(published in the September 2018 print issue of Groove Magazine)

One could argue it’s Spring, but for me, Autumn is easily the loveliest season! Its cool breeze is perfected by the earthy hues of leaves leaping and soaring from shrubs and trees of all shapes and sizes. When the sun illuminates the yellows, oranges, and reds of these leaves and the wind gently rustles them, the world becomes magical and dreamy.

Where to get the most out of this magical picture?

Explore Seoul through easy hikes and immerse yourself in all of the beauty of Autumn these mountains and hills have to offer.

Haneul (Sangam-dong)

Haneul tops the list of Autumn must-go-to places in Seoul. It is not a wild terrain going up there. Some may not even consider this a hiking spot. But this falls under my easiest hike category. You could opt to climb the stairs going up to the top. There is the 291 steps of stairs facing the World Cup Stadium or the 425 steps on the side facing the Nouel Park. Take your pick. Or you could walk up using the well-developed road and alternate between brisk-walking and jogging. Or simply walking. If you want the easiest way to the top, there’s an electric shuttle bus from the entrance of the Nanji Parking Lot. Tickets are at 3,000-won for a round trip ride or 2,000-won for a one-way ride. Up there is so beautiful especially during sunsets when fiery colors fill the skies. When Autumn arrives, fields of Eulalia and pampas grasses dominate and create a whimsical wonder place. No matter the volume of people flocking the Haneul plateau, there’s room for fantasy. And so, we get the Eulalia Festival happening there Autumn after Autumn. When you go up the “Bowl of Sky” Observatory, you feel the Autumn breeze and bear witness to the beautiful 360 degree spread of whimsical grasses that silently speaks why it is a must-go-to place in Seoul in Autumn. More here: Haneul Park in Autumn

Maebongsan (World Cup)

Maebongsan is a hill connecting the World Cup Stadium grounds and the Oil Tank Culture Park grounds. Comes Autumn, it is a glorious backdrop for the stadium and the oil tanks. It is an easy and fast hike, just enough to pump up your energy. Simply put, you are there not just for the hike. You hike up Maebongsan because of its location and its spectacular view that extends up to the Han River. With the completion of the Oil Tank Culture Park last September 2017, hiking up has become more inviting. The park has become the newest symbol of artsy eco-tourism, a product of Seoul’s urban regeneration project. Maebongsan may be a little mountain and could be easy to take out of a regular hiker’s route, but with two of Seoul’s prominent spots as starting points of its trails, it is now hardly insignificant.

Eungbongsan (Seongdong-gu)

Eungbongsan is another smallish mountain to hike. In fact, it is a less-visited mountain save for its Spring time “Forsythia Festival”. The steps are lined up by charming yellow forsythia blooms. But Autumn brings out the enchanting Fall foliage so an easy hike to Eungbongsan is as rewarding as Spring time. From its peak, the view of the Han and the Yongbigyo Bridge has become a favorite of photographers in the city.

If the hike isn’t enough, Eungbongsan has an Eungbong Rock Climbing Park which holds rock climbing classes for all levels. It is definitely worth the trip going to Seongdong-gu. Public transport is easy by way of the Gyeongui Jungang Line.

Since the hike is easy and the rock climbing is open to all levels, this is one trip worth your family time even with little ones tagging along.

Inwangsan (Jongno-gu)

Inwangsan is not a very high mountain. There are more challenging and higher mountains in Seoul where you can celebrate your hiking feat truthfully. In fact, you can just follow the fortress walls and climb the stairs to reach the peak. For a little more challenging route, you can take the path less taken from one of the entrances from Inwangsan-gil and pass by a Buddhist temple. It’s a trail of undefined path from there until the fortress wall. The showcase of astonishing rock formations would push you to go up higher and higher. From the top, the mountain ridges look inviting to those who would willingly and gleefully take the hiking challenge and the imposing buildings of Seoul are magically less intimidating.

It is exhilarating to be up there. More of Inwangsan here: Inwangsan Trail: Hiking with a Twist

Gwanaksan (Gwanak-gu)

To say that Gwanaksan falls under the easy hike category is debatable. Personally, it was a struggle for me to reach its peak at 629m. I did manage and I did enjoy the hike. But what convinced me to include this under easy Autumn hikes was hiking with four kiddos age 7-11 years old who jumped from boulders to boulders like sure-footed mountain goats. They hiked up filled with enthusiasm and without fear, bearing with them the perks of youthful carelessness.

The Gwanaksan trail gives respite from time to time. It brings you to paths of steep incline then settle for a relaxing pace until it again brings you to another level. In one point before you reach its topmost peak, you have to pass the short distance of relying on a rope to move yourself up. The hiking stick is a necessity in this climb to keep your balance both in ascending and descending. But reaching the top and being able to absorb the beauty before you is understanding Adam Smith’s “the real price of everything is the toil and trouble of acquiring it”. The world below is a paradise from where I stand.

These are just a few of the mountains in Seoul calling you to enjoy their Fall foliage. Start your planning in time for the colors to be in their full Fall glory. And when you have conquered these easy hikes, what’s stopping you from moving on to the next level… and the next? Until you find yourself appreciating every climb, every path, every peak.

“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” – Barry Finlay, Kilimanjaro and Beyond

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