[Jo Yongjun's Journey Manli] The Thrill of Walking on the Edge...Dizzying Hiking Trail Above the Gorge

Cheorwon Hantan River Columnar Jointing Trail Walkway Journey - 3.6km: Witnessing the Great Nature on the Dizzying Cliffs of Hantan River Gorge

The highlight of Hantan River Columnar Jointing Trail is the Sky Observatory. Along the cliffside, a steel rope is hung outside the narrow path to create a semicircular walkway suspended in the air. Standing on the observatory floating in midair, you feel dizzy from the high altitude and the expansive openness in all directions. Photo by Sundam Sky Observatory.

If you go about 10 minutes from Sundam Ticket Office, you will find the cliffside plank road with a spectacular view.

Dreuniskai Observatory

[Asia Economy, Yongjun Cho, Travel Specialist]A dizzying path has been laid along the vertical cliffs of columnar joints formed as hot lava cooled. This is the curtain-like canyon trail surrounding the Suntan Valley of the Hantan River, a famous spot in Cheorwon. It’s a thrilling trail reminiscent of the sheer cliffs seen in Zhangjiajie, China. Walking along the cliffside trail above the breathtaking canyon allows you to vividly experience the grandeur of nature. The trail is installed at a height of 30 to 40 meters on cliffs that are 50 to 60 meters tall. The total length, including the trail, 13 suspension bridges crossing the canyon, and observation decks, is 3.6 km. Although there are similar cliff trails in Danyang, Chungbuk and Sunchang, Jeonbuk, the length and height of the Hantan River columnar joint trail are overwhelming. Even the scenery of the Hantan River itself is unlike any other river, and the trail offers a spectacular view never experienced before. Half a year after opening, its popularity shows no signs of cooling. The canyon is so crowded there’s barely room to step, and the thrill of walking along the sheer cliffs has made it a nationally renowned attraction. However, it is recommended to avoid weekends. Due to its immense popularity, you might end up focusing only on the back of the person in front of you rather than the scenery. So why introduce this place? Because it is an exceptionally beautiful and rare spectacle to find in Korea.

The entrance to the Hantan River columnar joint trail has two ticket booths: Suntan and Deureuni. The more thrilling cliff trail sections are on the Suntan side, but the Deureuni side offers more diverse geological scenery. Therefore, it’s best to walk the entire 3.6 km trail once you enter. The highlight is undoubtedly the cliff trail section. The cliff trail, made by embedding steel pipes into vertical rock faces and suspending the path, stretches over 700 meters. Although the suspension bridges and walking decks are longer, the thrill is just as intense. As you walk, it’s hard to distinguish whether you’re on the cliff trail or a walking deck because it feels like you’re walking on the cliff trail almost the entire way.

The parking lot at Deureuni ticket booth is packed with people. When asked a staff member if this was due to the lifting of COVID-19 social distancing, the answer was that tourists had always been abundant.

Upon entering, the Deureuni Observation Rest Area appears. Under the blue sky, the columnar joints of the Hantan River are clearly visible, raising expectations for the cliff trail.

The Hantan River is a UNESCO Global Geopark. In 2015, the Ministry of Environment designated 1,165 km² around the Hantan River as a national geopark, and five years later in 2020, UNESCO recognized it as a world-class geological site. It is a rare natural area where volcanic and river landforms coexist, and many parts of the river are already designated cultural assets. Representative examples include the Daegyocheon basalt canyon (Natural Monument No. 436, designated in 2004) and Bidulginang Waterfall (Natural Monument No. 436, designated in 2012).

The Global Geopark spans Cheorwon in Gangwon Province, and Yeoncheon and Pocheon in Gyeonggi Province. The 26 geological attractions are evenly distributed across these three areas. However, the most dramatic scenery in the Hantan River Geopark can now be experienced in Cheorwon’s Hantan River.

After leaving the observation rest area, the wooden deck section continues with ups and downs. Passing through a sloped shallow area and following the cliff while hearing the sound of the river flowing through basalt rocks, you soon reach the Deureuni Sky Observatory. Here, you can feel the winding Hantan River and the magnificent traces of nature’s columnar joints.

The Hantan River columnar joint trail features 13 suspension bridges and about 10 rest areas. Most of the bridges sway slightly, adding a fair amount of thrill. The bridges are named after the surrounding geological features. At the Fault Bridge, you can see cracked rocks or strata; at the Seondol Bridge, granite that appears to stand tall, sculpted by fast currents. Other bridges include the Dolgaegumeong Bridge, Granite Bridge, Horizontal Joint Bridge, Dol-danpung Bridge, and Ssangjarabawi Bridge, among others.

From the cliff trail, the columnar joints across the river are clearly visible. The feeling of the canyon from the middle of the cliff is completely different from looking up from below. The difference in eye level offers a unique experience. On the cliff where the deck is installed, you can see faults and waterfalls up close, making the experience very vivid. As interest grows, the grandeur of the canyon becomes even more impressive.

Passing the Hyeonhwa Bridge, you reach the Cheorwon Hantan River Sky Observatory. The middle floor is made of transparent glass, so looking down from the bridge reveals the dizzying canyon below. This thrill is fundamentally created by the height. The stepping plates on the cliff trail are made of steel structures with sparse holes and glass, allowing a clear view of the dizzying cliff floor below through the gaps.

Grasping the trembling bridge and continuing on, the cliff trail stretches endlessly. The scenery where the Hantan River’s water flow and massive rock walls blend together comes into full view. The breeze blowing between the cliff trail and the canyon is refreshing.

No two cliff trails are the same. Since the scenery differs, the bridges and paths built on top naturally vary. Thanks to this, there is no chance to get bored while walking. When you exit the valley, you’ll be busy pressing the shutter button on your phone camera to capture the basalt columnar joints that unfold before you.

At the final observation deck of the columnar joint trail, the Suntan Sky Observatory, you find the most scenic spot on the trail. A semi-circular path is suspended in midair outside the cliff trail along the cliff, supported by steel ropes attached to pipes fixed on the upper vertical cliff. Standing on this suspended observatory, the high altitude and open views in all directions are dizzying. Especially the floor is filled with small grid holes, making the trembling bridge so thrilling that it makes your legs go weak.

After leaving the observatory, the path continues along the cliff to the Suntan ticket booth. There is a Suntan Valley Observation Rest Area where you can overlook the magnificent scenery of Suntan Valley made of granite rocks. It took about 1 hour and 20 minutes to walk slowly from the Deureuni ticket booth. Following the central waterway visible from the observation rest area leads to Goseokjeong, a famous spot in Cheorwon.

Cheorwon = Text and photos by Yongjun Cho, Travel Specialist jun21@

◇Travel Notes

The entrance fee for the Hantan River columnar joint trail is 10,000 KRW for adults. When you buy a ticket, you receive a 5,000 KRW Cheorwon Love Gift Certificate. If you bring a car, park it at either the Suntan or Deureuni ticket booth parking lot, walk to the opposite side, and then use a taxi or shuttle bus to return to your starting point. On weekends, the wait time for the shuttle bus can be quite long due to the crowds. One important thing to know is that eating and drinking are not allowed once you enter the columnar joint trail. Cheorwon has many attractions including the Second Tunnel, Baengmagoji Battlefield, Labor Party Headquarters, Woljeong Station, and other security tourism sites, as well as Goseokjeong, Sambuyeon Waterfall, and Hantan River rafting.