Mudeungsan: Hiking in Gwangju

If you’re in the city of Gwangju, it’s hard to miss the giant mountain looking down at you as you travel about. Situated at 1,187meters/3,894feet, Mudeungsan (무등산) is covered with many trails and temples spread out and tucked away in the forest.

When I first arrived, I wanted to try and hike Mudeungsan, but it was still quite hot and I try to avoid hiking in heat at all costs. (I’ve had some people ask me to hike in the middle of summer and I don’t go unless it’s really early in the morning, because my body does not do well in the heat). I love cooler weather, and while it was still warm when I went up Mudeungsan, it wasn’t too bad, and I was eager to be up in the mountains again.

Depending where you are in the city, it can take up to an hour via bus to get to Mudeungsan National Park. All the busses end at the base of the mountain, and when you get off there will be some coffee shops and small stores before heading up to the trails, but they are perfect reward incentives when coming down the trail after finishing the long trek.

There’s an information center on the road where you can get a map (which I highly recommend if you haven’t been.) There are many side trails and options to do loops, so if you’re pressed for time, plan accordingly. It’s very easy to end up taking other trails, which will result in longer loops or steeper inclines. I often checked my map and signs to make sure I went on the right trails because I didn’t want to add unnecessary time.

If you hike at a steady pace from the bottom, you can get to Jungmeorijae Pass (617m) in an hour. The trail going up can be steep, so the Pass was the perfect place to sit down and enjoy the view while replenishing energy with snacks and water. Junbong Peak is a little ways past with beautiful scenery and view at the peak at 915m. It can be a good end point, but if you go to the top you’ll be able to visit Seoseokdae (1100m) and loop around to Ipseokdae (1017m) and Jangbuljae Pass (919m). I took this route on my way down so I could enjoy a different view going back, and it didn’t add much more time for me… though I hiked fast.

Depending on your level of hiking you can choose the trails and final spot accordingly. Most people estimate about 6 hours to hike and enjoy the view all the way up, but if you keep a steady pace and are comfortable with hiking you could easily do it in 4 hours depending on where you start.

The view from the top is not disappointing, as you can look out at Gwangju, Damyang, Yeongnam, Naju, Sunchang, and other mountain peaks in the distance. You get a good view of where you came from below and can watch other hikers. The Pass and the meadow on the way to the top were my favorite spots, more than the top. The view was quite pretty and the tall grass was very picturesque. I would have stayed longer if I could, but I wanted to reach the top at a decent time.

Seoseokdae and Ipseokdae are unique rock formations the trail takes you too, where you can take time to look or sit around. Seoseokdae is part of Jusangjeolli Cliff, and the stone pillars are known something along the lines as “Cristal Folding Screen” because the rock reflects sunlight at dusk. They were really neat to look at, though I was drawn in more by the mountain scenery and the plant life haha.

Coming down the mountain I ran into two Korean hikers who saw me at the top, and it led to an interesting and entertaining conversation that I quite enjoyed. Even with my little-to-no Korean. They were only two of many hikers who I passed–couples, hiking groups, families, military–the trail was quite busy. I got there at 8am and it became even busier as the day went on. Because it is a good hike or a popular hike? Possibly both.

Overall it was a fun and challenging climb. I enjoyed it as my first hike in Korea, and there was a book cafe at the bottom with a super sweet owner I hope to visit again if I go back.

Address: (where I started from)

[KakaoMap] 무등산국립공원(증심사)Bus Stop 1176 http://kko.to/7y7-0JxfH