Years of trying to reach the summit of Hallasan, I was always turned down at the Jindallaebat shelter due to the weather. Thus, “climbing all the way to the crater lake (Baekrokdam)” became one of my 2018 New Year’s Resolution.
In March this year, I forgot to bring my crampons, and it decided to snow heavily. I barely made to Jindallaebat and promised myself to come back for the crater lake, which happened to be last week, a spontaneous let’s-climb-Hallasan trip.
For those of you who never heard of Hallasan, it is a shield volcanic mountain and the highest one in South Korea. It is located in the center of Jeju Island. It gives one of the most incredible views at the peak, where you can grasp the view of the city at once as well.
Trails
There are five different trails, but to see the crater lake (Baekrokdam), you have to take one of the two trails: Seongpanak (성판악) or Gwaneumsa (관음사). I always took the Seongpanak trail, and after years of trying, it became a challenge for me to finish this trail.
Seongpanak trail is the longest of all, 9.6km one-way, and takes about 4.5 hours. For me, it took about 2.5 hours to get to Jindallaebat shelter and another 2-2.5 hours to the peak. If you want to immerse yourself in the beauty of Hallasan, I would definitely leave early in the morning as there is a set descending time from the peak.
The other trail, Gwaneumsa, is a 8.7km-long trail (one-way), and often people take this trail to descend after coming from Seongpanak.
For more information of the trails, visit (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264172) for English and (http://www.jeju.go.kr/hallasan/info/info/info.htm) for Korean.
Hours
Make sure to check the hiking hours before you leave the house as it changes depending on the season. During the winter time (November, December, January, February), you can start hiking from 6am, have to clear the Jindallaebat shelter point by 12pm and descend from the peak at 1:30pm.
Transportation
There are a few options to get to Seongpanak Trail: car, bus, and taxi. In March, my family rented a car and went there, but the parking was quite a nightmare, so this time we decided to take a bus.
There are buses 182, 181, and 281 that stop at Seongpanak trail. I recommend checking on the bus schedules at the bus station (usually printed and taped at the station) you are taking from as there are only one or two buses per hour. In addition, I used Kakao Map to see the real-time bus information and navigate myself, but I am not sure if they offer the app in English yet. 😶
🚏Buses to Seongpanak trail.
- 182 (Seogwipo to Jeju direction, stopping at Seongpanak trail parking lot on the way)
- 181 (Jeju to Seogwipo direction)
- 281 (Both directions, just watch which bus station you take the bus from)
Fare-wise, driving to the trail will depend on your car rental service and the gas price. Buses are usually between 2,000 and 3,000 KRW depending on your location. Taxi will take about 15,900+ KRW from Seogwipo Jungang Rotary (main roundabout) and more depending on your location. (This price is based in December, 2018)
Food
There is a little store at the parking lot, at the start of the Seongpanak trail, where you can buy some food such as Kimbap. I also recommend bringing some snacks and water with you to have it at the Jindallaebat shelter and maybe at the top. There is no trash can on the mountain, so make sure to bring a plastic bag or some sort to carry your trash.
On the way to Baekrokdam 🥾
Hiking during winter is quite challenging, but it gives a unique experience and provides the crisp view of the nature. I made another promise to myself to visit here again during the warmer season to see the different look of the crater lake. Until then!
Comment? Questions? Let me know in the comment section below 👇🏻 .
