A Hongcheon Valley Trip to Savor the Beauty of Pristine Nature

Hongcheon has many outstanding valleys throughout the county, drawing large numbers of summer vacationers and campers alike. Beyond Seobongsa Valley, known for its cool scenery of oddly shaped rocks and deep pools, and Saldun Valley, a remote village offering a pristine, untouched landscape, there are many other famous valleys. Add a visit to Sambong Natural Recreation Forest, home to Sambong Mineral Spring — one of Korea's three great mineral springs — and you'll come away feeling refreshed in body and mind.

Along the way

1. 1

   Gimi Manse Park

   기미만세공원

   Hongcheon-gun, located in the west-central part of Gangwon-do, is a transportation hub connecting the Yeongdong and Yeongseo regions. Peaks over 1,000m rise in its eastern and northern areas, and the Hongcheongang, Naechoncheon, and Deokchicheon rivers run through the center of the county. Hongcheon was the site of the last stand of the Donghak Peasant forces, and it also saw fierce independence protests during the Japanese colonial period. MoreLess

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2. 2

   Seobongsa Valley Village Recreation Area

   서봉사계곡 마을관리휴양지

   Flowing along the southern foot of Mt. Eungbongsan in Hongcheon, Seobongsa Valley is a valley of striking scenery. Blue water winding among oddly shaped rocks, dense forest, and towering cliffs come together to form a deep, secluded mountain valley. It is a good place for families to visit from spring through autumn. MoreLess

   

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3. 3

   Lunch (Tongnamu Sanjang)

   점심식사(통나무산장)

   Located in Naemyeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, this restaurant, called 'Tongnamu Sanjang' (Log Cabin Lodge), doubles as both a restaurant and a guesthouse, as its name suggests. The interior is beautifully decorated to really feel like a log cabin, and the menu includes yaksu-baeksuk (whole chicken boiled with Sambong mineral water) and dakdoritang (spicy braised chicken), as well as maeuntang (spicy fish stew) and trout sashimi made with freshwater fish caught in the nearby Naerincheon Stream — all wonderfully delicious. MoreLess

   

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4. 4

   Sambong Natural Recreation Forest

   삼봉자연휴양림

   Located near Odaesan National Park, this natural forest is a dense woodland where conifers such as towering fir, needle fir, and yew blend harmoniously with broadleaf trees such as Manchurian birch and cherry birch. The clear waters of its deep valley are home to the lenok (Brachymystax lenok), Natural Monument No. 74, a species that lives only in first-grade water quality. The forest is ringed by three peaks — its main peak, Gachilbong (1,240m), with Eungboksan (1,155m) to the left and Sasambong (1,107m) to the right — hence the name 'Sambong' (Three Peaks). At its center lies Sambong Mineral Spring, known nationwide for its reputed benefits for stomach ailments, drawing many visitors. MoreLess

   

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5. 5

   Saldun Village

   살둔마을

   Yuljeon 2-ri is surrounded by mountains over 1,500m in elevation — Mt. Odaesan to the east, Mt. Gaeinsan to the north, and Mt. Gyebangsan to the south — making it such a deep mountain hollow that variant editions of the Joseon-era prophetic text Jeonggamnok named it an ideal place to live in seclusion. The Naerincheon Stream, which crosses the village, originates from Mt. Gyebangsan and Mt. Heungjeongsan in Naemyeon, flows through Yuljeon 2-ri, and continues on to Inje; the stretch that winds around Yuljeon 2-ri in an S-shape, with its fast current, is especially popular as a summer rafting course, and in spring the banks of the Naerincheon are spectacular with blooming azaleas. MoreLess

   

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