Duryunsan 두륜산

• noseungbong 685 Meters (노승봉)

• garyeonbong 703 meters (가련봉) Highest peak

• duryunbong 630 meters (두륜봉)

7.5km return

📍trailhead

Solo Hiking Duryunsan: Conquering Three Peaks in One Day

January 2025, during the Lunar New Year, I set out on my first solo hiking trip of the year—and my first hike in quite some time. My goal? Three mountains in three days: Duryunsan, Dolman, and Deokryongsan. After a 3.5-hour drive from Geoje to Haenam, Jeollanam-do, I was eager to begin my adventure at Duryunsan.

Starting at Pyochungsa Temple

Upon arrival, I found my way to Pyochungsa Temple, which boasts a large parking lot and serves as a hub for several trailheads. After paying a small fee to enter and park, I grabbed a quick coffee from the nearby store and took a moment to review the map. I planned a loop hike covering three peaks, with the far-left peak being the endpoint for a cable car—an option for those who prefer to enjoy the view without the climb.

Walking through the temple grounds, I noticed many families celebrating the Lunar New Year, a peaceful and festive start to my hike.

Making my way to the rear of the temple, I followed the signs for Garyeonbong (가련봉), the highest peak of the day.

The Ascent to Garyeonbong

The trail led me past a hermitage, where I continued up a set of stairs. At the top, more signs pointed me toward Garyeonbong. A short walk later, I emerged into an open field. To the left lay the cable car path, but I veered right toward the peaks.

A quick detour led me to Heundeul-bawi (흔들바위), a viewpoint with a unique rock formation. Then, back on the main trail, I prepared for the steep ascent ahead. The final approach to the first peak, Noseungbong, required climbing stairs and using chains to scramble over rocks. With my winter gloves keeping my hands warm, I finally reached the summit.

A BAC 100 Summit First

The next peak, Garyeonbong, stood as the highest of the day. A brief descent and climb later, I was standing on top. Garyeonbong is also part of the BAC 100 Summit Challenge. While I had already completed 28 mountains on the list without tracking them, I decided to install the BAC app and start registering my summits. This was my first official BAC peak, marking the beginning of a new mountain adventure.

The Final Peak: Duryunbong

From Garyeonbong, I descended an exhausting set of stairs before arriving at another open field. Here, I had the option to return to the starting point, but I decided to continue on to one more peak—Duryunbong.

Along the way, I passed under a striking rock formation called Cloud Bridge (구름다리), considered the “spirit of Duryunsan.” Not long after, I made my final climb of the day and reached the summit of Duryunbong, my third and last peak.

The Descent Back

Reaching the final stretch of my descent, the trail became rugged, with ropes and rocks that challenged my already tired knees. Upon reaching Jinbulam Hermitage (진불암), I opted to take the roadway down to give my legs a break, only to find myself back on a trail before long. Fortunately, it soon leveled out, making the last stretch much easier.

Wrapping Up Day 1

With a final view of the temple, I made my way back to my motel, ready to rest and refuel. Hiking three peaks in one day was a challenge, but the rewarding views and peaceful trails made every step worth it.

The first mountain down, and ready for Dalmasan tomorrow!

Course Details

Here’s a quick overview of the hike with key details such as distance, elevation gain, and a trail map to help plan your own adventure. Overall, I’m quite pleased with the course I chose and would recommend following it the same way.