First visit to Hallasan: summit hike or Yeongsil scenery?
Compare the long hike to Baengnokdam’s summit with an out-and-back walk from Yeongsil to Witseoreum’s volcanic scenery. Plan your day around round-trip distances, summit-section reservations and October entry and descent cutoffs.
First visit to Hallasan: summit hike or Yeongsil scenery?
Samgakbong on Hallasan in winter, photographed in January 2025.
If you want to look down into Baengnokdam crater, consider a summit hike from Seongpanak or Gwaneumsa. If volcanic cliffs and open highland scenery appeal more, look at the walk from Yeongsil to Witseoreum. Yeongsil does not lead to the Baengnokdam summit, but it makes a rewarding out-and-back route for the scenery of Yeongsil Giam, Byeongpungbawi and Seonjakjiwat. Choose the view you most want to see, then plan around the round-trip walking distance and the time you need to get back to your accommodation on Jeju. Hallasan trail overview
For a summit hike, make the mountain the main event of the day. Yeongsil also involves steep climbing, so it is not a short stroll to squeeze between coastal sightseeing stops. Both choices require the fitness and preparation to walk uphill and get back down.
For Baengnokdam, plan for a long hike there and back
If Baengnokdam is your goal, your destination is the Dongneung summit on the eastern ridge. Both the Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails lead there. A summit hike makes sense if looking down into the shape of the crater is what you are most looking forward to. Rather than choosing a date in the hope of finding the water level or clear views shown in a photograph, allow for scenery that changes with the weather and access restrictions on the mountain. Seongpanak trail guide
Snow-covered Baengnokdam crater, in a winter reference photograph taken in January 2025.
The Seongpanak route starts at Seongpanak Management Office and heads to the summit via Sokbat and Jindallaebat. The operator’s detailed guide gives a one-way distance of 9.6 km, or 19.2 km round trip if you descend the same way. Its reference walking times are 4 hours 30 minutes to the summit and 9 hours for the round trip. Much of the trail is in forest, so walking among the trees is a substantial part of the day. The return distance is too long to treat this as a quick visit just to see the summit area. Seongpanak distances and route sections
The Gwaneumsa route begins at Gwaneumsa District Campsite and climbs to the summit through Tamna Valley and past Samgakbong Shelter. The detailed guide lists 8.7 km one way, about 5 hours to the summit and 10 hours for the round trip. Returning along the same trail means walking 17.4 km. The valley is deep, the elevation gain is considerable, and Wanggwanneung ridge includes steep climbing. Do not choose it as an easier option simply because its stated distance is shorter than Seongpanak’s. Consider it if you want valley scenery and rocky mountain terrain and can prepare for a long hike. Gwaneumsa trail guide
These times come from the operator’s detailed route guides. Add time for rests, photography, delays caused by trail conditions and travel to the trailhead when planning your day. Keep enough energy for the descent rather than spending it all getting to the summit. If you have not done a long hike recently, review your walking experience and preparation before the trip.
Yeongsil takes you past cliffs to Witseoreum and back
From Yeongsil, the trail climbs through forest to the ridge with the Yeongsil Giam rock formations and Byeongpungbawi cliffs. Higher up, Seonjakjiwat has rocky terrain shaped by lava flows. If walking among volcanic cliffs and highland scenery appeals more than standing at the crater summit, consider an out-and-back hike from Yeongsil to Witseoreum. Yeongsil terrain and trail sections
Vegetation and low cloud around the Yeongsil Trail, photographed in June 2024.
The starting point used for these trail distances is Yeongsil Rest Area. The operator lists 3.7 km one way from the rest area to Witseoreum, or 7.4 km on the mountain trail if you return the same way. The stated time of 1 hour 30 minutes to Witseoreum is for the uphill direction. It is not enough for the whole visit, including the return walk and breaks. Yeongsil distances and starting point
The climb from Yeongsil Valley to the top of Byeongpungbawi is rated “difficult” by the operator. There is a risk of falling rocks and losing your footing around Byeongpungbawi, so stay on the designated trail even when taking photographs. Yeongsil difficulty ratings and precautions
Wooden steps and surrounding mountain slopes on the Yeongsil Trail, photographed in June 2024.
Choosing Witseoreum as your turnaround point means returning to Yeongsil Rest Area. The 5.8 km shown in the official guide is the one-way distance to the South Wall Junction, a further 2.1 km beyond Witseoreum. If you add that section to see the South Wall, allow for its distance and the separate restrictions for travel toward the South Wall and the times to begin descending. This is not a route that continues from Witseoreum up to the Baengnokdam summit. Yeongsil to Witseoreum and the South Wall Junction
Yeongsil Management Office and Yeongsil Rest Area are different starting points
Your actual walking distance depends on where you get out of your vehicle or bus. Yeongsil Management Office is lower down, with a separate approach to Yeongsil Rest Area. The 7.4 km round trip to Witseoreum described above counts only the mountain trail from the rest area and back.
The separate approach from the management office to the rest area is about 2.4–2.5 km each way. If you start walking at the management office, add both legs of this approach to the 7.4 km mountain hike. The operator states that only vehicles with 12 seats or fewer may use this section, so ask the Yeongsil branch office about vehicle access and your drop-off point beforehand. Yeongsil approach and vehicle restrictions
If you travel by bus, work out how to get from your arrival stop to the rest area rather than treating the stop as the start of the mountain trail. Decide where and when to catch the return bus before setting off. If you plan to use a taxi, find out in advance whether one can be dispatched to your descent endpoint.
Reservations depend on whether you take an upper summit section
If you decide to hike to the Baengnokdam summit, first choose your ascent trail and date in the Hallasan trail reservation system. Book the trail you will use to go up. For an ascent via Seongpanak and descent via Gwaneumsa, reserve Seongpanak, but arrange onward transport from the Gwaneumsa trailhead to your accommodation or parked vehicle after the hike. For a first visit, compare this with returning to the same trailhead. Reservations when ascent and descent trails differ
The operator’s notice on revised reservation sections, checked on October 16, 2026, identifies the sections requiring reservations as “Jindallaebat ↔ Baengnokdam” and “Samgakbong ↔ Baengnokdam.” The lower sections from the Seongpanak entrance to Jindallaebat and from the Gwaneumsa entrance to Samgakbong can be hiked without a reservation. The notice also lists Yeongsil as a trail that does not require a reservation. Even on a lower section, you still need to prepare for the round trip and observe the cutoff times. Notice on reservation sections
Once you have a summit reservation, prepare identification matching the booking details and your entry QR code. The operator states that both the QR code and identification are checked at the entrance. You can open the English interface through the reservation site’s Language menu. For questions about identity verification or which identification to use, contact reservation enquiries at 064-713-9953. Notices about QR codes and identity checks
In October, follow winter cutoffs and the times to begin descending
Hallasan hikes must be completed within the day. The notice dated September 30, 2026, and the current hiking-hours guide define October–March as the winter period, with entry starting at 05:00. Use these winter hours for an October trip. The following winter limits were checked on October 16, 2026. Winter entry and descent cutoff notice
• Seongpanak: entry at the trailhead and onward passage toward the summit at Jindallaebat both close at 11:30. Allow time not just to reach the entrance, but to pass Jindallaebat.
• Gwaneumsa: entry at the trailhead and onward passage toward the summit at Samgakbong both close at 11:30.
• Begin descending from the Dongneung summit at 13:30. Fit summit photographs and rest time in before then.
• Yeongsil: trailhead entry closes at 12:00. Begin descending from Witseoreum at 15:00.
• If continuing to the South Wall Junction, onward passage from Witseoreum toward the South Wall closes at 13:00; begin descending from the South Wall Junction at 14:00.
• On the way down from the summit, begin descending from Jindallaebat Shelter and Samgakbong Shelter at 15:30.
Read these times alongside the operator’s hiking-hours guide. Setting off just before the entrance closes does not mean you have enough time to reach the summit or your turnaround point. Choose an early start and a turnaround time that let you reach each control point at your own pace and then descend to finish the hike. If you are walking more slowly than expected or the weather deteriorates, turn back before your planned destination.
The Samgakbong–Baengnokdam section on the Gwaneumsa route was announced for reopening effective at 05:00 on September 24, 2026. An earlier reopening notice or a completed reservation does not, however, determine access on your visit day. The day before and on the day itself, check your intended section in the live trail information on the Hallasan National Park homepage and the latest notices. Dense fog, strong winds, heavy rain or snowfall can lead to partial or full closures. Gwaneumsa reopening notice
Choose your trailhead and leave time after the descent
When saving your destination in a map app, use your actual starting point rather than the name of the whole park. Decide whether you will start at Seongpanak Management Office (성판악관리사무실), the trailhead by Gwaneumsa District Campsite (관음사지구야영장), Yeongsil Management Office (영실관리사무소) or Yeongsil Rest Area (영실휴게소). This makes both your outward and return journeys easier to plan. At Yeongsil in particular, check both the vehicle drop-off point and where the mountain trail begins.
• Seongpanak branch office: 064-725-9950
• Gwaneumsa branch office: 064-756-9950
• Yeongsil branch office: 064-747-9950
These contacts are listed in the official Hallasan National Park information. If you descend on a different trail, arrange return transport from that trailhead. Rather than packing an airport transfer or distant coastal sightseeing tightly into the hours after your hike, leave time for a meal, a rest and the journey back to your accommodation.
Bring water, food, hiking boots with grip, rainwear and spare clothing before entering the mountain. The operator asks visitors to carry enough water and basic hiking equipment, with warm clothing, crampons and gloves among the additional winter essentials. Match your equipment to the temperature and icy conditions, and avoid relying on mountain springs or shops to make up for missing supplies. Stay on designated trails. Drinking alcohol, smoking and using fire are prohibited. Hiking preparation and precautions
If you have an existing medical condition or concerns about how you might feel during the hike, consult a healthcare professional before the trip to decide what level of hiking is suitable for you. The operator suggests Yeongsil or Eorimok as alternatives for visitors without recent hiking experience or with existing medical conditions, but Yeongsil also has steep sections and exposure to highland weather. If you use a mobility aid, ask the relevant branch office about trail surfaces, steps and access to the point you want to reach.
Choose the view you are most looking forward to: Baengnokdam’s crater or Yeongsil’s cliffs. Plan the round-trip distance and check the mountain conditions for your visit day accordingly, leaving time to rest after you come down.
Photo credits
• Samgakbong (2025-01).jpg · Sadopaul · CC BY 4.0 · resized · JPEG re-encoded · sRGB processing · metadata removed
• Baegnokdam crater (2025-01) 2.jpg · Sadopaul · CC BY 4.0 · resized · JPEG re-encoded · sRGB processing · metadata removed
• Green vegetation on the low cloud-swept relief in Hallasan National Park Jeju South Korea.jpg · Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · JPEG re-encoded · sRGB processing · metadata removed · the derivative photographs are also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
• Wooden staircase along Yeongsil Trail with the mountains of Hallasan Park Jeju Island South Korea.jpg · Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · JPEG re-encoded · sRGB processing · metadata removed · the derivative photographs are also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0