Hallasan to welcome visitors now without trail reservations

Hallasan (Korea Tourism Organization)

Hallasan, the highest mountain on Jeju Island and in South Korea, is scheduled to launch a reservation-free period for its popular mountain trails, including Gwaneumsa Trail and Seongpanak Trail, starting from Nov. 27 to Dec. 27.

Jeju’s provincial government and Hallasan National Park has been limiting the number of hikers for the two Hallasan mountain trails -- a maximum of 500 and 1,000 visitors a day for Gwaneumsan Trail and Seongpanak Trail, respectively -- to ensure the travelers’ safety and protect the mountain since 2020.

But the national park has now decided to lift this measure to allow more visitors to enjoy Hallasan’s iconic fall scenery and its snow-covered winter atmosphere to their fullest.

Both local and foreign travelers will no longer have to make online reservations with an email verification process or receive a separate QR code to hike Hallasan during the upcoming reservation-free period.

While hikers will now be able to explore all seven of Hallasan’s mountain trails without reservations, the opening hours for the trails will remain the same for this year's winter season.

Though the mountain opens for hiking at 6 a.m., hikers are not permitted to climb the mountain along the 9.6-kilometer Seongpanak Trail, the longest course of Hallasan, and Gwaneumsa Trail -- two trails that lead to the mountain peak Dongneung -- after 11:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, hikers are instructed to leave the mountain peak by 1:30 p.m. latest.

The entrance to Donnaeko Trail, the only Hallasan mountain trail that starts from Seogwipo, southern Jeju Island, will be open until 10 a.m.

Yeongsil Train and Eorimok Trail are the two courses that many hiking beginners prefer, with gentler slopes and wooden deck paths. For these, one must enter before noon.

For Eoseungsaengak Trail, Hallasan’s shortest trail, which is popular among families with children, can be entered until 5 p.m. latest.

Hallasan National Park closes at 6 p.m.

By Lee Si-jin(sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)