Moaksan Mountain

Where Jeonju, Gimje and Wanju meet, Moaksan rises to 793 m. Standing alone at the eastern edge of the vast Gimje plain, its summit looks out over the whole Honam lowland. True to its name, "Mother Mountain", it shelters a wide family of temples and religious communities, including Geumsansa from the Baekje era, and its closeness to Jeonju makes it a favourite half-day hike.

Name and history: the mother mountain

Two stories explain the name Moak, "mother peak". One points to a large rock near the summit shaped like a mother holding a baby; the other says the old Korean word eommoe, meaning "great mountain", was written with Chinese characters as "mother mountain".

The mountain became a provincial park in December 1971 and was named one of Korea's 100 famous mountains by the Korea Forest Service in 2002. It is also counted among the Four Views of Honam. On the summit stands a broadcasting transmitter built by KBS Jeonju in 1977; after years of criticism that it spoiled the peak, its roof was opened to the public as a lookout in 2008.

What to see

• Summit view: from the transmitter roof the Gimje and Honam plains stretch away as far as you can see.
• Geumsansa: said to have been founded in 599, the first year of King Beop of Baekje, at the Gimje-side park entrance. It is the most common start or end point for a Moaksan hike.
• Daewonsa and Suwangsa: temples on the southeastern slopes above Gui-myeon, Wanju; the path from Daewonsa via Suwangsa to the summit is the classic route from the Wanju side.
• Gwisinsa: a temple on the western slopes, passed by routes 1 and 2 of the Moaksan Masil-gil walking trail.
• Wildlife: some 940 plant species grow here, including the endangered Millettia japonica vine and the rare goran fern (Crypsinus hastatus), and the Korean flying squirrel, a Natural Monument, lives in the forests.

Good to know

• Over the years many religious groups, including the headquarters of Jeungsangyo, have settled around the mountain, an unusual side of Moaksan's character.
• There are three main approaches: from Geumsansa in Gimje, from Gui in Wanju, and from Jungin-dong in Jeonju.

Nearby

• Geumsansa Temple, Gimje: about 3 km southwest of the summit at the Gimje-side park entrance; visit the temple, then hike over the mountain.
• Jeonbuk Museum of Art: opened in 2004 below Moaksan in Gui-myeon, Wanju, a good stop after the hike.
• Jeonju Hanok Village: about 11 km north; a morning hike and an afternoon among Jeonju's hanok houses is an easy plan.

Tripto tips

• Suggested route: from Sanghak in Gui-myeon on the Wanju side, climb via Daewonsa and Suwangsa to the summit and return the same way for a half-day hike. Many hikers also start at Geumsansa and cross the summit down to Daewonsa.
• Lowland trail: the Moaksan Masil-gil circles the base: route 1 is 21.3 km, route 2 13.3 km, starting and ending at the Geumsansa car park via Geumpyeong Reservoir.
• Fees and facilities: the provincial park is free. The Geumsansa entrance has a campsite, arboretum, rest area and lawn.
• Information: Moaksan Provincial Park office, 063-290-2752.