Baekdudaegan Trail

Route overview

South Korea's national mountain ridge trail running through a chain of national parks from Jirisan to the northern mountains near the DMZ.

The Baekdudaegan is the traditional Korean concept of the principal mountain ridge running the length of the Korean Peninsula, originating from Baekdusan (on the North Korea–China border) and extending south through North Korea to the accessible section in South Korea. The walkable South Korean section covers approximately 700 kilometres from Jirisan National Park in the south to Jinburyeong near the DMZ in the north. The trail passes through a string of South Korea's most important national parks, including Jirisan, Deogyusan, Sobaeksan, Chiaksan, Odaesan, and Seoraksan. Much of the route follows high ridge lines through dense Korean oak and pine forest, with multiple peaks exceeding 1,500 metres along the way. The Baekdudaegan is deeply significant in Korean culture and history as a spiritual and geographical concept. The route is increasingly popular with Korean long-distance walkers and has been developing an international following. Mountain shelters (daepiso) operated by Korea Forest Service are available at intervals, though quality varies. Navigation requires Korean-language maps…

South Korea's great mountain spine trail, running the length of the country's main ridge from Jirisan in the south to the Demilitarized Zone in the north, through a series of national parks.

Trail facts

Country

South Korea

Region

Korean Peninsula mountain spine

Distance

c. 700 km (South Korean section)

Typical duration

40–50 days

Difficulty

Hard

Elevation gain

c. 35,000 m cumulative

Best season

May–June and September–October

Trail type

Point-to-point

Access and logistics

Bookings

National park entry fees apply to several sections. Some shelter bookings can be made via the Korea Forest Service.

Safety context

The trail is demanding with significant daily elevation gain on ridge sections. Some summit areas are prone to dense fog. Winter conditions bring snow and ice to the high ridges from November to March. Navigation can be challenging in poor visibility.

The trail is not extensively waymarked in English — Korean-language navigation materials and map apps (e.g. Naver Maps) are helpful. Some shelter areas prohibit camping.

Highlights

Jirisan National Park (highest South Korean mountain at 1,915 m) Deogyusan National Park Sobaeksan alpine meadows Odaesan Buddhist temple complex Seoraksan National Park Mountain ridge culture and traditional shelters

Why find a buddy

A demanding ridge walk in a country where few international hikers have gone before — shared problem-solving with a companion (especially useful if neither speaks Korean) adds meaningfully to the experience.

Primary source

Open the primary route source.

Explore and prepare

Discover hikes by intent, read the hiking guides, review hiking safety, prepare a BuddyPack, or browse hiking plans.