Dutasan 1,357m

Why it is one of the 100 famous mountains

Selected for its scenic landscapes including Mureung Valley, and home to Samhwasa Temple, Gwaneumam Hermitage, and Dutasanseong Fortress. It is also famous for Swinumsan (Osi-jeongsan), a peak named after roughly 50 large and small depressions carved into the bedrock, which has long served as an indigenous prayer site where rain-calling rituals were held.

About Dutasan

The valley was named Mureunggye. Its scenery was so stunning that people boldly proclaimed, "The Peach Blossom Spring is right here." It is a bedrock valley enclosed by Dutasan, Cheongoksan, Gojeokdae, Galmibong Peak, and Peak 1243.

A visit will immediately convince you. Innumerable inscriptions are carved into the inkstone-smooth rock expanses, while crystal-clear water glides thinly over them like glass. Venture deeper into the gorge, and waterfalls cascade on all sides beneath tiers of pine trees clinging to sheer precipices—leaving you feeling as though you have genuinely entered a mythical earthly paradise.

Dutasan resembles the shape of a reclining Buddha and faces Cheongoksan across Bakdalnyeong Pass. Blessed with dense forests and aged pines rooted in craggy cliffs, Dutasan boasts splendid landscapes and is designated Gangwon-do's National Tourist Site No. 1.

The name 'Duta' refers to the ascetic Buddhist practice of abandoning worldly troubles to cultivate the Buddhist path. This indicates that Dutasan has long been a sacred site deeply linked with Buddhism. Although only Samhwasa Temple, Gwaneumam Hermitage, and Cheoneunsa Temple remain today, historical records noting the presence of about ten temples suggest that Mureunggye was once a thriving center of Buddhist ascetics.

Public transport

The starting base is Donghae.

Express buses run from Seoul Express Bus Terminal (Gangnam) to Donghae every 40-50 minutes. Direct intercity buses also operate from Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Pohang, Gyeongju, Chuncheon, Taebaek, and other cities across the Gwandong region.

- Donghae → Mureung Valley: Local buses run every 20 minutes