Geumosan 977m

Namsungsan, Guarded by the Rock-carved Standing Bodhisattva

Easy Moderate Hard Valleys Public transport

Geumosan photo 1 — Photo: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea-박성근

Geumosan photo 2 — Photo: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea-박성근

Geumosan photo 3 — Photo: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea-박성근

Location: Buksam-eup, Chilgok-gun and Nam-myeon, Gimcheon-si, Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Courses: 15 · 2 h 10 min – 5 h 20 min
Distance: 6.5 km – 10.9 km
Facilities: Toilets 26 · Parking 27
Managed by: Gumi City Hall · 054-480-6114

Trail map

Why it is one of the 100 famous mountains

Selected for its magnificent scenery blending craggy cliffs and lush forests, abundant cultural heritage, and designation as a provincial park in 1970. It features the 38m-high Myeonggeum Falls and the 2km-long Geumosanseong Fortress, built using natural rock cliffs near the summit. It is also famous for ancient temples such as Haeunsa Temple and Yaksaam Hermitage, as well as Geumosan Rock-carved Standing Bodhisattva (Treasure No. 490), Stele of Master Daegak at Seonbongsa Temple (Treasure No. 251), and Stone Seated Sakyamuni Buddha (Treasure No. 245).

About Geumosan

Geumosan is a myth. It resembles the golden wings of the three-legged crow that lives in the sun, spread wide.

It must have been at sunset, viewed from the east. The person who named it was likely a person of Goguryeo, none other than Monk Ado of Dorisa Temple across the Nakdonggang River.

A mountain steeped in myth has a presence to match. Its peerless peaks rise as if lifting the curtain of the sky, with waterfalls placed deep within the rocky valleys to guard them. Water from a 2.5km valley gathers in Daehyedam Pool before plunging down Myeonggeum Falls. People utilized this terrain to build a fortress... making it Korea's first provincial park, where magnificent nature and human history blend together.

The main summit Hyeonwolbong Peak, neighboring Yaksabong Peak (958m), and Bobong Peak (933m), also known as the Dragon Scale Rock, all rise above 900 meters. Next to the South Gate stands Nambong Peak (873m), and across from Hyeonwolbong Peak sits Seobong Peak (851m), encircling the 2km perimeter of the inner fortress.

Geumodongcheon Valley is a scenic retreat cherished by scholars of old. Bedrock streams and tranquil pools unfold among bizarre rock formations. From below, you pass Beoksiso, Yongsiso, Gusiso, and finally Seonnyeotang Pool swirling at the foot of a 12m cascading waterfall.

Towering about 4km southwest of Gumi Station, Geumosan was designated a provincial park in 1970. The entire mountain consists of rock, forming craggy cliffs and steep terrain, and a cable car operates up to Daehye Falls at the mountain's foot.

Courses recommended by the Korea Forest Service

Campground → Trail Junction → Kaldabong Peak → West Gate → Summit → Haltakkogae Pass → Ticket Office 4 h 20 min
Geumodongcheon → South Gate → Seong-an Four-way Junction → Summit → Yaksaam Hermitage → Valley Trail → Beopseongsa Temple 3 h
Ujang → West Gate → Seong-an Four-way Junction → Summit → Dosuryeong Pass → Ridge Four-way Junction → Sangmo-dong 4 h 10 min

Public transport

The starting base is Gumi.

Transportation is very convenient as the Gyeongbu Railway Line, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway all pass through.

To get to Geumosan, take city bus No. 12 or 12-1 from Gumi Station or Gumi Express Bus Terminal.

Food, lodging & more (Korea Forest Service data, may change)

● Lodging and Dining Info

As Gumi is a city of 340,000 residents, hotels and motels are too numerous to list individually.

Since it is a provincial park, bringing a tent to camp is also a good option.

● Inquiries

Geumosan Provincial Park Management Office ☎ 054-450-5760

Nearby attractions

Times and difficulty are estimates from GPS tracks. Before you go, check the weather, sunset time and any trail closures. Course tracks recorded: 2022-01-06

Text on this page was translated automatically from Korean public data. Place names follow the Revised Romanization; signs on the trail are in Korean.

Data: Korea Forest Service and Korea Hiking & Trekking Support Center (Public Data Portal). Course times and difficulty are estimates from GPS tracks (2022).