.
To get to Seoraksan National Park by Bus:
The public transportation system in Korea is a great option to get around and explore if you do not have your own vehicle. Regardless of where you are in South Korea, if there’s a will, there’s a way to get wherever you want.
If coming from Seoul, there are buses that will take you directly to Seoraksan’s neighboring town, Sokcho. From Sokcho, you can take a 15-minute taxi to Seoraksan National Park or the Line 7 Bus, which will tack on an hour to your trip, but will get you there on a tight budget.
Another bus route would be to arrive at Yangyang’s bus terminal. This will be a little bit of a longer option to get to Seoraksan National Park, but definitely doable!
If coming from Busan, it’s best to take a train into Seoul and then use the above directions from Seoul to take a bus to Seoraksan.
Use this Korean Address to show your taxi driver for directions:
강원 속초시 설악동
To get to Seoraksan National Park by Plane
Yangyang has an international airport approximately 30-minutes from Seoraksan National Park.
Flying can be a great option if you are limited on time and coming from the southern part of the peninsula.
There are direct flights into Yangyang International Airport (YNY) from Busan, Jeju, and Gwangju. The flight is approximately an hour to an hour and a half from these locations and fairly cheap.
Though, note that even though the price for the flight is cheaper, you will be spending money on renting a car or relying on taxis throughout your trip.
What is there to do at Seoraksan National Park?
Hiking is what most people come to Seoraksan National Park for. Though, there are also other attractions at the park that are great for visitors not wanting or able to walk around much.
Regardless, there are tons of hiking options for visitors of any level of experience.
If coming from Yangyang/Sokcho, you’ll likely stick to the hikes on the east side of the National Park. Though, there are other hikes of different levels on the west and south side of the park.
It is worth taking a look at the different hikes to determine where in the park you should enter to be closest to the start of the hike you intend to do.
Easy to Moderate Hikes:
(Times and distance are one-way)
Baekdamsa Temple (1hr 30min, 6.5km):
Baekdamsa Temple Hiking Support Center → Baekdamsa Temple
Biryong Falls (1hr, 2.4km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Yukdam Falls → Biryong Falls
Biseondae (1hr 20 min, 3.0km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Sinheungsa Temple → Biseondae
Gwongeumseong Fortress (30 min / 1.5 km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Cable Car → Gwongeumseong Fortress
Sinheungsa Temple (20 min, 0.7km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Sinheungsa Temple
Suryeomdong (3hrs, 11.2km):
Baekdamsa Temple Hiking Support Center → Baekdamsa Temple → Yeongsiam → Suryeomdong Shelter
Tongil Daebul/Great Unification Buddha (10 min, 0.4km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Tongil Daebul/Great Unification Buddha
Yukdam Falls (1hr, 1.7km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Sinheungsa Temple → Yukdam Falls
Intermediate to Advanced Hikes:
(Times and distance are one-way)
Daeseung Falls (40 min, 0.9km):
Jangsudae Ranger Station → Daeseung Falls
Heullimgol Valley (2 hrs 50 min, 3.3 km):
Heullimgol Ranger Post → Deungseondae → Yongso Falls Hiking Support Center
Namgyori (6hrs 30min, 11.3km):
Namgyori → Boksungatang → Daeseungnyeong → Jangsudae Ranger Station
Ulsanbawi Rock (2hrs, 3.8km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Sinheungsa Temple → Heundeulbawi Rock/Gyejoam → Ulsanbawi Rock
Yangpok (2hrs 50min, 6.5km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Waseondae → Biseondae → Gwimyeonam → Yangpok Shelter
Yongso Falls (1hr, 3.2km):
Yaksuteo Hiking Support Center → Seongguksa Temple → Yongso Waterfall → Yongso Falls Hiking Support Center
Expert Hikes:
(Times and distance are one-way)
Daecheongbong Peak (Baekdam) (12hrs 50 min, 23.9 km / overnight):
Baekdamsa Temple → Bongjeongam → Daecheongbong Peak → Heeungak → Biseondae → Seorakdong Information Center
Daecheongbong Peak (Hangyeryeong) (12 hrs, 19.3 km / overnight):
Hangyeryeong Hiking Support Center → Daecheongbong Peak →Heeungak → Biseondae → Seorakdong Information Center
Daecheongbong Peak (Osaek) (4hrs, 5km):
Osaek Ranger Station → Nam (South) Seorak Hiking Support Center → Seorak Falls → Daecheongbong Peak
Daecheongbong Peak (Seorakdong) (10 hrs 40 min , 16 km / overnight):
Seorakdong Information Center → Biseondae → Heeungak → Daecheongbong Peak → Seorak Falls → Osaek Ranger Station
Geumganggul Cave (2 hrs, 3.6km):
Seorakdong Information Center → Waseondae → Biseondae → Geumganggul Cave
Gongnyong Ridge (14 hours 40 min, 19.1km/ overnight):
Seorakdong Information Center → Biseondae → Madeungnyeong Peak → Heeungak → Daecheongbong Peak → Osaek Ranger Station
Note that some of the expert hikes may require an overnight stay during your hike. There are shelters on the mountain for hikers to rest for the evening prior to continuing their hike the following day. You can make reservations right here.
To get an early start in the day, you can also stay at a campground in the park. You can make reservations right here. You can make reservations starting 15 days out at 10:00AM (they book up quickly during the summer months!).
When is the best time to visit Seoraksan National Park?
Seoraksan National Park is open year-round. Personally, I’d suggest to plan your visit during moderate-temperature months (April/May or September/October).
Though, visiting the city of Yangyang in the summer months is lots of fun with the multiple beaches and summer attractions in the area. If you do go during the summer months, plan to get up early to start your hike – it can get hot during the day time.
Unfortunately, we learned this the hard way. We started our day too late and were unable to hike much due to the extreme heat and humidity on our trip.
Another great time of the year to visit is during the Autumn season. The fall foliage on the mountain is absolutely gorgeous!
For more information on your visit to Seoraksan National Park:
You can call either of the numbers below for travel assistance or English translation.
Sokcho: 033-639-2690
Travel Hot Line: 033-1330
I hope you are able to experience this beautiful part of South Korea! Visit my South Korea page for more things to do on your visit.
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