[Joyongjun's Travel Stories] Waterfall in the Gorge, Even Kim Hongdo Picked Up His Brush

When You Park at the Rest Area, It's a Small Geumgangsan
Breathtaking Waterfall Cascading from a 20m Cliff
Leisurely Following the Goesanho Lake Resembling the Korean Peninsula Shape

Just a little over a 3-minute walk from the parking lot of the 'Suok Waterfall Tourist Complex,' an exclamation bursts out at the sudden appearance of the primitive scenery. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel specialist.

Goesan is surrounded by Sogrisan National Park, making it a place rich with valleys, waterfalls, and forests. Just over two hours from Seoul, traveling along the national road, Goesan stands out in a word. It feels as if you have completely detached from the city, enveloped by the spirit of the forest that wraps around your entire body, making you forget the world's worries?a truly mystical experience. Deep within Ssanggokgugok, the forest houses the 2nd valley called ‘Sogeumgang’ right in front of the rest area courtyard, and Suok Waterfall, famous for its thunderous cascade, was a favorite spot of the painter Kim Hong-do from the Danwon school. And that’s not all. The Sanmaki Old Road, which played a major role in establishing Goesan as a renowned tourist destination, cannot be overlooked. Now, let's set off for Goesan, where valleys, forests, and old paths welcome the approach of summer.

#Park your car at the rest area and you’re in a small Geumgangsan

Salt River, the second valley of Ssanggokgugok, as seen from the rest area yard. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel journalist

Goesan has several famous valleys, but the most renowned are Hwayang Gugok and Ssanggok Gugok. Both are among the eight scenic spots of Goesan, and there is not a single place that isn’t beautiful. However, while Hwayang Gugok is inaccessible by car, parts of Ssanggok Gugok can be enjoyed even while driving.

Ssanggok Gugok’s clear flowing water is breathtaking, and combined with the rugged cliffs and old pine trees, it evokes a scene from an elegant landscape painting. Among these, the 2nd valley, ‘Sogeumgang,’ is an unmissable spectacle. Located 2.3 km from the entrance of Ssanggok, this place is called ‘Sogeumgang,’ meaning ‘small Geumgang,’ because it resembles a portion of the famous Geumgangsan Mountain.

The view looking up from the Ssanggokgugok Valley is overwhelming. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel specialist.

Massive rock cliffs stretch along the river like a folding screen, presenting a majestic sight. The old pines growing between them resemble dignified cranes, and the water flowing beneath is chillingly blue. Remarkably, you can enjoy this awe-inspiring scenery without trekking the entire valley. Just visit the ‘Sogeumgang Rest Area.’ A light drive along Provincial Road 517 will get you there in about 25 minutes from Hwayang Gugok. This rest area is on a completely different level from the typical rest stops you might imagine.

The moment you park following the rest area signposts, an astonishing panorama unfolds. The Sogeumgang surrounds the rest area building in a circular shape, making this spot arguably the best place to slowly savor the beauty of Sogeumgang. With a small rest area and a wide outdoor space, it is perfectly arranged to face Sogeumgang. It is more fitting to call it an observation deck rather than a rest area.

#A roaring waterfall spectacle that washes away summer heat

Suok Waterfall, the setting of numerous historical dramas. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel journalist

Suok Waterfall in Yeonpung-myeon, Goesan-gun, cascades down a sheer cliff with clear, pristine water, producing a roaring sound as it pours endlessly. It took just about three minutes’ walk from the ‘Suok Waterfall Tourist Complex’ parking lot before the sudden appearance of this primeval landscape drew exclamations of awe.

Suok Waterfall was formed where the valley water flowing down from ‘So Joryeong’ near the Samgwanmun gate of Joryeong (Saejae) between Goesan and Mungyeong, Gyeongbuk, plunges over a 20-meter cliff. The water flows over rocky terrain surrounded by dense foliage. In the past, scholars and officials from Yeongnam traveling to take state exams would wash their tired feet and rest here, grateful for this valley water.

The pool beneath the waterfall, shaped like an overturned giant pot lid, is a masterpiece sculpted over time by the waterfall’s carving and polishing.

This waterfall has starred in numerous historical dramas such as ‘The Painter of the Wind,’ which featured Danwon Kim Hong-do and Hyewon Shin Yun-bok, as well as ‘Ladies of the Palace,’ ‘Damo,’ ‘King Geon,’ and ‘Jumong.’ In reality, Danwon served as the magistrate of Yeonpung-hyeon, where Suok Waterfall is located, from 1791 for three years, and frequently visited the waterfall during that time.

The Suok Waterfall area has been developed into a tourist complex. Climbing the wooden stairs along the cliff to the right of the waterfall allows visitors to look down at the waterfall from upstream and even cool off by getting sprayed with the waterfall’s water, washing away the summer heat.

#Walking the Sanmaki Old Road through dense greenery

Suspension bridge constructed on Sanmaki Old Road. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel journalist

Sanmakyi Old Road, where you can leisurely stroll along the shores of Goesan Lake. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel specialist.

When discussing Goesan’s waterways, Goesan Lake cannot be overlooked. It is a lake formed in 1952 by constructing the Goesan Dam on Dalcheon, a tributary of the Namhan River. Locals sometimes call Dalcheon flowing through Goesan ‘Goe-gang.’ The gorge-like Goesan Lake boasts beautiful scenery and, together with the Sanmaki Old Road that runs close to it, is considered the highlight of a Goesan trip.

There are two ways to walk. One is a comfortable, roughly 3 km one-way cliff path to Sanmaki Village. This path can get crowded on weekends, making it difficult to enjoy a quiet stroll, but on weekdays, it is a charming trail that can rival any in the country. Another option is a hiking course connecting Noru Spring to Deungjanbong (450m) and Cheonjangbong (437m). From Deungjanbong, you can enjoy spectacular views of Sanmaki Village and the Dalcheon River winding around the Korean Peninsula-shaped terrain. The hike takes about three hours to Sanmaki Village.

Walking the old path, after passing a stone wall path, you reach the first observatory where screams can be heard from all directions. It’s a suspension bridge connecting the valleys. Though people cross it slowly and cautiously, middle-aged women seem to enjoy it immensely.

From the high-altitude observatory, Goesan Lake unfolds like a panoramic view of Seomyeon. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel specialist.

At Noru Spring, you must choose between the walking path and the Deungjanbong hiking trail. If you want tranquility, take the hiking trail, but be prepared for some exertion. Just past Deungjanbong, you can see the Korean Peninsula-shaped terrain located in the middle of Goesan Lake. The name Deungjanbong comes from an old story where a mother lit a lantern and prayed for 100 days for her son who went to Hanyang to take the state exam, and her prayers were answered.

The walking course continues to Yeonhwadam and Mangseru, a pavilion said to make visitors forget all worldly worries. Mangseru offers excellent views of both sides of the lake. Passing Tiger Cave, where tigers lived until the 1950s, along with Maebawi and Fox Rain Rock Caves, you arrive at the Sitting Dwarf Mineral Spring.

What makes the Sanmaki Old Road especially outstanding is that you walk through a dense forest tunnel while overlooking the clear waters of Goesan Lake. Walking in a deciduous forest so thick that sunlight barely penetrates, gazing at the water, your body and mind fully focus on the path.

The landscape of Goesan Lake viewed by drone. The shape resembling the Korean Peninsula along the waterway is charming. Photo by Jo Yongjun, travel journalist

Standing at the high-altitude observatory, which offers splendid views along with Goeumjeong Pavilion, the feeling of standing on sheer cliffs and above the deep blue water through a 3-meter reinforced glass floor is thrilling.

It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to leisurely walk from the parking lot through Sanmaki Village to the restored exile site of Nosusin. You can take a cruise boat on the return trip, but since the course is not long, walking is preferable. Even walking the same path, the scenery you see going and coming is completely different.

At the end of Sanmaki Old Road, if you follow a quiet path a little further, across the waterway of Goesan Lake, another walking trail begins. This is the ‘Chungcheongdo Yangban Trail.’

◇Travel Notes

▲Getting there=From the Seoul metropolitan area, take the Yeongdong Expressway to Yeoju Junction, then transfer to the Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway and exit at Goesan Interchange. Follow National Road 19 toward Goesan town, then turn left at Goegang Samgeori to get on National Road 34. From here, signposts for ‘Sanmaki Old Road’ appear. If using the Gyeongbu Expressway, transfer at Anseong Junction to the Pyeongtaek-Jecheon Expressway, then at Daeso Junction take the Jungbu Expressway. Exit at Jeungpyeong Interchange and take Provincial Road 510 and National Road 34 to reach Goesan-gun.

▲Attractions=There are quite a few famous valleys boasting the ‘Nine Sceneries.’ Each ridge of the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range holds beautiful ‘Gugok’ (Nine Valleys). Famous valleys include Hwayang Valley, Seonyu Valley, Ssanggok Valley, Gareun Valley, Yeonha Valley, Gosan Valley, and Punggyegok. The ginkgo tree-lined path at Mungwang Reservoir, popular among the MZ generation recently, is also a great spot.

▲Food=Goesan’s signature dish is undoubtedly olgaengi haejangguk (freshwater snail hangover soup). Made with freshwater snails (olgaengi) caught in Goe-gang, the soup is famous around the intercity bus terminal area. Among these, Halmeoni’s Mat Sikdang (Grandma’s Taste Restaurant) was featured in Heo Young-man’s comic ‘Sikgaek.’ The menu consists solely of olgaengi haejangguk and olgaengi muchim (seasoned freshwater snails).