Daedunsan, Korea

Hiking Daedunsan in the Fog

Here’s what it’s like hiking Daedunsan, famous for its stunning red suspension bridge when you can’t see in front of you! Even if you take the cable car up like we did, there’s still quite a bit of a trek to the peak.

One of the reasons I didn’t want to live in Seoul when I decided to return to Korea was because it’s very easy not to leave the city. This is especially true for somebody like me who’s more or less a homebody when I’m not traveling.

Another entry in our hiking in Korea experiences. Here we have the beautiful Daedunsan, famous for both its 81 meter high suspension bridge.

I was excited to explore the Korean countryside, so as soon as I found out I got the job, I started up a private Pinterest board, typed Korea into the search bar, and spent a good few hours pinning every pretty picture I saw without really realizing or taking note of where and what I was pinning. It was sort of like my own little bucket list of things to do in Korea.

Another entry in our hiking in Korea experiences. Here we have the beautiful Daedunsan, famous for both its 81 meter high suspension bridge.

Remember, I didn’t even know where my province was until I had fully settled in my apartment! A year in, and I’m still learning of things I had actually pinned pictures of, and Daedunsan (or Mt. Daedun), a popular spot for hiking and for enjoying autumn in Korea, is one of them.

I hadn’t even thought about this place or the pictures I had pinned of its famous suspension bridge until one of my friends, Michelle, mentioned in passing that she’d really like to visit while it was still autumn.

Daedunsan was probably the more popular mountain I’ve been to so far in Korea compared with Namwon’s little hiking trails, Baemsagol Valley in Jirisan, and Naejangsan near Jeongup.

There were definitely more hikers, even in the rain, and the cable car we took up (not ONLY because we were lazy, I promise!) actually had a queue system, so we had to wait about an hour after we got our tickets for each spot. We wound up getting lunch while we waited and some coffee on our way down.

Another entry in our hiking in Korea experiences. Here we have the beautiful Daedunsan, famous for both its 81 meter high suspension bridge.

It’s known for, as I said previously, Geumgang bridge which hangs 50 meters across and 81 meters high, and the Samseon stairway that leads up to the summit. I’d really like to return and properly hike around Daedunsan, but we were pretty tired, and it was very rainy and foggy when we went.

We weren’t exactly in the mood to wander around when we couldn’t see much of anything, and the rain made all the stairs and rocks slippery. Even taking the cable car up only cuts out a part of the hiking trail. You still have quite a bit to climb to reach the bridge and stairway, and the steps aren’t exactly cleanly cut.

Another entry in our hiking in Korea experiences. Here we have the beautiful Daedunsan, famous for both its 81 meter high suspension bridge.

This is a pretty easy day trip. We came from about two hours away. We were able to stop in Jeonju, shop, and still be home by bedtime! You could easily incorporate it into a visit down to Jeollabukdo in general. However, I definitely suggest going when the weather is good. I can’t imagine actually hiking and reaching the top to be blocked by super thick fog!

More on Hiking in Daedunsan

  • Korean Name: 대둔산도립공원
  • It’s popular for fall or winter. Avoid in the summer when it’ll be very humid. Also avoid if the weather calls for a lot of fog or rain.
  • How to Get There:
    • Use Daejeon Seobu (West) Bus Terminal and take Bus 304 to Daedunsan or
    • Use Jeonju Intercity Bus Terminal and take the bus to Daedunsan.
  • Costs: The cable car is about 9,000 round trip.

For more on visiting Korea

If this is your first visit, check out my giant bucket list of beautiful places in Korea and my giant list of Korea travel tips and this trip planner guide with all the logistics. And, since eating is one of the top things you MUST indulge in, here’s my guide to the best Korean food!

You may also want to check out which apps to get for Korea since it’s probably going to be different than what you’re used to. Definitely book your SIM card ahead of time as it’s cheaper and sometimes they runout.

As for itineraries, I’ve got plenty! Here’s my guide with four 2-week sample itineraries, my ultimate 1 month guide, and a very quick 7 day itinerary. I also have other seasonal guides for spring in Korea, summer, and winter.

Another way to be prepared is to have some sort of insurance. Korean healthcare is super affordable, but you never know! I use either World Nomads of Safety Wings depending on what I’m doing. You can get a quote for World Nomads here and a quote for Safety Wing here.

For more hiking in Korea:

Over to you! Where have you been hiking that you want to return to?

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Another entry in our hiking in Korea experiences. Here we have the beautiful Daedunsan, famous for both its 81 meter high suspension bridge.

Don’t forget to read my post on the most beautiful places in Korea for more inspiration.

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8 Comments

  1. As of January 2024, no bus route from Jeonju intercity bus terminal to Daedunsan! She said ‘bus to Daedunsan disappear’, assuming this meant cancelled 🙂 May reopen in peak season?

  2. Hello, is there an option not to proceed with the trek? I’m planning to go with my parents this winter so we only want to see the view from the cable car, but not really trek. Thanks!

    1. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve gone, but if I remember correctly there’s not much to see if you don’t do the small trek after getting off the cable car.

  3. Thank you so much!!!! This is so helpful… we leave next week and I’m a bit nervous but super excited!!! Again, thank you so much!

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