Naejangsan National Park

About this place

Naejangsan National Park lies on the border of North and South Jeolla provinces in southwestern South Korea, near the city of Jeongeup, about 18 km northeast of Gochang in a straight line. Naejangsan itself rises to 763 metres. The mountain became a national park in 1971 and has been famous for its autumn foliage for more than 500 years; its name suggests that what the mountain hides is endless. It draws around a million visitors a year, and up to 100,000 a day at the autumn peak. A circuit over nine summits between 622 and 763 metres can be hiked in four to seven hours. In autumn the forests turn into a sea of red, orange and yellow, a long tunnel of maples arches over the road, and the blue-roofed Uhwajeong pavilion stands on a little island in a pond that mirrors the colours. In spring cherry trees bloom, in summer the trees give deep shade, and in winter snow covers the peaks. Visitors arrive by bus or train in Jeongeup, less than 20 km from the park. A cable car climbs to a viewpoint above the valley. The park is extremely busy on autumn weekends, so visit on a weekday and arrive early.