I first stumbled upon a picture of Seoraksan National Park while planning my second trip to South Korea and I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about this place, that’s only a few hours from Seoul! Although Seoraksan is popular with local tourists (the park was full when we were there in November during the end of the autumn foliage), I have yet to hear from another international tourist visiting this park.
As there wasn’t much up-to-date information that I could find online, I hope this guide helps you visit this gem of a place. Easily doable as a day trip (which our friends did), or in our case, we spent two days there, which I highly recommend if you have the time.
Whether you’re a hiker, a nature lover or just looking for an escape from the city, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Seoraksan National Park.
To save you from endless scrolling..
Quick summary
| Location | Near Sokcho, Gangwon Province (approx 2.5 – 3 hours from Seoul) |
| How to get there | Intercity bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal > Sokcho Express Bus Terminal > Local bus 7 or 7-1 to park entrance |
| Opening hours | Typically 830am – 5pm (check the website for seasonal changes) |
| Entrance fee | Free |
| Highlights | Cable car – ₩15000 adult round trip tickets (allocated time)Hiking trails – Ulsanbawi Rock Trail, Biseondae Rock Trail, Biryong Falls Trail |
| Best time to visit | Peak autumn foliage season (late October to early November) |
| Where to stay | Budget: Smile Resort (few bus stop from the entrance)Higher: KensingtonHotel Seorak (right near the entrance of the park)Or stay in the coastal town of Sokcho |
| Others | Have honeycomb icecream and rice cakes at Dahyang cafeExplore the templesEnjoy Sokcho’s coastline and seafood |
Where is Seoraksan National Park?
Seoraksan National Park (설악산국립공원) is located about 3 hours northeast of Seoul, just outside the coastal town of Sokcho. It’s one of the largest national park in Korea, showcasing the most stunning autumn foliage, with dramatic jagged granite peaks with serene temples and scenic hiking trails, It’s also home to Sinheungsa Temple – thought to be the oldest Zen Buddhist temple in the world.
How to get there?
Self drive
Driving is the most straightforward and flexible option, allowing you to stop along the way. Though this was not something we did, most of the journey seems to be on an express way with tolls. If you’re a foreigner, you’ll need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Korea, which we did have when we rented a car in Jeju.
Note: you can pay highway tolls in cash, if you don’t have a HiPass card. Best to check with your rental company before setting off.
Organised tours
If you prefer a hassle-free experience, there are plenty of day tours from Seoul, that include Seoraksan, Nami Island etc such as the following:
Seoul: Mt.Seorak, Nami Island & Korean Garden, No Shopping | GetYourGuide
Seoraksan National Park: Everything You Need Before Visiting
Public transport
Alternatively, like us, we opted for public transport, via multiple buses. Unfortunately, the nearest train station is over 70km away, so that wasn’t an option.
Step 1: Take an Intercity Bus to Sokcho
- Depart from: Seoul Express Bus Terminal (고속버스터미널)
- Destination: Sokcho Express Bus Terminal – make sure you’re getting off at this stop, as there is another stop prior to this (which we saw others make the mistake of getting off too early!)
- Duration: ~2.5 to 3 hours
- Cost: ₩13,000–₩18,000 (one-way)
- Booking: Use T-Money site or buy tickets at the terminal (we found it was easiest to buy the tickets directly at the terminal)
- Note: There’s also a rest stop for a bathroom break during this journey. So in total, there will be 3 stops (1 rest stop, 1 suburb stop, 1 final stop at Sokcho Express Bus Terminal)
Tip: Leave early—first buses depart as early as 6 AM, perfect if you want to do this as a day trip!
Step 2: Then, take a Local Bus to Seoraksan Park Entrance
- From Sokcho Terminal, exit the station and walk onto the main road and turn right, and catch Bus 7 or 7-1
- Get off at: Seoraksan Sogongwon Entrance (설악산 소공원)
- Duration: ~30–40 minutes
- Fare: ₩1,300–₩1,800 (T-money accepted)
Tip: Local buses here don’t always run on schedule, we missed a couple that came earlier than expected, so allow plenty of time!
Where to stay
There are a few options for accommodation depending on where you would prefer to situate yourself.
Closest: KensingtonHotel Seorak
This hotel is the most popular and expension option, as it is located right at the entrance of the national park, which means you’re also spoiled with views and no further commute is needed to access the park.
Budget friendly: Smile Resort
This is located in Seorak-dong C Shopping District, which is just a few bus stops away from the entrance of the park. We stayed here and it was perfect for what we needed.
A shout out to the lovely owners, who were truly the sweetest, even running out in the rain to give us an umbrella as they saw us coming in the distance.
Note: The Seorak-dong area has definitely seen better days, as many of the buildings have been abandoned (we suspect that post-COVID, many businesses didn’t survive and many choose to go to Seoraksan National Park as a day trip and have no need to stay in this town, or prefer to stay in Sokcho), but the hospitality and the one fried chicken place (which we went to twice) made it worthwhile!
Alternative: stay in Sokcho
If you’d rather base yourself in a livelier town, Sokcho has lots of accommodations, great food (especially seafood) and ocean views. It would just mean a 30-40 minute bus ride to the National Park.
Hiking trails
There are 35 hiking trails in Seoraksan National Park, we only did two of the more popular trails but I would have loved to explore further if we had more time!
- Ulsanbawi Rock Trail
7.1km return | 566 elevation gain | 3-5hr estimated time to complete
If you only have one time for one hike in Seoraksan – this would be it!
A well marked, out-and-back trail and with a steep ascend of unending staircases towards the second half of the trail, it is considered a hard trail – but the views are well worth it!
- Biseondae Rock Trail
6km return | 1.5-2 hrs estimated time to complete
This is an easier walk (in comparison to Ulsanbawi Rock Trail), along with other notable trails in the park – Biryong Falls Trail and Towangseong Falls Observatory, which we didn’t get to do.
The first half of the Biseondae Rock Trail is almost completely flat and only gets abit steeper for the second half. There are streams along this hike and opens out to this view, if you have time, this is worth a leisurely stroll!
Other things to do
- Ride the cable car
This is the most famous attraction in the national park, as you get to see the views from the mountain above without hiking! A quick 10 minute ride takes you up to Gwongeumseong Fortress, with views of Ulsanbawi and Manmulsang rocks on the way.
You’ll see the cable car station sign clearly as you walk into the park and it’s only about 500 metres from the entrance.
Tickets: Round trip – KRW15,000 (adults) or KRW 11,000 (children)
Tip: Buy tickets as soon as you arrive in the park, as they are allocated to a specific time and can sell out fast.
Due to timing and given we have already hiked Ulsanbawi, we decided to not go on the cable car ride in the end.
- Have honeycomb icecream and rice cakes at Dahyang cafe
We stopped here twice in two days! If you’re roaming around, chances are you’ll walk past this cafe. We had the honeycomb icecream both times, but they also serve coffee, tea, cakes and sandwiches. Though the crowd favourites are definitely their honey-related range and rice cakes.
It’s a great place to stop and have a break!
- Explore the temples
- Sinheungsa Temple – a buddhist temple founded in the Shilla dynasty around 652AD (you can also stay overnight here as part of a special templestay program that they do!)
- Gyejoam Temple – a small temple part way up the Ulsanbawi Rock trail
- Bronze Buddha Statue – near the entrance of the park, where many pay respects to
- Explore Sokcho’s seafood scene
We didn’t expect much from Sokcho but it ended up being such a good treat! It’s a peaceful coastal town – often featured in K-dramas! As you’ll pass through this town before reaching the national park, it’s worth a stop.
Stroll along the Daiho-ko harbour and take in the sea views and enjoy the seafood – we were told that raw fish, shrimp and crab dishes are what Sokcho is famous for!
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