Jirisan (Tongyeong) hike info

Despite the name, this has nothing to do with Jirisan National Park. It is a 399 m ridge on Saryangdo, an island off Tongyeong, and it earned its place among the 100 famous mountains through rock rather than height. From Donji village the route runs over Jirisan summit, Dalbawi, Gamabong and Okneobong, then drops to Jinchon: about 8 km, with sea and islands on both sides almost the whole way.

The highlight is a pair of suspension bridges between Gamabong and Okneobong, 39 m and 22 m long, with air under your boots. Iron stairs and rope sections are frequent, so do not mistake the modest height for an easy walk. Reports nearly all end with "harder than expected", but the view changes with every few steps, so it never drags.

You need a boat to get here. The ferry from Gaochi port in Tongyeong takes 35-40 minutes to Geumpyeong port, and the last boat back is your real descent deadline. Spring brings azaleas to the ridge, and in autumn the sky above the water turns high and clear. The summit area is windy and a little cooler than the harbour.

From Seoul (BUS)

From Busan, Daegu and elsewhere (BUS)

To the trailhead (LOC)