Curious about Daeamsan but worried that it’s off limits? Well, I’ve got good news for you: you can visit Daeamsan without breaking any rules or getting into any water, hot or otherwise. Enter Solbong (솔봉)!
Solbong is difficult to find on a map, and even tougher to find information about. But it exists, I assure you. Here’s how to spot it: using Naver maps, see if you can locate Daeamsan – yep, it’s the mountain without any trails. Now zoom in, focusing on the southwest corner of the mountain. A trail will eventually appear – and that’s part of the route to Solbong. Ignore the fact that the trail seems to terminate abruptly at a random point on the mountainside. This is where it all begins.
We began our run exactly where we did before. Two months after exploring Daeamsan, we wanted to go back. The route was off-limits, but knowing that didn’t stop that long uphill from calling our names. We decided that we’d run over the pass again, turn left instead of right, and just see where we wound up.
Our run began under cover of an inky night sky. We ran up along that favorite gravel road that narrows as it rises. The black shapes of trees slowly gained color in the pale light of dawn, and we saw one of the owls that seems to perch regularly near the highest point of the road.
Of course, we could not resist just peeking at the Daeamsan route we’d followed before. This time, though, the gate at the bottom of the hill was closed. Was that meant to stop…us? Or just vehicular traffic? Surprised and curious all over again, we were tempted – but this was not our intended route. We waved to the camera, and left.
Retracing our steps, we returned to the pass, and then went west. This was not entirely new territory for us. We’d been this way on bikes once before: when we’d had the crazy idea to bike around Daeamsan. The rutted, rocky terrain of this ancient road was only slightly easier on foot than it had been on bikes.
But this road is home to one of my favorite secret places in Korea. I’m not even going to tell you what kind of surprise awaits you on a quiet corner of that road. I feel like sharing a picture would be to steal from its mysterious allure. However, I will encourage you to go there and find it for yourself. Please tell me if you do, and if you find the place as absolutely magical as I did.
After several kilometers of winding forest road – and more deer and toad sightings than I could count! – we arrived in the Gwangchi recreation forest on the Yanggu side of the mountain. There were a couple of cars in the parking lot, but no sign of the drivers. The only sounds were those of the forest beyond starting to wake up, with the chirping of birds and a chorus of insect calls.
After this brief emergence from the forest, we were quickly back into it. Now we were entering new territory! It was a proper trail, complete with numbered little footbridges. My early morning alertness dulled, and I slipped into automatic. That’s why the tiger nearly made my heart stop. Coming around a bend, he glared menacingly out from the trees beside the trail. I almost jumped out of my skin before realizing it was only a statue.
Aside from the surprising statuary, this run was pretty and peaceful. Signs promised a peak, and we wanted to meet it. We ran under the canopy of a still-green leeaves, crossing back and forth over a splashing little stream. Scenic ponds and waterfalls made us pause. I lost track of time as I focused on one foot falling in front of the other, and the pattern the leaves made on the ground ahead of me.
Before I knew we were approaching it, we had arrived on the summit! This peak was unlike any other: it had a two-story wooden lookout tower, right there on the peak! The huge solar panels affixed to the roof added to the unusual scene. We climbed up to discover a set of mounted binoculars, which we used to scan ahead along the ridge for Daeamsan’s main peak. Once again, it was shrouded in mist and invisible, leading me to wonder if it is actually possible to see this mountain!
Back on the solid ground of the summit, we took time to appreciate this peak. Although not quite as high as the main summit; at 1129 meters, Solbong towers above its neighborhood. Although we’d suspected our run would take us into the vicinity, we hadn’t known this peak would be part of Daeamsan. But the summit stele confirmed that it was – and so we found ourselves visiting Daeamsan again after all!
After several minutes spent playing on the peak (including the discovery of a second stele and a sign pointing the way towards Yongneup), we decided to head down in a different direction. Our destination was the Yanggu Ecological Botanical Garden below.
Running down again, we discovered more of the same statues in this new area of the forest. This time, I didn’t startle at the sight of the painted tiger!
We kept going steady until we reached the main part of the gardens, and a greenhouse filled with cacti! That, plus a water cooler in the nearby museum, enticed us to pause the watch and stay for a few minutes. We would finish this adventure by running on the road until we found a bus stop, then taking a short bus to Yanggu and other bus home. But for me, our Solbong outing ended here, in this glorious, warm, haven for plants!
Know and Go! Solbong – Daeamsan
Transportation
Solbong peak of Daeamsan mountain is a little remote. If you have your own wheels, you’re set up for exploring this one! If not, plan on making the most of public transit.
First, head to Yanggu. Daeamsan is part of Inje county, but Solbong is situated on the Yanggu side of the mountain. Public buses unfortunately don’t seem to run to either the recreation forest or the botanical garden, where the trailheads are located. If you’re short on time or energy – or you just want to get straight to the trails, grab a taxi. Or, if you’re okay with adding a few extra k’s to your day, take the bus to Wondang-ri. This village is just slightly west of the botanical garden and has regular bus service. From there you can run or walk up the road, through the gardens and onto the trail to Solbong.
Hike & Run
There are two ways to reach Solbong: from the Gwangchi recreation forest in the south, or from the botanical gardens to the northwest. Both trails are well-maintained with good signage; although it seems remote, you’ll never be lost here.
The route from the botanical gardens is shorter at just 2.4 kilometers to the summit, while the route up from the recreation forest is 5.4k.
You’ll note that the trail map includes trails to Daeamsan’s peak from Solbong. Similarly, the sign at the top of Solbong points the way to the peak, but also seems to advise against going to it. The trail beyond Solbong seemed worn…but, once again, I’d like to urge you to proceed with caution if you decide to explore Daeamsan.
(For that secret forest spot, mentioned above, you’ll need to venture onto the old road between Gwangchiryeong pass and Gwangchi recreation forest.)
Stay & Eat
As we lived in nearby Inje at the time of our climb, we neither stayed nor ate here. But I’m not so sure that one could! This mountain is not like a national or provincial park; there are no shops or restaurants whatsoever. You can cook and camp in the recreation forest if you have your own gear and food. But don’t depend on this area to have water or any other supplies for sale. Definitely bring your own snacks.
Yanggu of course does have motels and eateries. Kent and I actually like it there, although it seems to have a bad reputation among Koreans for being little more than a military town. Still, unless you’re planning to explore other mountains in the area or do some DMZ tourism, there isn’t much reason to set up there. Solbong is an easy day-trip from Seoul.
Other Notes
Kent and I climbed Solbong in September 2017. This specific peak is not on either mountain list. However, it serves as an uncomplicated option for visiting Daeamsan, which is on the Korea Forest Service 100 noted mountains list (available here) – but might be closed to the public. Plus, Solbong is a great hike in its own right!
Our run was just over 32 kilometers, starting from Inje.
Solbong is a cozy peak at 1129 meters. There’s an observation tower on the summit offering views over the forest.
If you want more peaks off the beaten path, check out these guys!