Short answer: Sogongwon () in Seorakdong is the main entrance to Seoraksan National Park from Sokcho, and most of the famous trails start there. Take bus 7 or 7-1 to the end of the line and walk about 300 m to the Seorakdong Information Center (), where the trails begin. Entry is free. Sinheungsa Temple () is 800 m along the flat main path. The Ulsanbawi trail goes up through the temple, the Biseondae path follows the stream beside it, and the cable car station is on the way.
Many visitors walk past Sinheungsa on the way to a hike without knowing what it is. This guide follows the entrance in the order you walk it: bus stop, trailhead, cable car, temple. It then shows which trail leaves from where, and what to see at Sinheungsa if you have 45 minutes.
Contents
- Seoraksan entrance at a glance
- From the bus stop to Sinheungsa, in order
- Which trails start at Sogongwon
- Sinheungsa Temple in 45 minutes
- Before you go: bus, parking, entry times and closures
Seoraksan entrance at a glance
| Need | Answer |
|---|---|
| Name to search | (Seoraksan Sogongwon), in the Seorakdong district |
| From Sokcho | Bus 7 or 7-1 to the last stop, β©1,530 by transport card |
| Entrance fee | None. Park and temple entry are free |
| Trails start at | Seorakdong Information Center, 300 m from the bus stop |
| To Sinheungsa | 800 m, flat and paved, 15β20 minutes |
| Trails from here | Ulsanbawi, Biseondae and Geumganggul, Biryong Falls, Gwongeumseong cable car, Cheonbuldong Valley to Yangpok, Daecheongbong |
| Busiest time | Weekends from mid-October to early November |
Sinheungsa sits on the valley floor right below the ridges. Every Seorakdong trail starts within a kilometer of it.
From the bus stop to Sinheungsa, in order
Distances are measured along the main path from the Seorakdong Information Center, using the trail lines on our Mt. Seorak trail map.
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Bus stop β Information Center (300 m): Buses 7 and 7-1 turn around at , next to the car parks. Walk west up the road past the restaurants and souvenir shops to the Seorakdong Information Center. This is the trailhead. No ticket is needed.
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Information Center β Biryong Falls turn-off (100 m): Just past the entrance, the Biryong Falls trail branches off across the stream to the south bank. If you are going to the waterfall, turn off here. Everyone else stays on the wide main path.
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Information Center β Cable car station (300 m): The Gwongeumseong cable car station is on the main path. Get a ride time first on busy days, then walk to the temple while you wait.
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Cable car β Great Unification Buddha and Sinheungsa (800 m from the entrance): The path passes the large bronze Great Unification Buddha and reaches Sinheungsa. About 500 m from the entrance, the Biseondae path splits off and follows the stream past the temple. The Ulsanbawi trail goes up through the temple grounds.
Which trails start at Sogongwon
Seven of the park's 15 official courses in the Korea National Park Service (KNPS) hiking safety data start at Sogongwon. An eighth, from Hangyeryeong over Daecheongbong, ends there. Distances and one-way times are KNPS course figures; the difficulty ratings come from our own trail guides.
- Biryong Falls, on to the Towangseong Falls viewpoint: easy. KNPS: 2.8 km, 1h 30. It branches off across the stream 100 m past the entrance.
- Gwongeumseong cable car, with a short walk at the top: easy. KNPS: 1.5 km, 30 min. Board at the cable car station, 300 m in.
- Biseondae and Geumganggul Cave: moderate, because the cave climb is steep. KNPS: 3.6 km, 2h. Take the stream-side path past the temple.
- Ulsanbawi Rock: moderate, with 800+ stairs at the end. KNPS: 3.8 km, 2h. The trail goes through Sinheungsa.
- Cheonbuldong Valley to Yangpok Shelter: moderate, and a long day. KNPS: 6.5 km, 3h 10. Continue past Biseondae.
- Daecheongbong summit, finishing at Osaek: expert, best as an overnight. KNPS: 16.0 km, 10h 40. Continue past Biseondae.
- Gongnyong Ridge: expert only. KNPS: 19.1 km, 14h 40. The route goes via Geumganggul and Madeungryeong.
If you have half a day and no hiking experience, choose between Biryong Falls and the flat walk to Biseondae. If you have a full day and good knees, do Ulsanbawi. The beginner hikes guide compares them in more detail.
The Great Unification Buddha is the landmark on the main path. Once you see it, Sinheungsa and the Ulsanbawi trail are just ahead.
Sinheungsa Temple in 45 minutes
Sinheungsa is a working temple of the Jogye Order. Its history goes back to Hyangseongsa, founded by the monk Jajang in 652. You don't need to know anything about Buddhism to enjoy it. Walk it as a sequence:
- Great Unification Buddha: the large seated bronze statue beside the path. It is the landmark, but not the oldest part of the temple.
- Bojeru Pavilion: walk underneath it into the courtyard. The gate-then-courtyard order is how Korean temples are designed to be entered.
- Geungnakbojeon Hall: the main hall, first built in 1647 and now a national Treasure. Look at the stone steps, the carved lattice doors and the roofline. Inside is the Wooden Seated Amitabha Buddha Triad (1651).
- Bronze Bell: cast in 1788 and hung by Bojeru Pavilion. Its sound marks the temple's daily rituals.
There is also a recent story here. On November 14, 2025, The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced it was returning The Tenth King of Hell, a 1798 Buddhist painting, to Sinheungsa. The Met said the painting was believed to have left the temple while it was under US Army control during the Korean War.
Temple manners are simple: keep your voice down near the halls, don't photograph people praying, monks or ceremonies, follow the no-photo signs inside, and don't use flash.
The bronze bell is easy to miss on the way to the trails.
Before you go: bus, parking, entry times and closures
Bus: Take bus 7 or 7-1 from Sokcho to the last stop, . The adult fare is β©1,530 by transport card or β©1,700 cash. Allow 30β45 minutes from the Express Bus Terminal and longer on autumn weekends. For stop names, return stops and the last bus, use the Sokcho to Seoraksan bus 7/7-1 guide.
Taxi: About 15 minutes from central Sokcho in normal traffic. In peak foliage season, taxis queue on the same access road as the buses.
Parking: The Seorakdong car parks are paid, around β©5,000β6,000 a day for a car, and rates vary by season. They fill early on autumn weekends, so arrive before 8 a.m. if you drive.
Entry times: Longer routes have a latest-entry time at the Biseondae checkpoint. Toward Yangpok, you must pass it by 14:00 from April to October and by 12:00 from November to March. Toward Geumganggul, the limit is 14:00. Walkers who arrive later can still go as far as Biseondae.
Autumn closures: For wildfire prevention, KNPS closes the high trails every autumn. It ran from November 15 to December 15 in 2024 and 2025, and the KNPS shelter booking pages list the shelters as closed for the same dates in 2026. In recent closures, Sogongwon to Biseondae stayed open. Weather warnings for heavy rain or strong wind can also close trails on the day, so check the KNPS notices in the morning.
Without a car: If you are not hiking, Sinheungsa and the cable car make a half day from Sokcho. Pair them with Sokcho Without a Car. For a heritage day that continues to the Sokcho Museum, the Tourist & Fishery Market and Abai Village, follow the Sokcho History Itinerary.
