Sikjangsan Mountain

Rising on the border between Daejeon's Dong-gu and Okcheon County, Sikjangsan is the mountain Daejeon residents head to for night views and sunrise. A paved road runs to the top, so you can drive up, and from the Sikjangnu pavilion at the summit the whole city spreads out below. In the Three Kingdoms period it was a frontier between Baekje and Silla.

The story behind the name

Sikjangsan (食藏山) means "the mountain where food was stored". In the Three Kingdoms era this was a strategic border pass known as Tanhyeon, and legend says Baekje soldiers kept their grain stores here while they fought. Another tale says the Taoist magician Jeon U-chi buried enough treasure here to live on for three years.

Sources differ on its height: 596 m or 623.6 m. The city has designated a natural ecosystem conservation forest of about 4.82 million m² here, home to roe deer, squirrels, leopard cats, raccoon dogs and more than 100 species of birds.

What to see

• Sikjangnu pavilion and Sunrise Observatory: when the summit was turned into a park, the traditional-style Sikjangnu pavilion was built in 2018, and in December 2020 it received a name board written in hangeul. The pavilion and observation deck look out over all of Daejeon, which has long made this the city's favourite night-view spot.
• Secheon Park and reservoir: the recreation area at the foot of the mountain. The dam at its entrance was built across the valley in 1934 and supplied Daejeon's drinking water until the city switched to Daecheong Lake. The Daejeoncheon stream begins here.
• Gosansa: a temple on the mountainside whose main hall, wooden seated Sakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha painting are all registered as Daejeon cultural heritage.
• Hiking trails: forest paths climb from Secheon to the summit. Stretches beside the stream and reservoir stay relatively cool even in summer.

Good to know

Broadcasting masts crown the summit, so Sikjangsan is easy to pick out from anywhere in Daejeon. On New Year's Day, Dong-gu holds a sunrise event, and the sight of the sun lifting over layer after layer of ridges draws crowds every year. Plans to extend Daejeon Metro Line 1 in this direction include a station to be called Sikjangsan.

A big forest next to the city

Sikjangsan is close to central Daejeon yet thickly wooded. Surveys of the conservation forest have recorded 224 plant species and 45 species of mammals, along with a range of reptiles and amphibians. The walk from Secheon past the reservoir and up the valley is lush in spring and richly coloured in autumn, showing a different side of the mountain from the night view at the top.

Tripto tips

• Driving up: a paved road of about 4 km runs from Secheon to the summit. It is narrow with many bends, so take it slowly after dark.
• Walking up: allow 3–4 hours for the round trip on foot from Secheon.
• Best time: for night views, arrive about 30 minutes before sunset and watch the sky change first. For sunrise, an ordinary clear morning is far quieter than 1 January.
• Getting there: by public transport, take Metro Line 1 to Panam Station; Secheon is 2–3 km away, so a taxi is easiest; unless you plan to hike, you will need a taxi or car to reach the summit.
• Bring: the summit is windy and can feel cold even on summer nights, so take a jacket. In winter the road can ice over, so check the weather.