Chiaksan

A monk once saved a pheasant from a snake. That night the snake came for the monk and promised to spare him only if a bell rang on the mountain before dawn. The bell rang three times, and when the monk went to the temple he found the pheasant dead beneath it. The legend explains how a mountain once called Jeogaksan, "red peak", for its autumn colours, became Chiaksan, "pheasant peak".

The mountain: a ridge of 1,000 m summits

Chiaksan lies on the border of Wonju and Hoengseong. Around the main summit, Birobong (1,288 m), a chain of peaks over 1,000 m, including Namdaebong (1,181 m), Hyangnobong (1,043 m) and Maehwasan, runs north to south; the main ridge from Birobong to Namdaebong is about 14 km long. The western slopes are steep, the eastern ones gentler. It became a national park in 1984 and covers about 182 km².

The pheasant tale first appears in a collection of writings published in 1921. Since the name Chiaksan is recorded earlier, some argue that the legend was attached to the name rather than the other way round.

What to see

• Guryongsa: legend says the monk Uisang founded it in the Silla period by filling in a pond where nine dragons lived. The present buildings are thought to date from a rebuilding in 1706, and the Bogwangru pavilion stands in front of the main hall. A story about a turtle-shaped rock explains why the name is written with the character for "turtle".
• Hwangjang boundary marker: a Joseon-era marker on the way to Guryongsa that once forbade felling the prized pines reserved for royal use.
• Seryeom Falls: at the end of a gentle valley walk from Guryongsa, popular with families.
• Summit cairns: three stone towers on Birobong, called the Dragon King, Mountain Spirit and Seven Stars towers, were built between 1962 and 1964 by a man who said a dream told him to.
• Sangwonsa: a temple below Namdaebong, the setting of the pheasant legend.

Tripto tips

• Routes: from the Guryong car park past Guryongsa to Seryeom Falls is an easy walk for anyone. Above it, the Saridari Byeongchang trail, "the cliff path like a standing ladder", is the toughest section on the mountain, so plan according to your fitness. The valley trail has been closed because of rockfall, so check which routes are open before you go.
• Trail hours: entry is not allowed outside set hours, which change with the season; check the Chiaksan National Park website.
• Time: about 2 hours for Seryeom Falls and back; 5–7 hours for Birobong from Guryongsa.
• Parking: at the Guryong area, the first hour costs KRW 1,100 for cars, then a fee per 10 minutes.
• Trail around the mountain: the Chiaksan Dullegil circles the park in 11 sections totalling 139.2 km, fully opened in 2021. If the summit feels too much, walk one section.

Nearby

• Gangwon Gamyeong, Wonju: the Joseon-era provincial governor's office in central Wonju.
• Pak Kyongni Literature Park: the house and garden of the author of the novel "Toji".
• Anheung Jjinppang Village: a village known for steamed buns, on the Hoengseong side of the mountain.