Hallasan National Park, National park on Jeju Island, South Korea
Hallasan National Park is a protected area on Jeju Island, South Korea, built around the extinct volcano Hallasan, which at nearly 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) is the highest point in the country. The park spans a large portion of the island and contains dense forests, rocky trails, and a wide summit crater that occasionally holds a small lake.
Hallasan is a volcano whose last eruption happened thousands of years ago, and its activity over time shaped the entire landscape of Jeju Island. The area was officially designated a national park in 1970 and later recognized as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2007.
Hallasan is considered a sacred mountain in Jeju's folk tradition, tied to old stories about spirits living on its slopes. Many visitors today come not only to hike but to watch the seasonal changes, from spring flowers to autumn foliage, which give the mountain a different character throughout the year.
The park has several trails of varying difficulty, with the Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails being the most used for reaching the summit. Good footwear is important as many sections are steep and rocky, and conditions near the top can change quickly, so bringing an extra layer is a good idea.
Only two of the park's trails actually lead all the way to the summit crater, while the other routes stop at lower viewpoints that are far less visited. Starting a hike in the early morning sometimes puts you above the cloud line, making the island below appear to float in a sea of mist.
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