Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the car park at Jungsan-ri, walk up past the visitor centre and take the Kalbawi trail into the forest. It climbs steadily beside the stream, past the blade of Kalbawi, then steeply on stone steps up the ridge to Rotary Shelter, beside Beopgyesa temple, where there is a spring. The last two kilometres are the hardest: a long climb on rock and steps through stunted trees, to the bare summit of Cheonwangbong (천왕봉), 1,915 m, with views along the whole main ridge of Jirisan. Return the same way.
It is 10.2 km there and back with 1,249 m of ascent; allow about 8 hours. The grade is Strenuous: a steep climb almost all the way, and a long, knee-jarring descent.
Start early: KNPS lets walkers set off for the summit only until 14:00 from April to October and 13:00 in winter. Jirisan closes many trails in the spring and autumn fire-prevention periods (in 2026 from 15 February to 30 April), so check that this route is open. In winter the upper trail is icy and the summit bitterly cold; carry crampons.
Buses from Jinju run to Jungsan-ri, stopping by the visitor centre. The KNPS car park charges a fee.
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
- Cheonwangbong, 1,915 m, is the summit of Jirisan and the highest point on the Korean mainland
- Jirisan was Korea's first national park, designated in 1967
- Beopgyesa, passed near Rotary Shelter at about 1,450 m, is often called the highest temple in South Korea
- Kalbawi, the 'knife rock', is a granite blade beside the path early in the climb
Summits on the way
- Gaecheonmun 1,676 m · passed close by
- Cheonwangbong 1,915 m
Getting there
Start: Jungsan-ri car park, Jirisan National Park. 35.30348, 127.74941
Directions to the start
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KakaoMap and Naver Map, the maps Korea uses, give public transport from where you are.
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Jungsan-ri 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.