[Harumanbo] Steep Ungseokbong Mountain Trail to Old Temple Site 'Seongsimwon-Unri' Course

Advanced Course of Jirisan Dulle-gil
13.4km from Seongsimwon passing Seongbuljeongsa to Unri Village

Editor's NoteJirisan is a mountain with an elevation of 1915m, designated as South Korea's first national park. The mountain range spans Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do provinces, and is considered a sacred mountain of the Korean people. Walking the Jirisan Dulle-gil trail, which passes through 21 sections, 20 towns and townships, and over 100 villages, allows you to encounter nature, people, and the history of Yeongnam and Honam regions. We introduce the Jirisan Dulle-gil, a 300km-long trail as generous as a father's embrace.

The Jirisan Dulle-gil section from Seongsimwon to Unri connects Seongsimwon in Naeri Village, Sancheong-eup, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam Province, to Unri in Danseong-myeon. It is 13.4km long and takes about 5 hours to complete.

Along this section, you can encounter two hermitages, Ungseoksa and Seongbuljeongsa, as well as cultural heritage sites such as Eocheon Valley and Dansoksa Temple Site. However, the mountain trail ascending to Seongbuljeongsa reaches a maximum elevation of about 800m and is steep, making the trail difficulty level "high." The downhill path to Tapdong Village is also a long journey. It is advisable to prepare thoroughly before setting out.

At the starting point of the course, Seongsimwon, there is the "Jirisan Dulle-gil Sancheong Center." Along the approximately 300km-long Jirisan Dulle-gil, there are six pilgrim centers located in Sancheong, Inwol, Hamyang, Gurye, Hadong, and Jucheon, as well as three information offices in Samhwasil, Seodang Village, and Jungtae. The centers provide section maps and local information to Jirisan Dulle-gil travelers and offer various experiential programs and exhibitions. It is recommended to check the operating hours and holidays before visiting.

From Seongsimwon, after passing through the morning pass pine forest trail, Ungseoksa appears shortly. It is a cozy hermitage with a tiled roof, red brick walls, and modern sliding iron doors. It is located at the foot of Ungseokbong Peak, which is 1099m high and named because its summit resembles a bear. Visiting in summer, you will be greeted by clusters of yellow daylilies at the entrance of Ungseoksa. These flowers are also called Mangucho (忘憂草), meaning "forget worries grass," as they are said to help forget worries on summer days.

Before climbing the steep Ungseokbong trail, replenishing energy at Eocheon Valley is also a good option. Eocheon Valley is where the clear waters of Jirisan flow down and is located in Danseong-myeon, Sancheong-gun. The water is shallow enough for children to play safely. Nearby, there are pensions and restrooms available.

After taking sufficient rest, head to the mountain trail leading to Seongbuljeongsa, the highlight of this course. It is a challenging trail stretching 7.64km from the Ungseokbong lower helicopter landing site. From late autumn, the ground is covered with many fallen leaves, making it slippery. Walking up the steep timber stairs and the seemingly endless forest road, you will see Cheonggye Reservoir below the ridge in the distance. The reservoir blocks the water flowing from Cheonggye Valley and is used for agricultural irrigation. Pensions line the area around the reservoir.

Once you have climbed about halfway, a long downhill path to Seongbuljeongsa begins. After taking a short rest at Seongbuljeongsa and continuing to walk, you will reach Jeomchon Village. From here, if you go a little further toward Tapdong Village, you will find two three-story stone pagodas designated as Treasure No. 72 and 73 standing side by side. These twin pagodas stood east and west in front of the Dansoksa Temple hall site. Dansoksa, meaning "cutting ties with the secular world," was a temple founded during the reign of King Gyeongdeok of Unified Silla in the 8th century. Now, only the two stone pagodas remain. About 1km further from Dansoksa Temple Site, you will arrive at Unri Village, the endpoint of this course.