Korea Winter Trekking in a Nutshell: Seoul

Now that spring has sprung in South Korea, it feels as though the winter flew by in a blur. Many months ago, we were determined that we would not lose our whole winter in Seoul just sitting inside. And with COVID restrictions, being indoors in public spaces often was not an option. Having been warned about the low temperatures and cold winds that are common in this mountainous country, we brought along our warmest layers and prepared to spend time outside no matter the weather.

Small groups of intrepid hiking friends joined together to tackle often icy, snowy trails, often comparing how many layers of thermal underwear each person had donned for the occasion! We hiked so much over the winter that we won’t even try to post separately about each hike. Instead, this post will be a “photo album” representative of each of our treks in the greater Seoul area, with brief information about where to find each trail for those who may find themselves hiking in future South Korean winters. Part two of this post will feature winter hikes outside of Seoul.

Ansan and Inwangsan: Seoul City

These two very popular mountains in the middle of Seoul have numerous trails and access points. As they are next to each other, it’s even possible to hike both in one day by using a bridge that connects them. We have hiked both Ansan and Inwangsan multiple times now, including last year in warmer weather.

Both have sandy soil and are rocky in spots, although generally railings or ropes are provided for the short sections that require some scrambling. Because of the number of available trails, it’s easy to find an appropriate hike for most any weather or level of hiker. Most trails are easy and short enough to complete in a couple of hours.

Ansan’s peak trails are most easily accessed from Dongnimmun Subway Station. Inwangsan can be accessed from Dongnimmun, as well as other line 3 stations. (Follow links for more detailed information.)

Ansan

Inwangsan

Achasan and Yongmasan: Seoul City

From Gwangnaru Station (subway line 5), it’s easy to access the trail covering these two peaks in east Seoul. The trail also happens to be part of section 2 of the Seoul Trail (Seoul Dulegil). I hiked this course both on a sunny winter’s day and in falling snow, and though it looked very different on each day, on both occasions it was beautiful. The views of Seoul and the Han River are stellar. I’ll remember this as one of my favorite trails in the city.

Here are a few snapshots of my snowy day on the same trail, for a fun comparison!

Hyangnobong (Eunpyeong Trail): Bukhansan National Park

Bukhansan National Park is just north of Seoul and is easily accessible by subway. There are enough trails, peaks, and valleys to keep even the most dedicated hiker busy for weeks. I’ve actually lost count of the times we’ve now hiked in this park. The terrain here is always sandy and rocky, and while sometimes there are railings and ropes to assist, there is usually some rock scrambling involved on any Bukhansan hike. This particular hike required lots of rocky climbing – especially challenging with temperatures this cold. I will say the exercise kept us nice and warm!

We began at Gupabal Station (subway line 3) and walked through the Eunpyeong Hanok Village (where you can rent a scenic hanok for a few nights) before beginning our hike.

When we packed all those winter layers and our hiking equipment to bring to Seoul last summer, we weren’t sure how much we would really use them. Now, we’re so grateful for the gear that kept us climbing with terrific hiking friends all winter.

For more photos of these Seoul winter hikes, visit our Flickr albums for Ansan, Inwangsan, Achasan and Yomgmasan, and Bukhansan’s Hyangnobong (Eunpyeong Trail).

We hope you’ll come back for part two of this post, featuring winter hikes outside of Seoul.