Hiking South Korea: 88 Day Hikes from Sandy Beaches to Rocky Peaks ~ By Erik Palin
(Otterpine Press and Ebook, Asheville (NC), 2023, ISBN #978-1-9556-7124-8)
Review by Bill Drucker (Spring 2024)
For the breed of adventurers with restless spirits and strong legs, South Korea offers charming paths and trails through many places of cultural interest and through many majestic mountain ranges that form a craggy spine spanning the two Koreas from north to south.
Many of Korea’s most beautiful places are accessible only by walking. Its many ancient trails have been trodden by centuries of soldiers, Buddhist monks, tiger hunters and ajummas (elder women) foraging for delicacies like mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, pine nuts and wild ginseng. The valleys hide fresh springs and secret places for tranquil respites. Some Buddhist temples, traditionally hidden away in the mountains, still actively welcome visitors and offer spiritual and physical comfort for the weary traveler. In Korea, hiking becomes a journey of local culture, legends and history.
Author and hiker Erik Palin tells of a variety of short and long hikes in new guide Hiking South Korea: 88 Day Hikes from Sandy Beaches to Rocky Peaks, with wonderfully descriptive and engaging narratives. He is also a photographer and has captured many beautiful images to accompany his descriptions. While South Korean cities continue to rapidly grow and change, there are also huge areas of the country covered by mountains which are a comforting constant, inviting all travelers walk their well-worn paths.
Mountain trails are dotted with evidence of human contact. There are simple stack of stones, commemorative markers, and signs with directions and warnings. More rugged trails may have handrails and other safety features. There are resting stops, some appropriate for an hour, others for an overnight stay. There are places to eat, including trailside vendors selling snacks, and nearby restaurants that provide full meals and drinks. Short or long, the traveler is rewarded by Korea’s beauty and friendly encounters with fellow hikers, both Koreans and foreigners.
Palin writes that, in the Korean mountains, one can find “true solace for the mind, body, and soul.” Having lived in Korea for eight years, the author has developed a deep appreciation for the country and its people, which shows in his writing. The guide contains three main parts, as well as an introduction, other reference sources, a profile of the author, and closing notes.
In the first part of his book labeled The Basics, the author describes the landscapes of Korea, and moves to the unexpected finds and discoveries of the hiking trails. He emphasizes safety in hiking, and discusses how to plan and prepare for a hike, including how to choose the most appropriate hiking gear. He also goes into the specific trails and maps, hiker trail ratings, and provides a master set of notes. He includes some useful Korean phrases that are handy for hikers. He stresses that the enjoyment and adventure of hiking begins with safety, preparation, proper equipment and planning.
The author also emphasizes how to add a healthy dose of common sense to every hiking trip, for example, always respecting every trail and rest stop and leaving no mark behind. He believes that solo hiking is reserved for the most skilled and trained; most hikers should use the buddy system. He recommends novice hikers locate and use the services of hiking clubs that are available in abundance, since Korea is a land of hikers.
The hikes as described include short walks, longer hikes or a full day of walking. There are ranges of difficulty from easy to difficult. The more difficult trails can be precarious and may traverse some very high elevations where the weather may be very different than at the lower elevations. In more remote areas, there may be very few user-friendly services. The emergency number in South Korea is a mirror image of the U.S.; it is 119.
The author also discusses how hikers may encounter a variety of wild creatures, from nuisance mosquitoes to aggressive animals such as wild boars, bears, and venomous snakes.
The author describes the beauty of the four regions of South Korea: the north (buk); the west (seo); east (dong); and south (nam). There are northern hiking trails situated in Gyeonggi-do (province) facing the North (or Yellow) Sea, and in Gangwon (province) facing the East Sea. Both of these areas border the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two nations.
As an example, the author describes a moderate hike for advanced beginners, the Hwaseong Fortress Loop, located in Suwon, south of Seoul in Gyeonggi-do. The distance is eight kilometers (4.97 miles) and takes six to eight hours. The description adds a suggestion to visit the historic Hwaseong Fortress museum, and includes information on how to access to the city’s taxis and subway.
One of the most difficult hikes is the Dragon’s Back Trail to Summit, which is located in the Seoraksan National Park, Gangwon Province. The trail loop is 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) and takes 12 to 14 hours.
The western regions include North and South Chungcheong provinces and North and South Jeolla provinces. An easy beginner’s hike is the Valley and Tapsa route, located in the Maisan Provincial Park, in North Jeolla province. The distance is 5.2 kilometers and can be covered in three to four hours. The Tapsa and Eunsusa Temples are on this route, and there are stops to rest and eat.
The author describes the rugged hiking available in the southern region, including the Jeju Hallasan Summit trek, located on Jeju Island. The Halla mountain is the highest mountain in Korea, and is located on Jeju, a unique island to the south of the southern coast of Korea. The Hallasan trek consists of pure terrain hiking to a dormant volcano, which is 9.6 kilometers, and takes about eight or nine hours.
The author also has a description of a hike on the northern part of Geoje Island, which is one of the southern islands located close to the mainland. It is a family-friendly hike on the Gohyeon Fortress Loop close to City Hall, only 850 meters, or 20 to 60 minutes of walking. The route is paved, with parks and picnic areas to eat and rest. Nearby is another easy walk, the Gohyeon Riverwalk Loop.
South Geoje offers one of the most challenging Korean hikes. Aptly named the Blood, Sweat, and Tears Route, this mountain summit trek is the last described in this book of 88 hikes. The total distance is 26 kilometers, and getting to the Garasan summit at 585 meters elevation. Unlike lesser trails, this one has no user-friendly accoutrements. The hiker has to rely on preparedness and the support of fellow hikers. At a top of a summit, the hiker is rewarded with a panoramic view reserved for birds in flight and the gods that inhabit the peaks.
Author, hiker and marine engineer, Palin is a native of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and currently lives in Alaska. Before hiking in Korea, he had not hiked since he was age 14 on a Boy Scout trip in Vermont. He ended up in South Korea on an assignment for eight years, and spent another 20 years in Asia working in the offshore oil and gas industries. He is married with four daughters, all avid hikers. Aside from the Korean mountains, Palin has walked the trails in Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, California’s Sierra Nevada, New Zealand, Slovakia, Alaska, and the island of Tasmania.
Reading Palin’s colorful narrative jogged a memory of another Korean mountain hiker, Roger Shepard, who has written about an iconic Korean trail in Baekdu Daegan Trail: Hiking Korea’s Mountain Spine. For the interested hiking enthusiasts (and armchair warriors), these books are excellent resources for travel inspiration, glimpsing the landscape beauty of specific regions, and descriptions Korea’s rich cultural heritage.
The author maintains a website at: erikpalin.com.
