Apsan Mountain, Daegu

Apsan, literally "the mountain in front", rises right along the southern edge of central Daegu. On the north-facing valleys of this 660 m ridge lies the city's largest urban nature park, and a cable car takes you up to an observatory in about five minutes, with the whole basin city spread out below. Many people come up from dusk into the evening for the night view.

About the mountain

Apsan straddles Nam-gu and Dalseo-gu, flanked by Sanseongsan (653 m) and Daedeoksan (546 m). The 1832 gazetteer of Daegu records it as Seongbulsan, which seems to have been its original name. The city designated the area as Apsan Park and began developing it in the early 1970s.

Walking paths and hiking trails crisscross the park, and the lower slopes have an archery range, a swimming pool and a riding centre. At the Keungol entrance, the Nakdong River Victory Memorial Hall, opened in 1979, commemorates the Korean War battles along the Nakdong River line that kept Daegu from falling. Older temples such as Anilsa, Eunjeoksa and Imhyusa sit in the side valleys.

Each valley, including Keungol, Gosangol, Anjirang-gol, Yongdugol and Dalbigol, has its own entrance. Around the park stand a memorial tower to the war dead, a UN veterans' monument and a memorial to independence activist Yi Si-yeong, so a walk here also traces Daegu's modern history.

What to see

• Apsan Cable Car and Observatory: the cable car climbs about 790 m from Keungol, near the Nakdong River Victory Memorial Hall. From the observatory at roughly 510 m, you see downtown Daegu, the 83 Tower and, in the distance, Palgongsan.
• Apsan Jarak-gil: a 15 km path along the mountainside from the Metasequoia avenue at Gosangol to the youth centre at Dalbigol, divided into six sections. One or two sections make a pleasant walk. The full route takes about six hours, and the 2.4 km section from the cable car station to Anjirang-gol about one hour.
• Summit hikes: from the Anjirang-gol entrance past Anilsa to the observatory is about 2.5 km, around an hour. Another trail climbs 3.2 km from Keungol to the summit, and you can also skip the cable car and walk up to the observatory.
• Apsan Café Street and Anjirang Gopchang Alley: good stops on the way down. The grilled tripe alley is a favourite evening spot for locals.

Tripto tips

• Cable car: first departure 10:30. The last run varies by month and between weekdays and Friday-Sunday, reaching 22:00 on Friday-Sunday from May to August. Adults pay KRW 14,000 return or KRW 10,000 one way. Service may stop early in rain or strong wind.
• Park: free entry. The cable car car park costs KRW 1,000 for up to two hours.
• Time needed: 1 hour for the cable car and observatory, half a day if you add a section of the Jarak-gil.
• Best time: go up about 30 minutes before sunset to catch both the sunset and the night view.