JUWANGsan national park 주왕산 국립공원

Jubong 주봉 720 meters

9.5km loop

📍trailhead

Juwangsan National Park seems to be one of the lesser known National Parks in Korea. This is probably due to it’s more isolated location, about an hour south west from Andong (or 3.5 hours driving from Geoje). This park should not be missed though, and I believe that due to it being a little farther away from main cities, there are more clean air days there than in other areas.

Andrew and I set off on a weekend trip to Juwangsan so we could do some hiking and spend some time together. When we arrived, the air was crystal clear and we were immediately taken with the cute street lined with restaurants and shops leading to the trailhead. The trail we chose hit up the peak: Jubong, as well as the several waterfalls and walkways that Juwangsan is best known for.

Starting at Daejeonsa Temple, after a short walk you’ll come to a junction. To the right will lead to Jubong, while to the left will lead to the many waterfalls and walkways. The majority of people turn left for an easy walk to the highlights, but turning right under the wooden sign will take you on a loop so you can see it all.

Climbing to the peak there are some pretty amazing views of the tall rounded rocks across the valley. Eventually, you’ll be hiking along the valley floor beneath these rocky cliffs. The many platforms and viewing points along the way give you so many great places to choose from for enjoying your lunch or a snack.

The summit marker is a bit boring, it’s in an open dirt area with a few benches across from it. I chose to have my ramyeon here, but kicked myself for not having it earlier somewhere with a better view. At this point, you’ll already have hiked 2.3 kilometers from the temple, about a quarter of your hiking for the day.

Shortly after the peak, the trail will begin to curve to the left. There are still some nice views along the way to be enjoyed. Eventually, the trail will get a bit trickier as you climb down it’s rocky path. This section of the trail doesn’t last long though, and before you know it you’ll have descended to “every man’s trail” in the valley. This is where you’ll start to run into the people who chose to turn left at the beginning, including the old and young, and even the high-heeled.

Eventually, you’ll reach a junction where you can turn right to visit Yoong-yeon Waterfalls. This is probably the most impressive of the waterfalls, so don’t miss it! It’s a quick out and back taking less than one kilometer return.

Once you’re back to the main “trail” you can turn left to Jeolgu Waterfalls. This is another quick out and back of less than half a kilometer return. This waterfall was less impressive but it’s an easy walk and so close so I still recommend making the effort to go see it.

There will be more waterfalls to see along the way: Yongchu Waterfalls, and several stunning boardwalks that walk between the high rocky cliffs towering above. This is the area that the majority of people come to see, and definitely the highlight. So get your fill of pics and enjoy the scenery around you.

Back in the village, there are so many great little restaurants. We opted for some bibimbap, pajeon, and beer to reward ourselves post hike.

You’ll also find the Juwangsan Woodworking Shop where you can buy some beautiful cutting/serving boards.

Of course, this trip can be done in a single day, but if you have a bit of a drive, like we did, there are several pensions and hotels in the area. We stayed at Banglow Pension. It was well priced and we had an un-shared terrace with a picnic table for room 203. It was a great spot to unwind with some board gaming and drinks for the evening. If you’re looking for a weekend hiking trip that isn’t too demanding, I would definitely recommend heading to Juwangsan!