Jangansan

Rising to 1,237 m in the middle of Jangsu County in North Jeolla, Jangansan is famous for the ridge that runs east from its summit, which turns silver with silver grass in autumn. On the shortest route, from Muryong Pass, you reach the grass fields in about 45 minutes, so you can walk a silver-grass ridge on a mountain well over 1,000 m in half a day. It was made a county park in 1986.

A mountain between two rivers

Jangansan sits between Jangsu-eup and the townships of Gyenam, Janggye and Beonam. The Muryong Pass area is known as a watershed between the Geumgang and Seomjingang rivers, so depending on which way it flows, rain falling here ends up either in the Geumgang, heading for the Yellow Sea, or in the Seomjingang, heading for the south coast. The trailhead's name, Muryong, means "dancing dragon"; the story goes that the way the mountain rises from the pass looks like a dragon climbing into the sky.

Three sides of the county park

Jangansan County Park is divided into the Deoksan Yongso, Banghwa-dong and Jiji Valley areas. Within it are 26 valleys, 7 pools including the Upper and Lower Yongso, 14 notable rock formations and 5 springs. The Yongso pools in Deoksan Valley combine waterfalls and deep pools, and in summer many people cool off there after a hike.

What to look out for

• Silver grass ridge: broad fields of silver grass stretch from near the summit along the eastern ridge. They begin about 45 minutes' walk from Muryong Pass.
• Deoksan Yongso: a valley of waterfalls and deep pools, worth visiting on its own as well as with a hike.

Names and springs

Jangsu County has many mountains with Buddhist-sounding names, such as Yeongchwisan, Baekhwasan and Beophwasan, and the name Jangansan is thought to reflect the same influence. Tradition places a spring called Cheonjisu near the summit ridge and springs called Okjisu on either flank. The peak is also known as Geumbong, and paths climb to it from Muryong Pass in Janggye, Goemok in Gyenam, Jiji in Beonam and from Deoksan Valley.

Tripto tips

• Best route: the Muryong Pass route (3.2 km, about 1 hour 30 minutes to the summit) is the shortest and most popular. The car park holds about 100 cars but fills early on weekends in silver-grass season.
• Longer routes: the Yeonju village route (about 5.7 km) and the Beomyeon-dong route (about 5.5 km) each take around 2 hours 30 minutes to the top. The Milmokjae route (about 9 km, 4 hours 30 minutes) has steep rope-assisted sections and a cliff stretch, and is only for experienced hikers.
• When to go: the silver grass peaks in late October, and in early November you get grass and autumn leaves together. The ridge is windy, so bring a windproof layer even in autumn.
• Getting there: the trailheads are hard to reach by public transport. A taxi from Jangsu bus terminal to Muryong Pass takes about 20 minutes.
• Fees: there is no entry charge.
• Watch out: mossy rocks near the saddle are slippery, especially on the way down. There is no shade or water on the ridge, so carry plenty of both water and snacks, and in late autumn, when days are short, avoid setting off late in the afternoon.