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Among the mountains known for their dense foliage in Korea, there is a place where you can feel the lush green meadows without trees. That’s Seonja-ryeong. Located between Pyeongchang and Gangneung in Gangwon Province, this place is a beloved destination for many backpackers and tourists. For those visiting for the first time, it might be daunting to figure out how to get there, but don’t worry, this article will provide detailed guidance!
Seonja-ryeong Trekking Course Information
Although it’s described as trekking, think of it more like a slightly challenging hike, especially the early staircase portion. It’s considered to be quite easy in terms of difficulty, so even if you’re not an experienced hiker, you don’t need to worry.
Parking Information
To get to Seonja-ryeong, you first need to go to the famous tourist spot, Daegwallyeong Sheep Ranch. There are two ways to get to Seonjae-ryeong from here.
- Park at the Sheep Ranch parking lot and walk up (takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes one way at a leisurely pace).
- Drive further to Gukjaseonghwangdang and park there before heading to Seonja-ryeong (takes about 1 hour one way at a leisurely pace).
Going up to Gukjaseonghwangdang can shorten the time by about 30-40 minutes. However, note that the parking space near Gukjaseonghwangdang is limited, so if it’s crowded, you might have trouble finding parking! Only about 8 cars can park there at most.
You might be charged for parking, or there might not be any barriers, so you can drive up even during late or early hours.
Entrance to Seonja-ryeong, Guksa-seong hwang dang Parking Lot
This is the Guksa-seong hwang dang parking lot. As the name suggests, there is Seonghwangdang right next to this parking lot, where you can often see religious rituals taking place. The building shown in the picture is a restroom, so you can park nearby and then head up to Seonja-ryeong.
Path to Seonja-ryeong
1. Parking Lot to Stairway Path (takes about 10 minutes)
Once you leave the parking lot and head up the road where cars come up, you’ll see this trail created for hiking. It’s easy to find since it’s not hidden and clearly visible. This staircase takes about 5-10 minutes to climb, so it’s not too strenuous.
My husband and I are not particularly fond of hiking. However, we decided to trek boldly for a special trip. The course is so easy that you can climb it with the feeling of taking a leisurely forest bath. As you continue up the stairs, you’ll start to see stone steps, and at the end, a flat path appears.
2. Walking Along the Path
Once you see the flat path, keep walking until you see a signboard. Although there’s a slight slope, you can climb it slowly without increasing your heart rate too much.
As you continue, you’ll see a signboard that says Seonja-ryeong. It will point towards a pine forest. Once you see this signboard, leave the path and enter the forest. When you keep climbing along the path, you’ll come across a completely different area, so be sure to enter the forest here!
3. Path Through the Forest to Open Meadow Path
Walking along this path, you’ll find that the slope is very gentle, making it feel like walking on flat ground. As you continue walking on the dirt path, enjoying the pleasant scent of trees, you’ll come across a fork in the road. Both paths lead to Seonja-ryeong, but I recommend taking the left path here.
The path on the right, which looks like stairs, becomes steeper after about 5 minutes, increasing the difficulty level. Be careful!
If you take the left path at the fork, keep walking until you gradually leave the forest and find yourself in an open landscape where the sky opens up. If you come across a place where small saplings are planted, you can almost feel like you’ve arrived.
4. Meadow Path to Summit
As you continue up the meadow path, you’ll start to see a magnificent view. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the distant wind turbines, but on a windy day, it can be difficult to walk due to strong winds.
One other thing to note is that the grasses growing here are used as feed for the cows in the ranch. Therefore, going into the grass outside of the designated path is prohibited. Remember this and enjoy your trekking!
Continuing along the path, you’ll come across a signpost that says “Baekdudaegan Seonja-ryeong,” marking the summit. This is the summit of Seonjae-ryeong, and from here, you can rest for a while before heading back down the same way you came.
Despite its easy difficulty level, Seonja-ryeong offers stunning scenery
If the difficulty level of Nogodan in Jirisan is rated 10, then the difficulty level here is only about 2-3. It’s such an easy place to visit, so I highly recommend going at least once!
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