Hwawangsan 758m

Why it is one of the 100 famous mountains

Selected for its scenic beauty featuring silver grass fields and azalea colonies, its historical sites including Hwawangsanseong Fortress and Mokmasanseong Fortress, and its status as a county park. A full-moon welcoming event is held on the silver grass plateau near the summit every Jeongwol Daeboreum (First Full Moon of the Lunar Year). The summit has three crater ponds (Yongji) formed by volcanic activity. Notable attractions also include the Songhyeon-dong Ancient Tombs and Gwallyongsa Temple, which houses four designated treasures including a stone seated Buddha statue and Daeungjeon Hall.

About Hwawangsan

Serving as the guardian mountain of Changnyeong-eup, Hwawangsan forms Hwawangsan County Park along with Gwallyongsan. Hwawangsan is synonymous with silver grass. About 60,000 pyeong of vast plains form a 4-kilometer-long field of silver grass, which grows well above human height. It takes just over an hour to loop around this field.

In autumn, one of the country's largest night festivals takes place here. Gathered by about 10,000 people from all over the nation, memorial rituals for mountain spirits and righteous army soldiers as well as torchlight marches praying for reunification are held, presenting a spectacular sight. Hwawangsan is also famous for azaleas. Along the 6.5 km ridge hiking trail connecting to the summit of Gwallyongsan, azaleas bloom continuously.

Located in Changnyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, Hwawangsan is a rugged mountain.

It is especially well known for azaleas and royal azaleas in spring, lush greenery and valleys in summer, silver grass in autumn, and snowscapes in winter. The spring azaleas and autumn silver grass are particularly famous; in spring, the slopes surrounding Hwawangsanseong Fortress and the ridge towards Gwallyongsan look as if covered in pink paint. From late April to early May each year, the entire mountain is engulfed in vivid reddish pink blooms.

The mountain's greatest highlight is the expansive, flat silver grass field near the summit. Along the ridge line where this plateau drops sharply into steep cliffs stands the wall of Hwawangsanseong Fortress, and nearly all outer slopes are covered with azaleas. Every October, the Hwawangsan Silver Grass Festival is held here. Hwawangsan is presumed to have been a prehistoric volcano and features three crater ponds (Yongji). Within Hwawangsanseong Fortress (Historic Site No. 64) is a monument marking the birthplace of the Changnyeong Jo clan. Mokmasanseong Fortress (Historic Site No. 65) can be seen on the western ridge, and Gwallyongsa Temple lies about 5 km east along the ridge.

Public transport

The base point is Changnyeong.

Changnyeong-eup → Okcheon-ri: runs 6 times a day