Seoraksan before you go: 15 official trails by difficulty, where to park, and the nearest ER

Seoraksan National Park's 15 official trails (8 easy, 2 moderate, 5 hard) with walking times, plus car parks near the Seorak-dong and Osaek entrances, the nearest emergency departments and places to stay, from Korean public data.

Seoraksan National Park spans Sokcho, Yangyang and Inje in Gangwon Province. Its highest peak, Daecheongbong, rises to 1,708 m, the third highest in South Korea after Hallasan and Jirisan. The Korea National Park Service lists 15 official trails, which it rates as 8 easy, 2 moderate and 5 hard. They range from a 30-minute walk to a full day on the ridges, so it pays to choose your entrance and your trail before you set off.

Trails: start with time and difficulty

Here are 10 of the 15, in order of time. The times are those published by the Korea National Park Service. Allow extra for rest stops, weather and your own pace.

Trail	Difficulty	Time
Gwongeumseong Fortress	Easy	30 min
Daeseung Falls	Easy	40 min
Yongso Falls	Easy	1 h
Biryong Falls (Towangseong Falls viewpoint)	Easy	1 h 30 min
Baekdamsa Temple	Easy	1 h 30 min
Geumganggul Cave	Easy	2 h
Ulsanbawi Rock	Moderate	2 h
Daecheongbong via Osaek	Hard	4 h
Daecheongbong via Seorak-dong	Hard	10 h 40 min
Gongnyong Ridge	Hard	14 h 40 min

The shortest way to the summit is the Osaek trail (4 hours), but it is steep. For a first visit, a walk of two hours or less is a safer choice: Biryong Falls or Ulsanbawi Rock from Seorak-dong, or Yongso Falls from Osaek. Park data lists five mountain shelters. Whether they are open, and whether you need to book, changes from season to season, so check the Korea National Park Service reservation site before you go.

Parking depends on the entrance

According to the national parking registry, these public car parks are closest to the main entrances.

Car park	Nearest entrance	Distance	Spaces	Fee (as registered)
Osaek public tower car park	Osaek ranger station	170 m	470	Paid (200 won, then 200 won per 10 min)
Yongso Falls car park	Osaek ranger station	470 m	17	Free
Osaek Gwanteo public car park	Osaek ranger station	1.3 km	46	Free
Seoraksan C1 car park	Seorak-dong visitor centre	1.3 km	866	Registered as free
Seoraksan C2 car park	Seorak-dong visitor centre	1.5 km	427	Registered as free

Fees are the values in the registry. Some car parks inside the park, such as the one at Sogongwon, may charge on site, so check before you go. On autumn-foliage weekends the Seorak-dong car parks can fill early in the morning.

If you need a doctor

The nearest emergency departments to the park entrances are Onjae Hospital (regional emergency institution, 6.3 km) and Sokcho Medical Center (regional emergency centre, 8.3 km). Pharmacies are 5.8 to 6.0 km away. If you are injured on the mountain, call 119 and read out the number on the nearest national location marker on the trail. It helps rescuers find you quickly.

Where to stay

There are 53 licensed places to stay within 3 km of the park's visitor centres and ranger stations: 27 motels, 18 serviced residences, 5 hotels, 1 condo resort and 2 others. Guesthouses and pensions are licensed separately and are not counted here. The nearest campsite is Yangyang Osaek Hueland, 5.5 km from the Osaek side.

Distances are straight-line. Opening hours and fees can change, so check again before you travel. Emergency 119 · Coast Guard 122