2026–2027 winter planning · K-HIKING
Compare Hallasan, Seoraksan, Deogyusan, Taebaeksan, Bukhansan, Sobaeksan and Jirisan. Plan around entrance restrictions, checkpoints, reservations and your return journey.
Official pages checked 10 October 2026 (Korea time). These are published seasonal rules, not a guarantee that a route will be open on your travel date. Times below are Korea Standard Time (UTC+9).
Han Seung-hyeop / Jeju Tourism Organization · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph · Licence
Select a route name for its itinerary, map, source and accommodation base. The table shows the named entry window only; intermediate restrictions appear in the route notes.
| Mountain / route | Winter period | Named entrance | Entry window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallasan · Seongpanak → Baengnokdam | October–March | Seongpanak entrance | 05:00–11:30 |
| Hallasan · Gwaneumsa → Baengnokdam | October–March | Gwaneumsa entrance | 05:00–11:30 |
| Seoraksan · Osaek → Daecheongbong | November–March | Namseorak support centre | 04:00–11:00 |
| Seoraksan · Hangyeryeong → Daecheongbong | November–March | Hangyeryeong support centre | 04:00–10:00 |
| Deogyusan · Gucheondong → Baengnyeonsa | November–March | Gucheondong / Eosagil gate | 05:00–16:00 |
| Deogyusan · Gucheondong → Hyangjeokbong | November–March | Gucheondong / Eosagil gate | 05:00–14:00 |
| Taebaeksan · Yuilsa → Cheonjedan → Danggol | November–March | Yuilsa support centre | 04:00–15:00 |
| Taebaeksan · Danggol → Cheonjedan | November–March | Danggol support centre | 04:00–15:00 |
| Bukhansan · Baegundae support centre → Baegundae | December–February* | Baegundae support centre | 04:00–16:00 |
| Bukhansan · Gugi → Daenammun | December–February* | Gugi support centre | 04:00–16:00 |
| Sobaeksan · Cheondong → Birobong | November–March | Cheondong support centre | 05:00–13:00 |
| Sobaeksan · Eouigok → Birobong | November–March | Eouigok support centre | 05:00–13:00 |
| Jirisan · Seongsamjae → Nogodan | November–March | Seongsamjae entrance | 04:00–16:00 |
| Jirisan · Jungsanri → Cheonwangbong | November–March | Jungsanri support centre | 04:00–13:00 |
* Bukhansan: the official table body labels winter December–February, while its caption says November–March. We retain the table-body period and flag the discrepancy. Ask the park about November and March before setting out; do not assume summer hours.
Each map opens the named trail entrance, not the summit or a recorded hiking track. The two cards under each mountain are separate route choices, not numbered stops to visit in sequence. Return by the same route unless you have planned another permitted descent and transport.
Historical winter photographs, not live snow reports. Landscape photographs illustrate each mountain and do not identify the exact route or entrance. Each original and licence is linked below its photograph.
9.6 km · 4 h 30 minOfficial reference · one way
Seongpanak → Sokbat → Saraoreum junction → Jindallaebat → Baengnokdam
성판악 → 속밭 → 사라오름입구 → 진달래밭 → 백록담
Entrance and Jindallaebat checkpoint cutoff: 11:30. Leave the summit by 13:30. Return on the same trail: 19.2 km in total. Saraoreum is an additional detour, not included in that distance. Official summit-trail reservation required.
8.7 km · 5 hOfficial reference · one way
Gwaneumsa → Tamna Valley → Samgakbong → Yongjingak → Baengnokdam
관음사 → 탐라계곡 → 삼각봉 → 용진각 → 백록담
Entrance and Samgakbong checkpoint cutoff: 11:30. Leave the summit by 13:30. Same-trail return: 17.4 km. The shorter distance does not make this a quicker route; the official ascent reference is five hours. Summit-trail reservation required.
성판악 탐방안내소
관음사 탐방안내소
Educational Broadcasting System · CC BY 4.0 · 2017-11-30 · Original photograph · Licence
5.0 km · 4 hOfficial reference · one way
Namseorak / Osaek → Seorak Falls → Daecheongbong
남설악(오색) → 설악폭포 → 대청봉
Same-trail return: 10 km; the official ordinary return reference is eight hours. A steep summit ascent for prepared hikers. The 11:00 entry cutoff is not a reasonable default starting time for a winter summit day.
8.3 km · 5 h 20 minOfficial reference · one way
Hangyeryeong → Hangyeryeong junction → Kkeutcheong → Daecheongbong
한계령 → 한계령삼거리 → 끝청 → 대청봉
The entry window applies to the entrance-to-junction section. Exposed ridge travel requires experience; this is not a short beginner snow walk. The official full course continues to Sogongwon (19.3 km / 12 hours); that is a different, point-to-point itinerary. Plan a permitted descent and pickup before starting.
남설악탐방지원센터
한계령탐방지원센터
Yoo Chung · CC BY-SA 2.5 · 2006-12-30 · Original photograph · Licence
6.0 km · 1 h 30 minSum of official segments · one way
Gucheondong → Inwoldam → Baengnyeonsa → return
구천동 → 인월담 → 백련사 → 원점회귀
Turn around at Baengnyeonsa: this entry window does not authorise a later continuation to Hyangjeokbong. The distance and time sum the official 1.5 km and 4.5 km approach segments; return distance is 12 km. Lower valley paths can also ice over.
8.5 km · 3 hOfficial reference · one way
Gucheondong → Baengnyeonsa → Hyangjeokbong → return
구천동 → 백련사 → 향적봉 → 원점회귀
Same-trail return: 17 km. The ascent beyond Baengnyeonsa is substantially steeper than the valley approach. This summit route has an earlier entrance cutoff than the temple-only route. Do not assume the gondola will provide your descent.
구천동탐방지원센터
Jyuri08 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 2016-12-30 · Original photograph · Licence
7.5 km · 4–4 h 30 minOfficial reference · point to point
Yuilsa → Janggunbong → Cheonjedan → Banjae → Danggol
유일사 → 장군봉 → 천제단 → 반재 → 당골
This is a point-to-point traverse, not a 7.5 km return walk. The finish is Danggol. Arrange a pickup or return transfer; do not leave a car at Yuilsa without a retrieval plan. The summit area is exposed to winter wind.
4.1 km · 2 hSum of official segments · one way
Danggol Square → Banjae → Manggyeongsa → Cheonjedan → return
당골광장 → 반재 → 망경사 → 천제단 → 원점회귀
The one-way reference sums the official Danggol–Banjae (2.0 km / 1 hour) and Banjae–Cheonjedan (2.1 km / 1 hour) segments. Same-trail return: 8.2 km. The final climb is steeper than the valley approach.
유일사탐방지원센터
당골탐방지원센터
Jo Hanshin · CC0 1.0 · 2022-02-04 · Original photograph · Licence
1.9 km · 1 h 30 minOfficial reference · one way
Baegundae entrance → Harujae → Baegunbongammun → Baegundae → return
백운대탐방지원센터 → 하루재 → 백운봉암문 → 백운대 → 원점회귀
The 3.8 km return distance starts at the support centre, not Bukhansan Ui metro station. The final granite ascent can be hazardous when icy: a short distance does not mean an easy winter walk. Check the official winter-period discrepancy below the table.
2.4 km · 1 h 10 minOfficial reference · one way
Gugi → Gugi junction → Daenammun → return
구기 → 구기삼거리 → 대남문 → 원점회귀
Return at Daenammun: 4.8 km total. This uses the first segment of the official Samobawi course, not its full ridge continuation. Temple and gate views offer a different experience from Baegundae, but ice and steps still require preparation.
백운대탐방지원센터
구기탐방지원센터
Joone Hur · CC BY 2.0 · 2003-01-05 · Original photograph · Licence
6.8 km · 3 hOfficial reference · one way
Cheondong → Cheondong rest area → ridge junction → Birobong → return
천동 → 천동쉼터 → 천동삼거리 → 비로봉 → 원점회귀
Same-trail return: 13.6 km, with a six-hour ordinary official reference. The approach is more gradual, but the open summit ridge can be windy and icy. Allow for your descent rather than targeting the 13:00 entry deadline.
5.1 km · 2 h 40 minOfficial reference · one way
Eouigok → Eouigok junction → Birobong → return
어의곡 → 어의곡삼거리 → 비로봉 → 원점회귀
Same-trail return: 10.2 km. Shorter than Cheondong, with steeper stepped sections. A loop through Gungmangbong and Euljeon is a separate longer itinerary, not included here. Use the correct Eouigok / Saebat connection.
천동탐방지원센터
어의곡탐방지원센터
Lcarrion88 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 2013-12-14 · Original photograph · Licence
1.2 km · 30 minReserved summit loop ONLY · approach excluded
Seongsamjae → Muneunggi → Nogodan shelter → Nogodan Pass → reserved summit loop → return
성삼재 → 무넹기 → 노고단대피소 → 노고단고개 → 정상 예약구간 → 원점회귀
The 1.2 km / 30-minute reference is ONLY the summit loop from Nogodan Pass (500 m out, 700 m back), excluding the approach from Seongsamjae. Summit entry is 05:00–16:00, with operating hours until 17:00; reservation is required. The pass-to-ridge traverse has a separate 04:00–11:00 window. Confirm the mountain road and the signed approach; do not apply the loop duration to the full hike.
5.4 km · 4 hSum of official segments · one way
Jungsanri → Kalbawi → Rotary shelter → Beopgyesa → Cheonwangbong → return
중산리 → 칼바위 → 로타리대피소 → 법계사 → 천왕봉 → 원점회귀
The Rotary-shelter-to-Cheonwangbong checkpoint window is also 04:00–13:00. Same-trail return: 10.8 km / eight hours as the ordinary official reference. A strenuous, steep ascent; a shelter stay requires a separate reservation. Do not assume an overnight booking extends every checkpoint deadline.
성삼재휴게소
중산리탐방지원센터
Hallasan’s Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa summit trails require the official hiking reservation. Nogodan’s summit section has its own reservation; a shelter booking does not replace it. Overnight national-park shelters are booked separately. Confirm the selected date, entrance, party details, identification requirements and cancellation terms in the official system. Do not treat a hotel booking or gondola ticket as a trail permit.
Book accommodation near the correct entrance, with early checkout or breakfast arrangements. Confirm late arrival, transport, foreign-card payment and weather-related cancellation terms before paying. Hotel search links compare a destination; they do not guarantee availability or a shuttle. For Osaek/Hangyeryeong, Jungsanri and mountain passes, arrange the final transfer explicitly rather than assuming a city hotel includes it.
Keep a lower-altitude or indoor alternative: Jeju city for Hallasan; Sokcho or Yangyang for Seoraksan; Muju town for Deogyusan; Taebaek city for Taebaeksan; Seoul museums for Bukhansan; Danyang town for Sobaeksan; Gurye or Sancheong for Jirisan. Even valley walks can be icy or closed. Check the chosen alternative rather than assuming it is safe because it is lower.
Official pages checked 10 October 2026 (Korea time). These are published seasonal rules, not a guarantee that a route will be open on your travel date. Times below are Korea Standard Time (UTC+9).
Historical winter photographs, not live snow reports. Landscape photographs illustrate each mountain and do not identify the exact route or entrance. Each original and licence is linked below its photograph.
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