FechTin Go · South Korea · Gwangju

Mudeungsan National Park

Kgw1226 · CC BY-SA 4.0

The mountain that holds Gwangju, crowned with hexagonal stone columns standing like pipes.

Mudeungsan means 'without equal', and the people of Gwangju treat it as part of the city — plenty climb it before work. At the top stand Ipseokdae and Seoseokdae: columns of hexagonal stone tens of metres high, formed as lava cooled 85 million years ago, packed together like a bundle of flutes. This kind of formation is rare in Asia and is why the mountain is a UNESCO Global Geopark. At its foot are an art village, tea houses and museums.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Mudeungsan National Park?

April–June and September–November

How long do you need at Mudeungsan National Park?

Half a day

What are the opening hours of Mudeungsan National Park?

The national park entry-time system applies: ascent opens at 04:00 (March–November) or 05:00 (December–February), and each section has its own turn-back time somewhere between 12:00 and 17:00. Check the trail-closure notices before setting out

Did you know

• Became Korea's 21st national park in 2013.
• Designated a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2018.
• The columnar joints formed about 85 million years ago.
• The summit, Cheonwangbong, reaches 1,187m.

Travel tips

• The Jeungsimsa–Seoseokdae route is the most popular, about four hours.
• City buses run directly to the Jeungsimsa trailhead.
• Ice on the summit in winter calls for crampons.

Source: https://www.knps.or.kr/front/portal/safe/acsCtrDtl.do?menuNo=8000340&rstId=0005

Updated: 2026-08-05