Seodaesan hike info

Seodaesan, at 905 m, is the highest mountain in South Chungcheong. What you notice first is the shape: a cone of granite standing alone above low farmland between Geumsan and Okcheon, easy to spot from a car window far away.

Named rocks are scattered along the routes, among them Yongbawi (dragon rock), Madangbawi (yard rock), the Big Dipper rock and Sajabawi (lion rock). Most trails climb bare granite, which makes for a lively scramble. From the top you look down over the Geumsan and Okcheon plains, and on clear days as far as Daejeon.

A weather radar station sits near the summit, and Seodae Falls lies in the valley on the Gaegeoksa side. You do not need a full day: a short loop takes three to four hours. The rock is steep and turns slippery after rain.

From Seoul (CAR)

From Busan, Daegu and elsewhere (BUS)

To the trailhead (LOC)

• From Seoul: ~2h30 by car
• Best time: Oct-Nov, Apr-May
• Fees and parking: Entry 1,000 won, parking 2,000
• Signal and huts: Signal yes, no huts
• Emergency: 119