[Joyongjun's Travel Journey] Green Scenic Views... Breath Taken Away by Pouring Water Streams

A Waterfall Journey Amidst the Midsummer Monsoon and Heatwave

Cheorwon Maewoldaefalls, steeped in the legend of Kim Si-seup

Maewoldaepo Waterfall

Yeoncheon Jaein Waterfall

Jaein Waterfall

Pocheon Bidulginang Waterfall Boasting Beautiful Scenic Views

[Asia Economy, Yongjun Cho, Travel Specialist]Bokgyesan Mountain in Geunnam-myeon, Cheorwon, was once a restricted mountain due to its location near the northernmost part of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). On the mid-slope of this mountain lies Maewoldae Waterfall, a pristine waterfall untouched and unpolluted by the world. Covered in moss, the refreshing atmosphere makes your body feel as if it is dyed in fresh green. There is also a waterfall hidden deep in a gorge formed by basalt columnar joints. This underground space is a secret waterfall unlike any other place. Deciduous trees rooted in the basalt cliffs form a forest, and in the middle, the waterfall roars like an angry beast as it flows down. And that’s not all. Sambuyeon Waterfall, where four dragons once lived and three ascended to heaven, is a place where the painter Gyeomjae Jeong Seon was so captivated by the scenery on his way to Geumgangsan that he took up his brush. The Jaerin Waterfall, imbued with the sad love story of the tightrope walker Jaerin, is also not to be missed. The energy emitted from the waterfall viewed from the suspension bridge is incredibly powerful. Such beautiful landscapes gifted by nature all have their seasons. Just as you can see flowers in the splendid spring or a silver world covered in snow in the dead of winter, the best time to visit waterfalls is now, as the rainy season is ending. We set out northward to find waterfalls that show their best scenery during the rainy season: Jaerin Waterfall in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province; Bidulginang Waterfall in Pocheon; and further up, Maewoldae Waterfall and Sambuyeon Waterfall in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. If you move quickly, these places are accessible for a day trip from the metropolitan area.

◇ Cheorwon Maewoldae Waterfall Preserving Nature’s Original Form

Cheorwon, shaped by lava plateaus and the Hantan River, boasts several spectacular waterfalls. Maewoldae Waterfall, located on the mid-slope of Bokgyesan Mountain (1,057m), is one of them. It retains its pristine, unpolluted beauty. The path to reach it is not difficult. It is about 400 meters from the entrance of the Bokgyesan hiking trail, reachable in about 10 minutes even at a leisurely pace. The trail is not steep, and the water flowing down the waterfall fills the valleys on both sides, making the ascent refreshing. The forest is so dense that you feel a cool chill as soon as you enter.

One advantage of Maewoldae Waterfall is that you can see the waterfall pouring down right in front of you. Although the height and volume of the waterfall are not grand, the refreshing energy surrounding it is different from other waterfalls.

The original name of this waterfall was Seonam (仙巖). About 200 meters further up from the waterfall is a 40-meter layered cliff that looks as if the mountain was cut cleanly; this rock was called Seonam Rock. Later, Maewoldang Kim Si-seup, one of the Six Martyred Ministers, lived in seclusion here, and the name Maewoldae replaced Seonam Rock.

Kim Si-seup, who wrote the classical Chinese novel Geumo Sinhwa, was a favored figure of King Sejong. In the first year of King Sejo’s reign (1455), when he was 21, upon hearing the news of Prince Suyang’s usurpation of the throne, he wept bitterly, burned all his books, and fled to the mountains. It is said that he lived in seclusion at Maewoldae on Bokgyesan with six brothers surnamed Jo and two nephews.

◇ Sambuyeon Waterfall in Cheorwon, a Scenic Spot Identical to Gyeomjae Jeong Seon’s Painting

Another waterfall in Cheorwon is Sambuyeon Waterfall. The water flow starts from Myeongseongsan and Gakheulsan Mountains, is collected in Yonghwa-dong Reservoir, and after running a long distance, it cascades down in three bends. The waterfall opens wide like wings facing downstream, and as you pass through the majestic rocky area along Yonghwa Stream, the waterfall suddenly appears.

The name Sambuyeon comes from its resemblance to a cauldron. The water flows down the layered rock cliff and collects in a pool that looks like a cauldron. According to legend, four dragons practicing Taoism lived here, and three pierced the waterfall’s rocky formations and ascended as dragons. The three holes formed then filled with water, creating Sambuyeon.

During the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, on his way to Geumgangsan, visited his teacher who lived in this area and was so captivated by the waterfall’s scenery that he created a true-view landscape painting.

At this time, the waterfall’s flow is vigorous due to the rainy season, but Sambuyeon Waterfall maintains a considerable water volume even without rain, always showing its majestic presence.

◇ Jaerin Waterfall in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province: Best Scenery Harmonized with Columnar Joints

Jaerin Waterfall, located on a tributary near the Hantan River, is also one of the waterfalls worth seeing in summer. It creates a magnificent view in harmony with the surrounding columnar basalt formations.

The contrast of the white falling water and the emerald-colored pool blends beautifully with the basalt columnar joints, which look like a giant cave. The sound of water rushing through narrow rocks and falling as straight pillars is as lively and refreshing as its appearance.

Columnar joints are hexagonal basalt pillars formed during the cooling process of lava and are a typical landscape around the Hantan River.

Jaerin Waterfall is located in a gorge formed by a depression in the flat land. The waterfall, 30 meters wide and 18.5 meters high, is formed in an ordinary field, so you cannot even tell there is a waterfall unless you get close.

Jaerin Waterfall also holds a sad legend. Long ago, there was a man named Jaerin in this village who was skilled at tightrope walking. However, the local magistrate coveted Jaerin’s wife and plotted against him. He forced Jaerin to walk on a rope above the waterfall, then cut the rope to kill him and forced Jaerin’s wife to serve him. But Jaerin’s wife bit the magistrate’s nose, bit her tongue, and committed suicide. Since then, people have called this waterfall Jaerin Waterfall, filled with Jaerin’s sorrow.

The surrounding walking trails are well developed, and a wooden deck connects the suspension bridge to the waterfall entrance. There is also a large Jaerin Waterfall Camping Site nearby.

◇ Bidulginang Waterfall in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province: The Best Waterfall Hidden Below the Gorge Forest

Among the waterfalls in the northern region, Bidulginang Waterfall is considered to have the most outstanding scenery. Anyone who has seen this waterfall after rain would surely agree. It is hidden in a basalt gorge over 400 meters long with cliffs over 30 meters high and was designated a natural monument early on.

Descending wooden deck stairs into the dense forest that conceals the massive gorge, you are enveloped by a damp and cool atmosphere. Looking down from the stairs, you can’t help but exclaim. The exotic ambiance, the forest reminiscent of a primeval forest, and the strange terrain combine to create a spectacular view.

The name Bidulginang has two origins. One is that pigeons have inhabited the gorge’s caves and vertical cliffs since ancient times, and the other is that the cave’s shape resembles a pigeon’s nest-like pouch. During the Korean War, the dense vegetation and hidden location of Bidulginang Waterfall made it a refuge for villagers. An ecological trail connects the waterfall to the Hantan River.

Cheorwon, Yeoncheon, Pocheon = Written and photographed by Yongjun Cho, travel specialist jun21@