Welcome to the mountains of Korea!
I finally made it out for a hike. The closest one to where I live is about a 10 minute bus ride to the trailhead.
Summertime is rainy season here in South Korea but we lucked out this Saturday, it was partly cloudy, no fog and no rain (until I reached the summit).
The humidity has been ridiculous, on par with Florida, so even though it was only 1km to the top of trail #2, I was sweating like a dog. Koreans seem to be nearly impervious to it though, I had sweat dripping off my chin and they were lightly dabbing their foreheads. I’m hoping at some point I get used to it.
Check out the map below (click for the large image). I took trail #2 to the top and then turned right and followed the ridge to the summit of Chilbosan at a modest 239 meters. Although it’s a short mountain, the views are incredible.
Distance: 7km (end-to-end)
Elevation Gain: 784 feet (239 meters)
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Trailhead: Multiple (Bus 13-1 goes near #2 trailhead)
Parking: Free
Hiking in Korea: Chilbosan
Mountain Biking Chilbosan
A couple people I’ve talked to mentioned you can ride here. You’d pretty much have to push/carry your bike up and riding down would be interrupted by staircases. However, if you go end-to-end along trail #1, it might be better. There are some good parts to go fast but mostly slower, technical riding over roots and rocks. When I get a chance to try it, I’ll definitely write a post about it.
Hiking the trail not enough? Knock out a few sets of sit-ups on the mountain top.
Better yet, go all Barstarzz and get in a street workout. Pull-up bars on a mountain… Why not?
So, there you have it – my first hike in South Korea! The first of many to come.
Until next time, take a hike!
Rain, rain, rain. That’s all we’ve had too. It’s nice you finally got to go out for a hike. Looks like a great place too…and it’s fantastic that it’s set up to encourage physical activity. I imagine it’s a well used trail, being so close to where people live.
It was a fun hike. It wasn’t too busy when I was there but it is a popular hike. Most parks have workout machines and pull-up bars, it’s pretty cool. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Tim,
I love hiking! I’d love to make it here sometime. Great video, this place looks insanely beautiful.. and who doesn’t love a bit of exercise!
Definitely bookmarking your blog, it’s great! 🙂
Read about my next trip: I’m volunteering in Peru, Cambodia and South Africa.
Sending love. X
Hi Kelsey, thanks for stopping by and saying hello. Chilbosan is a small but beautiful mountain. If you ever come to Korea to hike be sure to check out Seoraksan, it’s considered the most beautiful place to hike in South Korea. Have fun volunteering!