[Joyongjun's Journey Manri] The Blue Light at the End of the Forest Tunnel, a Signpost to Healing

Hwacheon, Solo Journey on the Bisugumi Ecological Trail (6km)

Bisugumi Village, located deep within Paroho Lake in Hwacheon, is a remote area that preserves its natural state. The 6km ecological trail leading to Bisugumi offers rest and healing for everyone exhausted by COVID-19.

Paroho

At the end of the winding Route 406 provincial road, the road to the Peace Dam and Bisugumi appears.

View of the Bukhangang River from Sanso 100-ri Road

Travelers walking along the Sunset Oxygen 100-ri Trail

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Yong-jun, Travel Specialist] Except for the sound of footsteps, it is utterly silent. Only the sounds of the valley water and mountain birds chatter as you pass by. Accompanied by the refreshing lake scenery that seems to stretch endlessly, you follow the forest path to a remote village. When you leave the forest, the lake appears, and when the valley ends, the dense greenery is spectacular. Wildflowers bloom charmingly, swaying in the breeze. Across Korea, there are remote villages, less touched by human hands, hidden like jewels. Even though the early heatwave drenched my body in sweat, once I enter the deep forest, the heat disappears completely. Above all, you can enjoy your own time and rest without any contact with others. The feeling of your body and mind, exhausted by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), being purified in an instant captivates you. This is the ecological trail leading to Bisugumi (秘水九美), a remote village in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. It is a secret place tightly hidden by Paro Lake. It is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in the untouched natural beauty rather than crowded tourist spots.

The early heatwave is raging, and COVID-19 shows no sign of retreating. It feels like the day to return to normal life is getting farther away. This week's travel is to a place for my own rest, avoiding famous tourist spots or public facilities where many people gather.

Heading to Bisugumi Village in Hwacheon. It is a remote village hidden deep inside Paro Lake. The Chinese characters '秘水九美' mean 'nine beautiful sceneries created by mysterious water.' The road to Bisugumi is just like that. The village became one of the most remote areas after Hwacheon Dam and Paro Lake were created, blocking the roads.

Taking Provincial Road 460 from the town to the Peace Dam, you wind through 99 curves of Haesan Pass. While going up and down this rarely traveled zigzag mountain road, the lush greenery before your eyes is dense and dazzling.

The distance from Hwacheon Town to Haesan Pass is about 20 km. Driving along the quiet provincial road for about 30 minutes through flat and uphill sections, you reach Haesan Tunnel. The Haesan Tunnel, 1,986 meters long, stretches straight ahead. So, once inside the tunnel, you can see the exit like a pinhole far ahead. From the tunnel's end, winding roads unfold to the Peace Dam. After about five minutes of driving like a stunt, you reach Haesan Observatory. Haesan (elevation 1,194m), where the morning sun rises first in Hwacheon, comes into full view, and the deep valley reveals the bright blue Paro Lake far below. It is a breathtaking view that refreshes your heart. Driving about 10 more minutes, at the Peace Dam junction, turning right leads to the remote village 'Bisugumi' created by Paro Lake.

While Haesan Pass is a course to enjoy leisurely driving, the Bisugumi ecological trail is an attractive course that can only be experienced on foot, rewarding your sweat and effort with outstanding scenery.

There are three ways to enter Bisugumi. First, from the Peace Dam junction, drive 2 km on an unpaved road, park your car in front of the dock, and walk along the mountain path. After about 20 minutes, you reach a suspension bridge; crossing it leads to the village. Another way is by boat from the dock. If you contact a local guesthouse in advance, they will pick you up by boat.

The other way is the ecological trail to the remote area introduced here. It starts immediately to the right after passing through Haesan Tunnel.

At the beginning of the ecological trail, you comfortably descend 6 km. Early in the morning, looking down, the water mist settling is impressive. A large, clear valley accompanies you throughout the walk. Haesan looms magnificently in the distance. It is said that tigers once lived here, and it seems quite plausible.

The feeling of walking a deep, secluded forest path where even cell phones do not work is refreshing. The sounds of the valley water and the wind accompany you throughout, and the path is downhill from start to finish, making it easy. The biggest feature and pride is that the path follows the valley from beginning to end.

In Bisugumi, if you slow your pace even a little, you quickly find yourself alone on the path. The only sounds are those made by the forest and footsteps. The small flowers hidden along the path are a hidden delight of the Bisugumi trail. Wherever you look, there are only paths, mountains, sky, and water, and colors that are hard to find in the city spread out like paint spilled on a canvas. The scenery you see while driving quickly past reveals hidden aspects of the mountains and rivers that you cannot notice otherwise.

After walking for about two hours, you arrive at Bisugumi Village. The village suddenly appears after walking through an unknown world, and it is extremely welcoming.

Although trekking courses have been created and hikers come and go frequently, Bisugumi still has poor accessibility. Thanks to this, the clean nature is relatively well preserved.

Paro Lake, connected to Bisugumi Village, now shows calm waves and boasts tranquility but has a turbulent history.

Paro Lake was created in 1944 by the Japanese during their occupation to generate energy by building Hwacheon Dam. Originally, the lake in this area was called 'Daebung Lake,' but the Japanese forbade the use of the name Daebung, so it was called 'Hwacheon Lake.' As it was built as a hydroelectric power plant, fierce battles were fought here during the Korean War to control this area, and the Korean army defeated about 30,000 Chinese troops. President Syngman Rhee named it Paro Lake (破虜湖), meaning 'Lake of Defeating the Barbarians,' to commemorate this victory, and the name stuck.

Besides this, Hwacheon has many places to visit, such as Dansan, Kkeomeokdari, Sanso 100-ri Road, and the Wild Herb Village. Dansan features an artificial waterfall falling from an 80-meter-high cliff. It is a mountain but stands alone like an island, hence the interesting name Dansan.

Kkeomeokdari (Registered Cultural Heritage No. 110) is a bridge made of steel and concrete during the late Japanese occupation when Hwacheon Dam and the power plant were built. The deck is made of black tar-coated wood, hence the name Kkeomeokdari.

Sanso 100-ri Road is Hwacheon's proud premium bicycle path. It stretches about 40 km along the Bukhan River, and the 'Bridge to the Forest' section, where you can walk on a floating bridge over the water, is popular. It is especially beautiful in the morning when water mist rises and at sunset.

Hwacheon = Text and photos by Cho Yong-jun, Travel Specialist jun21@asiae.co.kr

◇Travel Notes

△Getting There=From the Seoul metropolitan area, take the Gyeongchun Expressway and exit at the Chuncheon Interchange. Cross Soyang 6 Bridge along National Road 46 to Gancheok Intersection, then turn left toward Hwacheon Oeum. At Oeum Intersection, pass Gandong Township Office and Paro Lake Tourist Site, cross Daebung Bridge, and you reach Hwacheon Town. From the town, take Provincial Road 460 for about 20 km to Haesan Tunnel.

△Food=In Bisugumi Village, you must try Sanchae Bibimbap (pictured). A couple featured on the TV program Human Theater serves delicious dishes. They use wild vegetables harvested from the mountains, and the taste is exquisite. Pyongyang Makguksu in Daeri is famous for Chogye Tang, a cold chicken soup with shredded chicken, eaten first and then mixed with buckwheat noodles. Hwacheon Eojuktang in Gandong Township, on the way to Paro Lake dock, is a clear and deep-flavored soup made by grinding small fish and boiling them with vegetables. Kong Sarang in Daeri serves delicious soybean dishes and assorted bossam (boiled pork wraps).