Jirisan, Mountain and national park in North Jeolla, South Korea
Jirisan is a mountain and national park in North Jeolla that stretches across several provinces, covered with thick forests, waterfalls, and rocky summits. The landscape shifts from gentle valleys with clear streams to steep rock walls leading up to the highest peak in the southern part of the country.
This national park was designated in 1967 as the first in the country and marked the beginning of organized nature conservation in South Korea. The mountain has served as a religious center and retreat for Buddhist monks since the Silla Dynasty.
The name Jirisan means Wise Mountain, and hikers often meet Buddhist monks and pilgrims walking the trails to reach the old temples. Wild tea plants grow in the valleys, harvested by surrounding villages for centuries.
The hiking trails start from several entrances in different provinces and connect on the way to higher elevations. Spring and autumn offer milder temperatures, while summer can be humid and winter brings heavy snow.
The park is home to Asiatic black bears again, returned through a reintroduction program after decades of absence. On some mornings, fog gathers in the higher elevations and forms a thick sea of clouds that makes the peaks look like islands.
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