Songnisan

True to its name, "the mountain that leaves the world behind", Songnisan has long been tied to stories of kings and monks who came here to retreat. It straddles Boeun and Goesan counties in North Chungcheong and Sangju and Mungyeong in North Gyeongsang. Sharp granite peaks rise above deeply cut valleys, which once earned it the nickname Sogeumgangsan, "little Geumgangsan". In 1970 it became South Korea's sixth national park.

The mountain

The highest summit is Cheonwangbong (1,058 m), and Munjangdae, Birobong, Sinseondae, Ipseokdae and Gwaneumbong follow along the ridge. The granite sections form jagged spires, while softer metamorphic rock has worn away into valleys. The area around Beopjusa temple linking Cheonwangbong and Gwaneumbong was designated a Scenic Site in 2009.

What to see

• Munjangdae (1,054 m): the second-highest peak, topped by a huge boulder said to seat 50 people. Originally called Unjangdae, "hidden in the clouds", it is said to have been renamed after King Sejo spent a whole day reading here. It draws more hikers than the main summit.
• Cheonwangbong: seen from Munjangdae, the summit rises as a triangle. The route from Beopjusa is gentler than the Munjangdae trail.
• Jeongipumsong pine: a pine beside the road to Beopjusa, now a Natural Monument. Legend says it lifted its branches to let King Sejo's palanquin pass and was rewarded with a senior government rank. A storm in 1993 broke off a large branch and changed its shape.
• Maltijae pass: the twelve-bend road from Boeun town towards Beopjusa, with an observatory at the top.
• Beopjusa: a large temple said to have been founded in 553, with National Treasures such as the twin-lion stone lantern and the five-storey wooden Palsangjeon hall.

Good to know

• Gwaneumbong has been closed since 2012 because of its dangerous rocky ridge.
• A rest stop below Munjangdae was removed in 2008 to restore the ecosystem.

Nearby

• Beopjusa: the great temple at the trailhead, ideal before or after a hike.
• Samnyeonsanseong Fortress: a Silla mountain fortress near Boeun town and a Historic Site, listed among the key heritage sites of the Songnisan area.
• Maltijae Observatory: a lookout over the twelve hairpin bends, worth a stop on the drive in or out.

Tripto tips

• Routes: from the Boeun-side visitor centre via Beopjusa, Sesimjeong and Jungsajaam to Munjangdae is about 3.5 hours one way. From Hwabuk on the Sangju side it is about 2.5 hours one way. Beopjusa to Cheonwangbong also takes about 3.5 hours.
• Fees: there is no national park entrance fee; check temple and parking charges separately.
• Restrictions: some trails close during the spring and autumn wildfire prevention periods, and hiking after dark is prohibited.
• Time needed: 2 hours for the pine and Beopjusa; plan a full day for Munjangdae or Cheonwangbong. Many hikers finish with wild-vegetable bibimbap in the village below the temple.