National park · South Korea
Seoraksan National Park설악산국립공원
Give Seoraksan one full day from Sokcho: ride bus 7 to the gate, walk the 3.6 km Geumganggul cave trail or the 1.5 km Gwongeumseong fortress path, and start before 08:00 in October to beat the cable-car queue; skip the Ulsan Rock summit unless you have a second day and a 06:00 start.Give Seoraksan one full day from Sokcho: ride bus 7 to the gate, walk the 3.6 km Geumganggul cave trail or the 1.5 km Gwongeumseong fortress path, and start before 8:00 AM in October to beat the cable-car queue; skip the Ulsan Rock summit unless you have a second day and a 6:00 AM start.Give Seoraksan one full day from Sokcho: ride bus 7 to the gate, walk the 2.2 mi Geumganggul cave trail or the 0.9 mi Gwongeumseong fortress path, and start before 08:00 in October to beat the cable-car queue; skip the Ulsan Rock summit unless you have a second day and a 06:00 start.Give Seoraksan one full day from Sokcho: ride bus 7 to the gate, walk the 2.2 mi Geumganggul cave trail or the 0.9 mi Gwongeumseong fortress path, and start before 8:00 AM in October to beat the cable-car queue; skip the Ulsan Rock summit unless you have a second day and a 6:00 AM start.
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
398 km²154 sq mi
approximate
Established
1965
Best months
May, Oct
UNESCO
Biosphere
Rules in force · 7
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- South Korea ↗Check K-ETA and visa status on the official sites before you fly; the list of nationalities exempted from registering online changes year by year.
- South Korea ↗Google Maps gives poor walking and driving directions in Korea; use Naver Map or Kakao Map for routes.
- South Korea ↗Buy a T-money card (or use a phone-based transit pass) for subway and buses; it also pays at convenience stores and many taxis.
- Gangwon ↗1330 is the national travel helpline (24 h, English); useful in rural counties where English is patchy.
- Gangwon ↗Taxi flag drop is about ₩1,800 for the first 2 km, then roughly ₩100 per 169 m (2026 estimate).
At a glance
- Country
- South Korea
- Area
- 398 km²154 sq mi
- About 398 km²; figures vary by boundary revision and older sources give 393 km² (check).
- Established
- 1965
- Best months
- May, Oct
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- Sokcho
Seoraksan is the granite spine of Gangwon: 1,708 m peaks, deep valleys and waterfalls, about 10 km from the East Sea. The park has two working entrances — Seorak-dong outside Sokcho in the north, and Osaek in the south — and they are not connected by a short path, so most visitors pick one. Seorak-dong holds the cable car, Sinheungsa Temple and the short valley trails; Osaek holds the hot spring and the long ridge routes. Autumn colour here is the busiest week of the Korean hiking year.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- UNESCO Biosphere Reserve · 1982Seoraksan Biosphere Reserve.
- Special national site · 1965Designated Korean Natural Monument no. 171 before becoming a national park.
Size and age
398 km²154 sq mi · national park since 1965
About 398 km²; figures vary by boundary revision and older sources give 393 km² (check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Sokcho.
Why go
- Granite peaks, cliffs and waterfalls within an hour of a coastal city.
- Short valley trails from the Seorak-dong gate that need no permit and no full day.
- A cable car to Gwongeumseong fortress for people who cannot climb 1.5 km of stone steps.A cable car to Gwongeumseong fortress for people who cannot climb 0.9 mi of stone steps.
- Osaek hot spring and mineral water at the southern entrance, on the long-distance ridge routes.
When to go
- JanGo
- FebGo
- MarGo
- AprGo
- MayBest
- JunGo
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepGo
- OctBest
- NovGo
- DecGo
- JanFrozen falls; ice gear needed on upper trails
- FebCold and clear; quiet
- MarMeltwater; slippery rock
- AprMild; some trails still closed
- MayGreen valleys, dry paths, long days
- JunWarm; afternoon showers
- JulRainy season; flash floods in valleys
- AugHot and humid; domestic holiday crowds
- SepClear and cooler; early colour
- OctPeak foliage; the busiest weeks of the year
- NovBare rock, thin crowds, cold nights
- DecSnow on the peaks; short daylight
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn foliage (maple and birch on the lower valleys)Oct–Nov · Colour moves down the mountain through October; the first week of October is the busiest. | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | no |
| Korean fir and alpine plants on the high ridgeJun–Aug | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no |
| Long-tailed goral and deer (rarely seen)All year · Stay on marked trails; wildlife avoids the busy valleys. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Frozen waterfalls and ice on the upper trailsDec–Feb | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
How to get there
From Sokcho
City bus 7 from town to Seorak-dong and the park gate.
20–30 min
Open the page →
From Seoul
Express bus from Dong Seoul or Gangnam terminal to Sokcho, then bus 7.
2.5–3.5 h
Open the page →
From Yangyang airport
Bus or taxi to Sokcho, then bus 7 to the gate.
1–1.5 h
Open the page →
From Osaek (south entrance)
Bus from Sokcho or Gangneung toward Osaek village; the trailhead is in the village.
1–1.5 h
Open the page →
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Seorak-dong (north entrance) | Gate, visitor centre, Sinheungsa Temple, cable car, Biryong Falls and Biseondae valley trails. | Open; bus 7 from Sokcho. |
| Cheonbuldong valley | The main valley above Biseondae toward Yangpok shelter and the ridge. | Open on foot; upper sections time-restricted. |
| Osaek (south entrance) | Hot spring, mineral water, Jujeongol valley and the southern ridge approach. | Open; bus from Sokcho or Gangneung. |
| Ridge and summit zone | Daecheongbong (1,708 m) and the high ridge between the two entrances. | Long day or overnight; shelter booking required. |
Sketch map
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry (Seorak-dong and Osaek gates) | Free | person | No entry fee is charged at Korean national parks; you pay for parking and the cable car. |
| Gwongeumseong cable car, adult round trip | KRW 10,000–12,000 (≈ US$8–9) | person | 2026 estimate; child fare roughly half. Queues build after 09:00 in October. |
| Car parking at Seorak-dong | KRW 4,000–6,000 (≈ US$3–5) | car | 2026 estimate, charged per day. |
| Osaek hot spring bath | KRW 8,000–12,000 (≈ US$6–9) | person | 2026 estimate; separate men's and women's baths. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Valley and short-trail walking no permit
Long ridge routes (Daecheongbong and the crossing) permit or guide
Overnight shelter on the ridge permit or guide
Park rules
- Stay on marked trails
- Off-trail walking damages the alpine vegetation and is the main cause of rescues here.
- Trail time limits
- Some upper sections close in the afternoon or in winter; check the notice board at the gate before starting.check
- No fires or cooking
- Camp stoves and open fires are not allowed outside designated areas; carry out all rubbish.
- Drones
- Flying drones in a Korean national park requires permission and is generally not allowed.check
- Food at the shelters
- Ridge shelters sell limited food and water; do not count on it outside peak weekends.check
Where to stay
Near the park
Seorak-dong park village
Hotels, motels and a youth hostel about 2 km from the gate; the closest base for an early start.Hotels, motels and a youth hostel about 1.2 mi from the gate; the closest base for an early start.
Near the park
Sokcho
Full range of hotels and hostels on the coast, 20–30 min by bus 7 from the gate.
Near the park
Osaek village
Small guesthouses and the hot spring at the southern entrance, for the Jujeongol and ridge routes.
Safety
Rockfall and steep stairs on Ulsan Rock high
Afternoon storms and flash floods in the valleys medium
Cold and wind on the ridge medium
Getting caught by dark medium
Accessibility
- The Seorak-dong gate area, visitor centre and the path to Sinheungsa Temple are paved and reachable with a short walk.
- The cable car removes the climb to Gwongeumseong, but the last 1.5 km to the fortress is stone steps and not step-free.The cable car removes the climb to Gwongeumseong, but the last 0.9 mi to the fortress is stone steps and not step-free.
- Valley trails are uneven dirt and rock; the ridge routes are not suitable for limited mobility.
Visiting lightly
- Take the bus from Sokcho instead of driving; parking at the gate fills early on autumn weekends.
- Carry out everything you bring in; there are few bins in the park.
- Use the marked water points and refill rather than buying bottled water at the gate.
- Keep to trails on the ridge, where alpine plants recover slowly from trampling.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Seoraksan National Park?
There is no entry fee at Korean national parks, so walking in from the Seorak-dong or Osaek gate is free. You pay for parking (about ₩4,000–6,000 per car, 2026 estimate) and for the Gwongeumseong cable car (about ₩10,000–12,000 adult round trip, 2026 estimate).
What are the best hikes in Seoraksan National Park?
For a first visit, the Geumganggul cave trail (3.6 km each way) and the Gwongeumseong fortress path (1.5 km from the cable-car station) give the most scenery for the least effort. Ulsan Rock is the hard short option, and Daecheongbong (1,708 m) is the full-day or overnight objective.
When is the best time to visit Seoraksan National Park?
May for green valleys and dry trails, and October for autumn colour — but October is the busiest month, so start before 08:00 and expect cable-car queues. July and August bring heavy rain and flash-flood risk in the valleys.
Do I need a guide or a permit?
No for the valley trails from the Seorak-dong gate. Ridge routes and overnight shelters need a reservation, and some upper sections have time limits or seasonal closures, so check the notice board or the park office first.
How do I get to Seoraksan from Seoul?
Take an express bus from Dong Seoul or Gangnam terminal to Sokcho (about 2.5–3.5 h), then city bus 7 to Seorak-dong and the park gate (20–30 min).
Can I visit Seoraksan without climbing?
Yes. The gate area, visitor centre and Sinheungsa Temple are on paved paths, and the cable car lifts you most of the way to Gwongeumseong, though the final 1.5 km is stone steps.
Is Seoraksan the same as Odaesan?
No. Odaesan is a separate national park west of here, with gentler forest trails and its own entrance villages.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go