Wondae-ri Birch Forest, Park and tourist attraction in Inje, South Korea
The Wondae-ri Birch Forest is a park and tourist destination in Inje, South Korea, made up of hundreds of thousands of birch trees with white bark. The trees grow tall and close together, forming long pale corridors that open onto wider clearings along the trails.
The area was replanted by the government starting in 1974, after a fire had stripped the hillsides of their original cover. The planting effort lasted until 1995, and the forest was opened to the public in 2012.
The Wondae-ri Birch Forest draws visitors from across Korea who come specifically to photograph the white trunks against winter snow. Walking the trails has become a quiet ritual for many, a way to step away from city life without traveling far.
The forest has seasonal opening hours, and in winter it closes earlier in the afternoon, so it is worth checking before you go. Visitors must register at the entrance, and sturdy footwear is a good idea, especially when the paths are icy.
Because birch bark and fresh snow share nearly the same white tone, the trunks can almost disappear into the background on a snowy day, making the forest look like a nearly empty white space. This effect is one reason photographers plan their visits around snowfall.
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