Songnisan National Park

Beopjusa Temple is located within the Songnisan National Park.

songnisan national park

Songnisan National Park (Korean: 속리산국립공원, Hanja: 俗離山國立公園), is a beautiful and popular mountain park on the midst of the Sobaek Mountains range and between the provinces of Chungcheongbuk-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea.

Songnisan is the name of the mountain Songnisan from which the park derived its name. This mountain is over 1,000 meters high and is surrounded by the valleys called Hwayang, Seonyu, and Ssanggok.

Songnisan National Park was designated as the 6th national park of South Korea in 1970.

The spectacles of the sharp granite peaks, rock formations, cliffs, and deep valleys earned Songnisan Mountain as the smaller version of Geumgang Mountain (the beautiful and famous ‘golden’ mountain located in North Korea).

songnisan attractions

songnisan-national-park-beopjusa-temple-mountain-background

A view of the Beopjusa Temple area and Songnisan Mountain in the background

Songnisan National Park offers not only its natural mountain beauty but also anything (or everything) that belongs to its domain. See some of them...

Beopjusa Temple
Aside from the natural beauty of the park’s natural environment, it is also popularized by a cultural heritage treasure and attraction--Beopjusa Temple which was first built in 653.

Beopjusa Temple is one of the country’s largest and most beautiful temple areas.

Sitting Buddha
A well-known sitting Buddha statue, Maaeyeoraeuisang, is a Buddha sitting on a lotus flower position. The statue suffered some damages but has kept its original fineness.

Cheongdongmireukbul
Cheongdongmireukbul is considered one of the gigantic Buddha statues in the world. Aside from these treasures, you will also find more national monuments within and surrounding the temple area.

songnisan-national-park-beopjusa-temple-frontal-view

Beopjusa Temple in Songnisan National Park

Trees and Flowers
Both locals and foreign hikers come to Songnisan National Park to exercise, explore, and experience the beauty of nature in various seasons.

Visitors enjoy the pinkish and calming cherry blossom flowers in the Spring. They enjoy the verdant leaves of pine trees. They love the colorful autumn leaves and thread on the white virgin snow in the Winter.

Useful Information
Songnisan National Park is open all-year-round to all visitors. However, due to extreme weather conditions, mountain fires, and other emergencies, the park will be closed until further notice.

To ensure that you don’t waste your time and resources traveling to the place, you may call the following numbers for confirmation of the park’s present status. (Most of the time, it is available, and emergencies seldom occur)

Inquiry Contacts:
Songnisan National Park’s Office: +82-43-542-5267
Hwayang-dong Annex: +82-43-832-4347
Ssanggok Waterfall Annex: +82-43-832-5550

The following are the trails or courses open to the public...

Beopju Ticket office - Sesimjeong - Sinseondae (6.1km)
Osong area - Munjangdae (3.5km)
Sesimjeong - Dohwa-ri (8.5km)
Janggakdong- Cheonwangbong Peak - Munjangdae (6.5km)
Sadam-ri - Nagyeongsan Mt. - Domyeongsan Mt.(6.5km)
Haksodae - Cheomseongdae (6km)
Sesimjeong - Munjangdae (3.3km)
Cheonwangbong Peak - Hyeongjebong Peak (7.1km)
Sogeumgang - Gunjasan Mt. - Domagol (6.5km)
Tteokbawi Rock - Chilbosan Mt. - Ssanggok Waterfall (6.2km)
Jeolmal - Ssanggok Waterfall - Jangseongbong Peak - Jesurijae (12km)
Birosanjang Cottage - Sanggoam (1.2km)
Seonnyubong Peak - Jebiso (1.8km)
Hyeongjebong Peak - Mansu-ri (2.5km)
Ungyo-ri - Gallon (2.80km)

hiking courses at songnisan

Being a mountainous national park, Songnisan offers diverse hiking trails for for its visitors.

Munjangdae Course (12km, 5hrs 30min):
Beopjusa Hiking Support Center → Sesimjeong → Munjangdae

Munjangdae Course 1 (6.6km, 4hrs):
Hwabuk Hiking Support Center → Osong Waterfalls → Munjangdae

Munjangdae Course 2 (9.3km, 6hrs):
Hwabuk Hiking Support Center → Osong Waterfalls → Munjangdae → Sesimjeong → Beopjusa Hiking Support Center

Sinseondae Course 1 (9.6km, 5hrs):
Beopjusa Hiking Support Center → Sesimjeong → Munjangdae → Sinseondae → Sesimjeong → Beopjusa Hiking Support Center

Sinseondae Course 2 (9.7km, 5hrs):
Hwabuk Hiking Support Center → Osong Waterfalls → Munjangdae → Sinseondae → Sesimjeong → Beopjusa Hiking Support Center

Cheonwangbong Peak Course 1 (15.1km, 8hrs):
Beopjusa Hiking Support Center → Sesimjeong → Munjangdae → Cheonwangbong Peak → Sesimjeong → Beopjusa Hiking Support Center

Cheonwangbong Peak Course 2 (12.4km, 6hrs):
Hwabuk Hiking Support Center → Osong Waterfalls → Munjangdae → Sinseondae → Cheonwangbong Peak (천왕봉) → Sesimjeong → Beopjusa Hiking Support Center

Source: Visit Korea

Available Facilities

Parking Area
Parking Area is available at Seonnyu-dong parking lot. Parking fee depends on the size of your vehicle and the season you visit. It starts from 2,000 to 7,500 Won per vehicle.

Restrooms are available
No strollers for kids

Entrance Fees
Getting into the park is for free, but getting inside the Beopjusa Temple area is not free. Adults, Students, and children shall pay at various rates and whether it is individual or group.

Adult: 4,000 Won; Group: 3,700
Student: 2,000 Won; Group: 1,600 Won
Child: 1,000 Won; Group: 800 Won
Senior citizens don’t need to pay.
Electricity Use: 2,000 Won/day

Camping Area Rental Rates
Please, note that the rates below serve as guide and not fixed rates as they change depending on the season or any changes...

Adult: 1,600-2,000 Won/day
Youth: 1,200-1,500 Won/day
Child: 800-1,000 Won/day

Getting to Songnisan National Park

There are three types of buses that travel to Songnisan.

Buses
Seoul Central Bus Terminal to Songnisan (3 hours; 16,500 Won)
Dong Seoul Bus Terminal - Cheongjusi - Songnisan (3 hours & 10 mins; 17,600 Won)
Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Songnisan (3 hours 30 mins; 16,900 Won)

There are trains available which can only take 1 hour and 30 minutes in total travel time. But it can be costly. Anyway, here they are…

KTX: Seoul Station to Osong Station (45 minutes, 17-46,000 Won);
Taxi: Osong Station to Songnisan Park (47 minutes, 55-75,000 Won)
You may examine the details via the site below:
https://www.rome2rio.com/map

NOTE: I will update this page with my travel experience of this park. Photos, stories, and more personal impressions and descriptions of the park will be included. Hope you will check out this page again.

Thanks for dropping by. I hope this has been useful.

Have a pleasant and memorable journey.

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