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Seoul Has Mountains. Pack Like It.
Hiking in Seoul in 2026: Achasan, Inwangsan, Bugaksan, Gwanaksan and Bukhansan by subway, with official trail times, park rules, gear rental and winter tips.
In Seoul you can leave a palace at 10:00 and stand on a granite peak by lunch. The mountains are not decoration on the skyline. They are where a huge share of the city spends its weekend, and you will share the trail with retirees in full gear who climb faster than you.
Below: which trail fits your legs and your day, how to reach each one by subway, what the park rules actually are, and what changes in late autumn and winter.
Updated November 2026. Trail times, rules and fares checked 3 November 2026.
Quick answer
Pick by effort, not by fame. Achasan and the Seoul Trail are gentle, the city wall over Inwangsan and Bugaksan is stairs with a view, and Gwanaksan and Bukhansan are real mountains with rock underfoot. The table puts them side by side.
| Trail | Start from | Summit | Official time (one way) | Effort | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achasan | Achasan Station (Line 5) Exit 2 or Gwangnaru Station Exit 1 | 295.7 m13 | about 1 hour to the top (Peep estimate) | Easy | 3 Nov 2026 |
| Inwangsan, city wall | Seodaemun Station (Line 5) Exit 4, or Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) Exit 1 | 339 m9 | 4.0 km, about 2 h 30 min for the whole wall section9 | Moderate, steep rock steps | 3 Nov 2026 |
| Bugaksan, city wall | Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 3, then bus 7212, 1020 or 7022 to Changuimun | 342 m8 | 4.7 km, about 3 h8 | Moderate, long stairs | 3 Nov 2026 |
| Gwanaksan | Gwanaksan Station (Sillim Line) Exit 1 | about 632 m18 | about 2 h 30 min12 | Moderate to hard | 3 Nov 2026 |
| Bukhansan, Baegundae (Ui side) | Bukhansan Ui Station (Ui LRT), then 2.0 km of road | 836.5 m3 | 1.9 km, about 1 h 30 min from the visitor center2 | Hard | 3 Nov 2026 |
| Bukhansan, Baegundae (Bukhansanseong side) | Gupabal Station (Line 3) Exit 1 or 2, then bus 704 or Yangju 37 | 836.5 m3 | 3.4 km, about 2 h 40 min3 | Hard | 3 Nov 2026 |
| Seoul Trail | Stations around the city edge | mostly low | 21 courses, 156.5 km in total, 2 to 4 h each14 | Easy | 3 Nov 2026 |
Times are the official walking times from the national park service, Seoul City Wall and district pages. Allow more on weekends and in the cold.
Q. Is hiking in Seoul OK for beginners? Yes. Seoul's own trail network is built so that most courses take 2 to 4 hours on mostly gentle dirt paths.14 Start with Achasan or one city wall section, and save Baegundae for a dry day when you already know how your legs feel on stone.
Q. Is there anything to reserve? No. None of these trails needs a ticket or reservation for a day hike, and the Bugaksan and Inwangsan wall sections stay open 24 hours.8, 9 Guided programs and gear rental are the only things you book.
Two sides work well. For the shortest climb, ride the Ui LRT to Bukhansan Ui Station at the end of the line and walk the road to Doseon Plaza. For the fortress route, take Line 3 to Gupabal and a bus to the Bukhansanseong trailhead.2, 4
Ui side, step by step
Bukhansanseong side, step by step
A subway ride inside Seoul costs 1,550 won on a transit card for the first 10 km, and a single-use ticket costs 100 won more.15 Topping up a card and free bus transfers get their own page: getting around Seoul.
Q. Can I go up one side and down the other? Yes, and it is the smarter loop. Climb the longer Bukhansanseong side, then come down the shorter Ui side to finish next to the LRT station. (ref. 2, 3; Peep advice) Both routes meet at Baegunbongammun, the small gate just below the summit.3
Q. Is the Daeseomun gate open? The national park service noted in its 2026 program page that Daeseomun is under works and cannot be visited as part of that program.4 Expect signs and a detour near the gate.
Hard for a short distance. The national park service describes the last stretch from Baegun Shelter as very steep, with wire ropes fixed to the rock on the hardest parts, and warns that weekend crowds can slow the summit badly.2
What that means on the ground:
Q. How long does the whole Baegundae day take? Plan on 4 to 5 hours return from Bukhansan Ui Station, including the road walk and a summit stop, and 5 to 6 hours for the cross-over loop. (Peep estimate from ref. 2, 3) Start by 09:00 in November.
Q. Is there an easier part of Bukhansan? Yes. Stop at Haru Pass or Baegun Shelter on the Ui side for a big view without the steep summit block, or walk the valley from Bukhansanseong to Daeseomun and back. (ref. 2, 3; Peep advice)
Achasan. At 295.7 m it is low and the paths are kind, yet the south-facing slope opens straight onto the Han River and the city.13 It is also the place Seoul goes to watch the first sunrise of the year.
How to do it
The ridge forts date from the 5th and 6th centuries, when Goguryeo held the Han River valley, and the Seoul Trail runs along the same ridge if you want to keep walking.13
Q. Can I see the New Year sunrise on Achasan? Yes. Seoul's city news site describes Haemaji Plaza as a sunrise spot with New Year events from 06:00 every 1 January.13 Expect large crowds and very cold air; bring a headlamp for the dark climb.
Yes, and it is the most "only in Seoul" hike on this list. The Joseon-era wall climbs straight over both mountains, with stone stairs most of the way and views across Gyeongbokgung to the towers of downtown.8, 9
Inwangsan section (339 m). From the site of Donuimun Gate to Changuimun: 4.0 km, about 2 hours 30 minutes. The mountain is bare rock in many places, the official page warns hikers to take care in winter, and there are no toilets once you are on the mountain, so go before you start.9
Bugaksan section (342 m). From Changuimun to Hyehwamun: 4.7 km, about 3 hours, and the stairs from Changuimun up to Baegakmaru, the high point, are relentless but short.8 Near the top stands a pine with 15 bullet marks from a 1968 armed raid on the presidential compound.8
Hours that matter
Q. Can I do Inwangsan and Bugaksan in one go? Yes. The two sections meet at Changuimun, so a strong walker can link them in 5 to 6 hours. (ref. 8, 9; Peep estimate) Have lunch in Buam-dong by the gate, then start the Bugaksan stairs. For the palace side of the day, see Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon.
Q. What about Namsan? Namsan is a gentle walk rather than a hike, and it has its own guide: Namsan tower and riverside walks.
Yes, if you want a craggy, rocky summit south of the river and a station right at the trailhead. It is a step harder than the city wall: Gwanak District rates its main routes three or four stars out of five.12
Three routes from the district's 2 April 2026 guide12:
The district suggests the subway over driving because parking near Sadang is hard.12 The Gwanaksan hiking center sits inside Gwanaksan Station, so you can rent boots and walk straight to Exit 1.11
Q. Is Yeonjudae the real summit of Gwanaksan? Not quite. The stone at Yeonjudae reads 629 m, but the national mapping agency puts the true top on the peak just south of it, at 632.2 m, and that spot is closed to hikers.18 Yeonjudae, with its tiny hermitage on the cliff, is where everyone takes the photo. (Peep note)
At the Seoul Hiking Tourism Centers. Gear rental is offered to foreign tourists, and to Koreans hiking with them, at three centers next to the main trailheads.11
| Center | Address | Hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bukhansan | 5F, 52 Samyang-ro 173-gil, Gangbuk-gu | 09:00 to 18:00 | Mondays and some holidays |
| Bugaksan | 1F, 88 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu | 09:00 to 18:00 | Tuesdays and some holidays |
| Gwanaksan | B1, 23 Sillim-ro, Gwanak-gu (inside Gwanaksan Station) | 09:00 to 18:00 | Wednesdays and some holidays |
Seoul Hiking Tourism Center official site, checked 3 November 2026.11
The centers also have coin lockers and a lounge, which solves the "what do I do with my city clothes" problem.11 Book online before you go, check the return time on your booking, and bring your passport. (Peep advice)
Q. What should I pack for a Seoul hike? Shoes with real grip, a warm layer and windproof jacket, gloves for the rope sections, 1 litre of water, snacks and a charged phone. The national park service also lists rain gear, a first aid kit, a headlamp and a spare battery.5 An eSIM keeps your map working: see Korea SIM and eSIM.
Short version: stay on marked trails, no smoking anywhere, no fires or cooking, no drinking at the summits and shelters, and no night hiking. The fines are set by the Natural Parks Act, and rangers patrol for them, more so in fire season.5, 6
| Rule | Fine, first offence | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Smoking outside designated places (the whole park is non-smoking) | 600,000 won | ref. 5 |
| Drinking alcohol at listed summits, shelters and spots (Baegundae, Daedongmun, Daenammun, Samobawi and others) | 100,000 won | ref. 5 |
| Cooking outside designated places | 100,000 won | ref. 5 |
| Entering a closed or restricted area | 200,000 won | ref. 5 |
| Entering a fire-season closed trail without permission | up to 500,000 won | ref. 6 |
Korea National Park Service rules page and Newsis, 1 November 2026.5, 6
Other rules people miss
Q. What if I get hurt or lost? Call 119. Location boards stand every 250 to 500 m on main national park trails; read the number on the nearest one to the dispatcher and rescuers can find you.5 The Bukhansan National Park Office number is 02-909-0498.1
Yes, and the light and empty trails reward you, but three things change: days get short, some trails close for fire season, and stone turns icy.
Fire season, 15 November to 15 December 2026. The national park service is closing 148 trail sections in 18 parks, including Bukhansan, fully or partly; the rest stay open.6 Check the live control page on the morning of your hike.7 The city wall, Achasan and Gwanaksan are not national park trails, so this list does not cover them, though local fire notices can still apply. (Peep note)
Daylight. Seoul loses daylight fast: the sun sets at 17:34 on 1 November, at 17:14 by 30 November, and earliest of all, around 17:13, on 7 December.16, 17 For Baegundae, a noon start is already late. (Peep advice)
Ice. The park service says icy sections are common on Baegundae in winter and crampons are a must.2 Light slip-on crampons are sold in the outdoor shops at both Bukhansan trailheads. (Peep observation) Inwangsan's rock steps need the same care.9
Season by season
Q. Do locals really eat after hiking? Yes. A plate of pajeon and a bowl of makgeolli at the bottom of the trail is a weekend ritual for many Seoul hikers. (Peep observation) Just keep the drinking for after you are off the mountain.
A 156.5 km walking loop around the edge of the city, split into 21 courses of about 2 to 4 hours each since its 2024 revamp. It links forests, streams and villages, and its access paths start from subway stations.14
It is the gentle cousin of the summit hikes: mostly dirt paths without steep grades, with rest areas and forest book cafes along the way.14 Collect all 28 stamps, in the paper booklet or the app, and the city issues a completion certificate.19
Q. Which Seoul Trail course is easy to try? The Yongma and Achasan section from Gwangnaru Station climbs onto the Achasan ridge and continues north along the forts, so you get a real view on a gentle path.13, 14
Achasan is the easiest real hike: a 295.7 m hill reached on foot from Achasan or Gwangnaru Station on Line 5.13 The paths are wide and kind, and the viewing deck at Haemaji Plaza looks over the Han River in under an hour of walking.
Baegundae, the highest peak of Bukhansan, stands 836.5 m above sea level.3 That sounds small, but you start close to sea level and the last section is steep granite, so it climbs like a much bigger mountain than the number suggests.
Bukhansan Ui Station, the last stop of the Ui LRT, is the closest to the Baegundae trail on the east side. (Peep note) For the fortress route, take Line 3 to Gupabal Station and then bus 704 or Yangju 37 to Bukhansanseong Entrance.4
Yes on Bukhansan, according to the national park service, which says icy sections are common on the Baegundae route in winter.2 Light slip-on crampons are sold at trailhead outdoor shops. Inwangsan's rock steps also turn slippery, so carry them there too. (ref. 9; Peep observation)
Not at the listed national park summits, shelters and gates, where drinking carries a 100,000 won fine. In Bukhansan that list includes Baegundae and Daenammun.5 Save the makgeolli for the small restaurants at the trailhead once you are safely back down.
The wall is open 24 hours, but the recommended hours on Bugaksan are 09:00 to 17:00 from November to February.8 In spring and autumn the window widens to 07:00 to 18:00, which gives you a sunset over the palace roofs.
Popular Seoul trails are busy with local hikers on most days, which makes solo hiking common on the main routes. (Peep observation) Tell someone your plan, keep your phone charged and stay on marked paths. In an emergency, call 119 and read out the nearest location board number.5
Bukhansan's first autumn colour was recorded on 14 October 2026, and the lower slopes and city wall keep their colour into early November. (KMA, via our November and December guide; Peep observation) By late November most trees are bare, which is when clear, cold winter views across the city take over from the leaves.
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