Gajisan 1,241m

Why it is one of the 100 famous mountains

Designated as a provincial park in 1979 as the highest mountain in the Yeongnam Alps at the heart of the southern end of the Baekdudaegan ridge. Selected for its abundant waterfalls, beautiful pools, Eoreumgol Valley (Natural Monument No. 224), and Seongnamsa Temple, which houses the Octagonal Cloud-patterned Stupa of Master Doui (Treasure No. 369). The ridges feature rocky peaks harmonized with silver grass fields, scenic vistas, a natural recreation forest, and Gajisan serves as the headwaters for Sannaecheon and Mujeokcheon streams, both tributaries of the Miryanggang River.

About Gajisan

The Yeongnam Alps, named by mountaineers from Busan, is a collective term for mountains over 1,000 meters in the lower section of the Nakdongjeongmaek Ridge. Connected along high-peak ridges in a mirrored "下"-shape mountain range, individual peaks do not particularly stand out on their own.

This is partly because the elevation difference between the ridge cols and the summits is relatively small. Also, when viewed from the open plains to the east, the main peaks do not jut forward but recede toward the back. Thus, except for Yeongchwisan at the southernmost end, they mostly appear as parts of a massive high wall undulating only slightly.

Gajisan, despite being the highest peak, is merely one of many. Moreover, its character is somewhat obscured because it sits at a three-way ridge intersection, much like Neungdongsan. Although designated as a provincial park, both of the only two mountain paths on the northern Cheongdo side are currently closed.

Public transport

Eonyang is the starting point. From Eonyang, take bus No. 328 or 807 to Seongnamsa Temple (runs every 20 minutes). Buses to Eonyang run every 15 minutes from Ulsan and every 20 minutes from Busan. For Hobakso, take one of the 10 daily direct buses bound for Miryang from Seongnamsa Temple and ask the driver to stop, or get off at Nammyeong-ri.