Myeongseongsan hike info

Myeongseongsan is a 922 m summit on the Pocheon (Gyeonggi) and Cheorwon (Gangwon) border. It is not tall, but in autumn the slope above the octagonal pavilion turns into one huge silver-grass field. When the wind comes through, the whole slope leans one way like water, and the road to Sanjeong Lake fills up on mid-October weekends.

The name has a story. Gungye, the warlord-king, is said to have wept on this mountain after losing to Wang Geon, hence the 'crying mountain'. Below it sits Sanjeong Lake, a calm reservoir with a lap of just over 3 km, good for a cool-down after the hike.

There are three main ways up. The valley route from Sangdong car park passes Biseon and Deungnyong falls and is the gentlest. The Chaekbawi ridge route is rock and iron stairs and will make you breathe hard. From Sanan Pass there is a short, steep line. If you only want the grass, the octagonal pavilion is enough.

From Seoul (BUS)

From Busan, Daegu and elsewhere (BUS)

To the trailhead (LOC)