Seonginbong Peak

Rising from the centre of Ulleungdo, Seonginbong is the summit of the volcano that built the entire island. Near the top, a primeval forest of trees and plants found only on Ulleungdo is protected as a Natural Monument, and walking through it, with ferns carpeting the ground, feels like being somewhere else entirely. On exceptionally clear days, Dokdo is said to be visible from the summit.

The top of a volcanic island

Seonginbong, in Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province, is a stratovolcano and the highest point on Ulleungdo. Sources give slightly different heights, from 984 m to about 987 m. The island was formed by volcanic activity centred on Seonginbong; later, the lower slopes north of the peak collapsed to form the Nari Basin, a caldera. It is almost the only large flat area on Ulleungdo, and people still live and farm there.

A protected primeval forest

The forest near the summit is designated a Natural Monument as the Ulleung Seonginbong Primeval Forest. Beech woods shelter island dwarf bamboo, and trees such as the Ulleung hemlock and island maple that grow only on Ulleungdo make up the canopy. On the ground grow island endemics including Ulleung hepatica, the Ulleung martagon lily and Ulleung cow parsley. Pale, twisting trunks rising from a dense sea of ferns make it look nothing like a mainland mountain.

Hiking routes

Routes up Seonginbong fall into two groups: from Dodong and Jeodong in the south, and from Nari Basin and Cheonbu in the north.

• KBS relay station / Anpyeongjeon route (south): starts near Ulleung-eup and climbs past an octagonal pavilion to the summit. Being close to the main town, it is the most used.
• Nari Basin route (north): climbs from the basin through the primeval forest, giving you the longest walk among the protected trees.
• Traverse: climbing from the south, crossing the summit and descending to Nari Basin and Cheonbu takes about 5 hours 30 minutes. Just below the summit there is a viewpoint looking down into Nari Basin.

Nari Basin and Albong

The Nari Basin, seen to the north from the summit, is the only plain on Ulleungdo. To the south-east and south-west it is enclosed by cliffs around 500 m high; these ridges, Seonginbong among them, are the outer rim of the old volcano. A later eruption inside the basin raised a small cone, Albong, so this is a volcano within a volcano, and from the top of Seonginbong you can read the whole structure at a glance. The island's last eruption is thought to have been about 5,000 years ago.

Tradition says the name Nari comes from people who once survived here by digging up the roots of the Ulleung martagon lily (seommalnari). People still live and farm in the basin, and traditional Ulleungdo tumakjip log houses survive there, worth a look on your way down.

Tripto tips

• Use the official trailheads: the official trails start behind the KBS relay station in Ulleung-eup and from Nari Basin in Buk-myeon. Unofficial paths, such as the hill behind a resort, are easy to get lost on.
• Time needed: allow 4–5 hours up and back on the same route, and 5 hours 30 minutes or more for the traverse. Check in advance whether you can get a bus or taxi at your finishing point.
• Best time: May–June for fresh greenery and October for autumn colour. Ulleungdo gets heavy snow, so in winter check trail conditions before you go.
• Getting to Ulleungdo: passenger ferries sail from east-coast ports such as Pohang (about 217 km, around 3 hours 30 minutes) and Mukho in Donghae (about 170 km, around 2 hours 50 minutes). Sailings are often cancelled in high seas, so build at least one spare day into your plans.
• Bring: the summit is often foggy and cool. Carry water, snacks and a windproof layer, and stay on the trail in the primeval forest to protect the plants.