It was the start of an epic run! We were highly motivated to get up and get going on our quest. Destination: Bangjangsan (방장산). And that would just be the first peak of the day!
A very short drive through a very thick fog brought us to the entrance of Bangjangsan Natural Recreation Forest on a cool November morning. This was where we would leave our little rental car for the day. This was a last-minute compromise: I’d originally had us running directly from Gochang, but we weren’t sure where to leave the car (and I suppose I should mention that I couldn’t actually find the Gochang trailhead in satellite images). This trailhead, on the other hand, seemed a sure bet.
Even so, we got lost several times. Sneaking past the gate to the camp area, there were dozens of signs, but they all referenced places within the recreation forest. There was a picture of the peak, but no signs for it, so we followed Naver maps up a road to the ridge. There, there were signs, but there was some debate as to whether these signs were current and correct.
So we followed a sign leading towards another peak, then descended in two different incorrect directions before I insisted that we just head back to the start and test out the signed route.
By the time we were on the correct trail, heading towards our first summit, the sky above was light enough that we didn’t need our headlamps. We could see the ridge where we’d just been on the left. The sun rose to the right, and I saw its red orb through the bare treetops. We watched it rise completely from the summit of Bangjangsan – a very lucky occurrence indeed!
Bangjangsan had a beautiful wooden stele set on top of a rocky outcrop on the ridge, and we had incredible views over the cloud sea below. It was so nice that it was really hard to leave!
But the ridge was wonderfully runnable, and we soon continued on. There was a Bongsudae not much further along, where I took a few moments to just enjoy the morning.
The ridge was no only runnable, it was a little longer than I thought it was – which was a good thing! We were completely alone, zipping through the late fall forest and bursting into little photogenic clearings.
A few kilometers later, we reached the second peak, Ssoribong – which we’d originally thought might be the main summit. It was not, but it had the same style of stele; this time nestled in a huge rock that we clambered on for a while.
As we ran down towards the final little peak on this ridgeline, we encountered one man: our only fellow Bangjangsan hiker!
After greeting one another, Kent and I sped down the mountain to the pass. The road we found was paved, which was another surprise: I had expected a dirt mountain road. There was no traffic, but there was a memorial park with a Korean unification theme. We paused here for a bathroom break, a snack, some gear adjustments – and one last look at Bangjangsan.
Then it was time for some road running! It felt good to be moving fast, but I made sure to keep my pace manageable – this was still only the beginning of a big day! We ran down into a tiny farming town that we would never have otherwise seen. Heavy orange globes hung from the bare, leafless branches of persimmon trees lining the road.
We ran past a large reservoir, then under the highway and railway tracks. Later, a little bridge took us over some older railway tracks. We even ‘ran trail’ through a construction zone beside another highway. All of this to reach Naejangsan National Park – and the trail for our next mountain, Baegamsan!
KNOW AND GO! BANGJANGSAN (방장산)
TRANSPORTATION
Gochang is the closest town to this peak, and it is easy to get to from nearby Gwangju, capital of South Jeolla Province. Gochang also boasts bus connections to other cities around the country. Access to the mountain is a taxi ride away from Gochang. Alternatively, you could take a public bus from Gochang to reported trailheads at Sangwonsa temple or Seokjeong village. One more option would be to take an intercity bus directly to adjacent Naejangsan National Park – and run our route in reverse!
Full disclosure: Kent and I rented a car (again) for this adventure. Furthermore, we ran a point-to-point route that also required the use of a long-distance taxi. There are definitely cheaper ways of doing these things – but I believe our ways are the most efficient and exploratory!
HIKE & RUN
Complete lack of an official trail map for Bangjangsan, and I apologize for that! If I had ever found one, I would share it with you. But alas, I did not! It’s not just that we started in the dark, either. We got more than a little lost and would very much have liked a trail map ourselves. This is a bit of a tricky mountain in that regard: but you just have to trust Naver and the wooden signs on the mountain slopes.
STAY & EAT
If you make it all the way over to Naejangsan, you’ll be spoiled for choice – especially at the main entrance!
We stayed in Gochang, but I personally cannot vouch for either the accommodation or the eats there. I did not love the motel we chose, and I packed my own snacks, as usual. If I were to do this all over again, I’d pick a more expensive motel and consider trying a local bibimbap shop…maybe. To be honest, we usually arrive in the middle of the night and don’t have a lot of options pre-adventure!
However, for the intrepid, camping can be had in Bangjangsan Natural Recreation Forest. Best brush up on your Hangul to book a spot!
OTHER NOTES
Bangjangsan is 743m and represents on both of the 100 summits lists! The Korea Forest Service listing is here, and Black Yak listing is here.
Kent and I climbed Bangjangsan on an amazing 36 kilometer adventure with 2500 meters of elevation gain in November 2018. This run linked up to Baegamsan in Naejangsan National Park! Be sure to check out that incredible mountain too, over here.
Even more summits await back on the 120 summits main page!
Hope you have a blast on Bangjangsan!