Seoraksan Courses from Sokcho Compared: Gwongeumseong Cable Car and Flat Sinheungsa Walks vs. Climbs to Ulsanbawi Rock and Geumganggul Cave
From fortress ruins above the clouds you can reach in sneakers to the thrill of a granite folding screen at the top of the rock stairs
Comparison table at a glance
| Course | Difficulty | Key scenic highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Gwongeumseong Cable Car + Sinheungsa | Easy (sneakers OK) | After the cable car ride, views of Oeseorak's strange rock formations and the East Sea |
| Biseondae–Geumganggul course | Moderate (stairs after Biseondae) | Waseondae and Biseondae at the start of Cheonbuldong Valley, and Geumganggul Cave on the cliff of Mireukbong |
| Heundeulbawi–Ulsanbawi course | Moderately hard (800 steps at the end) | Panoramas of Daecheongbong and Sokcho from atop a giant granite wall 4 km around |
1. A Fortress Above the Clouds by Cable Car: Seoraksan Cable Car & Gwongeumseong, Sinheungsa
The easiest way to see the true face of Seoraksan National Park (Oeseorak) is to board the Seoraksan Cable Car at Sogongwon. Get off at the upper station of Gwongeumseong, 700 m above sea level, and walk up a gentle forest and rock path, and the summit of Gwongeumseong (the beacon platform) comes into view, perched on granite peaks that drop away sheer on every side.
To the west rise the jagged rock screens of Gongnyong Ridge and Mangyeongdae, and to the east, downtown Sokcho and the blue East Sea spread out at a glance, drawing gasps. After coming back down on the cable car, you can complete an easy course by strolling the flat fir and pine forest path past the 18.9 m Unification Buddha (a seated bronze Buddha) to Sinheungsa, a thousand-year-old temple.
Seoraksan Cable Car · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip The Seoraksan Cable Car runs only on same-day, on-site ticketing with no online reservations, so on weekends the key is to secure a boarding time at the Sogongwon ticket office first, then stroll around Sinheungsa while you wait.
2. A Rocky Valley Where Immortals Lay and a Hermitage Inside a Cliff: Biseondae & Geumganggul
If climbing all the way to Ulsanbawi is too much for your stamina but just riding the cable car feels like too little, the course from Sogongwon past Biseondae to Geumganggul Cave strikes the golden balance. Follow the flat Cheonbuldong Valley trail to the left of Sinheungsa's Iljumun Gate for about 3 km, and you'll reach Biseondae, where jade-green valley water flows over broad flat rocks and the three peaks of Mireukbong (Janggunbong) tower overhead.
Strollers and wheelchairs can use the barrier-free trail up to just before Biseondae. Show a little more adventurous spirit and climb the steep steel and stone stairs to the left of Biseondae for 600 m, and you'll reach 'Geumganggul,' a natural cave carved into the middle of the sheer rock cliff of Mireukbong. The view of Cheonbuldong Valley framed from inside the cave, where the Great Master Wonhyo is said to have practiced, becomes an unforgettable gift.
Geumganggul Cave · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip The path to Biseondae is a completely flat forest trail, but the last 600 m from Biseondae up to Geumganggul is steep stairs, so knee braces or trekking poles will make it much easier.
3. The Greatest Rock Screen of Your Life at the End of 800 Steps: Ulsanbawi Rock, Seoraksan
From the moment you enter Sokcho, a rock mountain towers behind the city like a giant white fortress wall, overwhelming your gaze: this is Ulsanbawi, the symbol of Seoraksan. Past Sinheungsa, relatively gentle forest and stone paths lead to Naewonam Hermitage and Heundeulbawi, the Rocking Rock (Gyejoam Hermitage), so even family hikers can make the climb with smiles on their faces.
The real challenge is the steep ascent and rock-stair section of about 1 km from Heundeulbawi to the Ulsanbawi summit observatory. Just as you're completely out of breath, you take the last step onto the summit observatory, and the finest view under heaven, unfolding 360 degrees from Daecheongbong Peak to Misiryeong Pass, Dalmabong Peak and the Sokcho sea, rewards every drop of sweat.
Seoraksan Ulsanbawi Rock · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip The Ulsanbawi course is about 7.6 km round trip, so a good schedule is to start hiking by 9–10 a.m. and, after coming down, have makguksu (buckwheat noodles) or sundubu (soft tofu) for lunch in downtown Sokcho.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q. Can you do both the Gwongeumseong cable car and the Ulsanbawi hike in one day?
Yes. Arrive early in the morning and buy a ticket for the first cable car time slot, or ride first and visit Gwongeumseong, then come back down and start the Ulsanbawi or Biseondae hike.
Q. What is it like to go only as far as Heundeulbawi and back?
From Sogongwon via Sinheungsa to Heundeulbawi (Gyejoam Hermitage) is about 2.8 km one way, and since it comes before the steep Ulsanbawi section, even beginners can go without strain.
Q. Is there a cultural heritage viewing fee or admission fee at Seoraksan's Sogongwon?
Both the national park admission fee and Sinheungsa's cultural heritage viewing fee have been abolished, so entry to Sogongwon and the trails is completely free (parking and cable car fares are charged separately).
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