Hotels near Baegundae Peak, Bukhansan National Park

Baegundae Peak reaches 836.5 m, which makes it the highest point inside Seoul and the summit that anchors any list of the best hikes near Seoul. Bukhansan National Park was designated in 1983, is built from Jurassic granite domes, and absorbs roughly 5 million hikers a year - enough for a Guinness listing as the most visited national park per unit area on earth. From Bukhansan Ui Station, the route past Doseonsa Temple to the summit and back covers about 8 km with roughly 700 m of elevation gain and takes 4 to 6 hours at an honest pace. Difficulty: challenging.

The final 200 m is what people remember. The stone staircases run out and the trail crosses bare granite slab where fixed steel cables and iron railings are bolted straight into the rock. It is not technical climbing, but it is exposed, and in high season a queue forms at the bottleneck that can add an hour to your day. Entry to Bukhansan National Park is free in 2026. Gates open two hours before sunrise and close at sunset, and rangers do turn late starters back.

Pro Tip: Take the Ui-Sinseol Light Rail Line to Bukhansan Ui Station rather than Line 3 to Gupabal Station - the Gupabal approach needs bus 704 or 34 and adds close to 40 minutes each way. Be walking by 07:00 on a weekday and you will clear the cable section before the crowd arrives.