Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the Seongpanak visitor centre on the 5.16 road, the trail climbs gently and steadily through deep forest, much of it on stone and boardwalk. It passes Sokbat Shelter and, at 5.8 km, the turning for the short side trip to Saraoreum's crater lake, then climbs on through Korean fir to Jindallaebat Shelter at 7.3 km. The last 2.3 km climbs steeply above the trees to the east summit of Hallasan (한라산), at 1,950 m, looking down into Baengnokdam, the summit crater. Return the same way.
It is 18.8 km there and back with 1,145 m of ascent; allow about 8½ hours. The grade is Strenuous: a long day, with a steep final climb and a hard descent.
You need a free booking on the Hallasan reservation system, and the trail does not open on Tuesdays or at Seollal and Chuseok. You must pass the entrance and the Jindallaebat checkpoint by around midday (between 11:30 and 13:00 depending on the season; the park's tables differ slightly, so check for your date) and leave the summit by 13:30 to 14:30. Weather warnings close the trail; in winter crampons are essential. There is no shop on the way.
Buses 281, 181 and 182 stop at Seongpanak. The car park is small and often full early, so the park asks walkers to come by bus.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Baengnokdam, the crater lake at Hallasan's summit, means 'white deer lake'
- At 9.6 km, Seongpanak is the longest of Hallasan's trails and one of only two that reach the summit
- The upper forest holds the largest stand of Korean fir, a tree that grows only in Korea
- Saraoreum, a crater lake 600 m off the trail at 5.8 km, makes a side trip on the way up
Summits on the way
- Hallasan 1,950 m
Getting there
Start: Seongpanak car park, Hallasan National Park. 33.38483, 126.62004
Directions to the start
Google Maps Apple Maps KakaoMap Naver Map
KakaoMap and Naver Map, the maps Korea uses, give public transport from where you are.
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Seongpanak car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.