Seoraksan, National park and mountain in Gangwon State, South Korea.
Seoraksan is a 1,708-meter (5,604-foot) peak in Gangwon Province in northeastern South Korea. The area consists of grey granite rocks, deep valleys, and forests of pine and oak.
The government protected the area as a natural monument in 1965 and created the national park in 1970. The mountains hold Buddhist temples dating from the 7th century.
The name Seorak means "snowy peaks": snow begins to fall around Chuseok and stays on Daecheongbong for five to six months a year. The Cheonbuldong Valley takes its name from the rock formations along its sides, which resemble a row of Buddha statues. Near Ulsanbawi, visitors pass Heundeulbawi, a five-meter boulder that can be rocked but not pushed off its base.
Several entrances lead into the park, each with its own trails and viewpoints. Autumn months bring large visitor numbers, so early arrivals are advisable.
Heundeulbawi, a 5-meter boulder perched on a larger rock along the Ulsanbawi trail, can be rocked with effort; thousands have tried to push it off, but no one moves it more than a wobble. The trail to Ulsanbawi itself climbs over 800 steps, passing two temples on the way.
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