South Korea
Jirisan
Reintroduced black bears roam beneath a forty-kilometre ridge of huts and cloud.
The ridge runs for forty kilometres, forest filling every valley below it. Somewhere in those trees, Asiatic black bears are expanding territory they lost decades ago. Korea's first national park earned the title.
Jirisan is South Korea's first and largest mainland national park, its three-day ridge traverse held above 1,500 metres with reserved communal huts spacing the route and competition for beds genuine. Black bears were reintroduced in 2004 from five founders and now number over seventy, the massif's microclimates run warm-temperate to sub-alpine, and the temples of Hwaeomsa and Ssanggyesa hold the southern gateways. The park's course grades, reservations and closures decide the day, from sheltered valley walks to the full ridge.
Solo
Choose a route whose published grade matches experience, lodge the plan and enjoy the long concentration of a valley day.
Friends
Mountain-ready friends can share navigation and shelter logistics on the tougher ridge courses.
- The ridge holds forty kilometres of walking above 1,500 metres.
- A bear reintroduction that began with five animals has passed seventy.
- Reserved mountain huts space the three-day crossing.
- Hwaeomsa and Ssanggyesa temples anchor the southern approaches.
Sanchae jeongsik, the wild-mountain-vegetable set meal, is the gateway towns' table.
Hwagae market trades wild greens, chestnuts and Hadong tea at the park's edge.
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