Trekking Deokpunggyegok Valley Along the Waterway

The scenery along Local Road 427, which connects Taebaek to Samcheok, is remote enough to make you exclaim that you've entered mountain after mountain of deep backcountry. Spend a night in Neowa Village, home to shingle-roofed houses (neowajip) designated as important folklore materials, enjoy a variety of countryside experiences, and trek the Deokpunggyegok Valley course, considered one of Korea's finest valley treks.

Along the way

1. 1
   Miin Falls

   미인폭포

   Miin Falls is located in a valley on the mountain south of Simpo-ri, Dogye-eup, roughly midway between Tongni and Silli in Taebaek. Water originating in the Ubosan valley of Simpo-ri flows down and strikes the cliff face — when the spray is light it resembles a fountain, and when heavy it brings to mind a snow-covered mountain.MoreLess

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2. 2

   Silli Neowa Village

   신리 너와마을

   A neowajip is a house whose roof is covered with split oak shingles instead of tiles, built by slash-and-burn farmers in the mountains of Gangwon-do who could not obtain roof tiles. Silli Folk Village is a small mountain village with neowajip houses, where the structure of the houses — window frames, eaves, and more — remains just as it was when the old slash-and-burn farmers lived there. About 400m down by the stream from this house stands another one; it is smaller than the upper house, but the water wheel behind it is a unique sight.MoreLess

   

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3. 3

   Deokpunggyegok Valley Trekking

   덕풍계곡 트레킹

   With stunning natural scenery, this valley is quiet and far from any village, and scattered with several beautiful waterfalls. Surrounded by mountains like a folding screen, it is well suited as a family summer retreat combined with hiking. Local Road 416 leads to Punggok 1-ri, the access point, and it is about 8km from the valley entrance to the interior. Deokpung Village is a small hamlet of just 11 households, a remote village that still uses firewood for fuel today.MoreLess

   

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