Pyeongchang Yukbaekmajigi

On the summit of Cheongoksan in Mitan-myeon, Pyeongchang, at 1,256 m above sea level, a broad plateau the size of six football pitches opens up. Around 20 huge wind turbines turn along the ridge, white Shasta daisies cover the slopes in early summer, and at night people gather to look at the Milky Way. You can drive almost to the top, so the high-plateau scenery comes without a hard climb.

Land for six hundred measures of seed

The name Yukbaekmajigi means "six hundred majigi". A majigi is an old Korean unit of field area, the land on which one mal of rice seed could be sown, and the plateau was said to be wide enough for 600 mal of seed. In the 1960s slash-and-burn farmers cleared the mountain for fields, and it became Korea's first highland vegetable-growing area. Decades of farming washed away the soil and damaged the mountain, so in 2018 Pyeongchang County turned it into a wildflower ecological area open to the public.

What to see at the top

• The wind-turbine ridge: white blades turn overhead all the way up the mountain road, and from the plateau you see the line of turbines marching along the ridge.
• Shasta daisies: nicknamed "fried-egg flowers" for their yellow centres and white petals, they whiten the slopes in June and July.
• Sea of clouds: on some early mornings the valleys below fill with cloud.
• The Milky Way: at over 1,200 m with almost no light pollution, it is a well-known stargazing spot, and photographers come on clear nights to shoot the Milky Way beyond the turbines.
• Photo spots: a small church-shaped structure and rainbow-coloured chairs on the plateau.

Pyeongchang County is developing a garden of about 30 hectares here with a Milky Way observation deck and wildflower gardens. During construction the Cheongoksan road may be closed at times.

Tripto tips

• Best time: June to early July for the daisies, clear moonless nights for stars, and early mornings for the sea of clouds.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours on the plateau; set aside extra night-time for star photography.
• Fees: open at all times; entry and parking are free.
• Getting there: the road to the top is about 10 km long, steep and winding, and roughly the last 2 km near the summit are unpaved, so drive slowly. From the Mitan-myeon side it takes about 30 minutes by car to the top. By public transport, travel from KTX Pyeongchang Station or Jangpyeong bus terminal to Mitan-myeon, then take a taxi.
• Winter closure: because of ice and heavy snow the summit road is fully closed from December to March.
• Rules: no cooking and no camping; you may only rest in your car or stargaze.
• Bring: a jacket. Even in summer the summit is windy and the nights are chilly.
• Crowds: on weekends when the daisies are in full bloom, or on good stargazing nights, the summit car park fills up. Go early.
• Information: Pyeongchang County tourist information centre, +82 33-330-2771