[One Day Walk] Discovering the Hidden Natural Wonders in Hantan River Forest... Hantan River 'Guraigil'

There is a trail course connecting Cheorwon, Pocheon, and Yeoncheon along the Hantan River, called the 'Hantan River Columnar Joint Trail.' Additional walking courses are being developed, and currently, there are five courses: Gurae-gil, Gamaso-gil, Byeorut-gil, Meonguri-gil, and the Bidulginang circular course.

Among these, 'Gurae-gil' is a 4 km walking course starting from Bidulginang Waterfall and leading to Guraegol, taking about one hour one way.

The starting point of the course, Bidulginang Waterfall, is located in Daehwaesan-ri, Yeongbuk-myeon, and is a basalt erosion gorge at the terminal part of Bulmucheon, which originates from Bulmusan. The name 'Bidulginang' was given because the surrounding terrain is shaped like a pouch resembling a pigeon’s nest. It is densely forested and not easily visible from outside, so it was used as an evacuation facility for villagers and a resting place for soldiers. In 2012, it was designated as a natural monument and is now protected, becoming a popular tourist attraction.

In particular, Bidulginang Waterfall is geologically and geomorphologically valuable as it allows observation of erosion landforms caused by rivers such as potholes, gorges, plunge pools, and waterfalls, and various geological structures like columnar joints and tabular joints can also be seen, making it academically significant. Guraegol, also called 'Gulbawi,' was named because the gorge looks like a cave during the summer when the vegetation is dense. Both Bidulginang and Guraegol are gorges formed in tributaries of the Hantan River, offering an enjoyable comparison of their appearances.

There is also a campground around Guraegol, making it a great place to relax with family. The area around the Hantan River Dam has been developed eco-friendly, providing a multipurpose plaza, retention pond, ecological wetlands, and walking trails around the Hantan River area.