Cheong Wa Dae to Bukaksan Forest Trail: The President's Secret Trail

Walk the forest trail from Cheong Wa Dae to Bugaksan Mountain, that has been returned to the arms of the people after 54 years with the full opening of Cheong Wa Dae. It was a secret walking course where former presidents and perhaps even the kings of Joseon walked. The highlight of this course is the Cheong Wa Dae Observatory overlooking Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Gwanghwamun area; Baegangmaru at the top of Bugaksan Mountain; and Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall with 600 years of history. So let's walk through the secret forest trail, where you can enjoy the lush forest and the outstanding view at the same time.

Travel Course

Baegakjeong: Three Trees Left by Former Presidents

The hiking trail from Cheong Wa Dae to Bugaksan Mountain has been a secret space not allowed to the general public. This is because it was a section corresponding to the mountain behind Cheong Wa Dae, where security was strict. However, with the opening of Cheong Wa Dae in 2022, the bar on this section was released.

Among the sections of Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall built during the Joseon dynasty, the trails on Bugaksan Mountain were controlled until recently. The section of Hongnyeonsa Temple - Sukjeongmun Gate - Chotdaebawi Rock was opened in 2006, and the section of Waryong Park - Sukjeongmun Gate - Cheong Wa Dae - Baegangmaru - Changuimun Gate was opened in 2007. In 2019, the identification process was eliminated, and opening hours were extended. In 2020, the Cheongundae Rockface and Pyeongchang-dong section, which correspond to the northern side of Bugaksan Mountain, were additionally opened. In April 2022, the section of Sukjeongmun Gate - Cheongundae Rockface - Samcheong-dong was opened and in May 2022, the section of Cheong Wa Dae – Baegakjeong - Chilgung Shrine on the southern side of Bugaksan Mountain was completely opened along with the full opening of Cheong Wa Dae, allowing everyone to enjoy the entire Bugaksan Mountain to the fullest.

Baegakjeong is the starting point for hiking Bugaksan Mountain. If you walk along the wall next to Chunchugwan Press Center for about 20 minutes, you will reach Baegakjeong. You can also go up to Baegakjeong from Chilgung Shrine. It seems that former presidents often enjoyed the walk up as well. On the right side of the shelter at Baegakjeong, there is a zelkova tree planted by former president Kim Dae-jung and first lady Lee Hee-ho, and on the left is a loose-flower hornbeam tree planted by former president Roh Moo-hyun and first lady Kwon Yang-sook. The branches of the two trees touch each other, like an older brother leading his younger brother by the hand. About 100 m from the two trees, you can also see a ginkgo tree planted by former President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook.

The trail from Chunchugwan Press Center or Chilgung Shrine to Baegakjeong is well paved, but the slope is steep, so by the time you reach Baegakjeong, you may be out of breath. Therefore, it would be good to catch your breath in the shade of trees gifted by former presidents before starting your hike.

Cheong Wa Dae Observatory, Where You Can See from Cheong Wa Dae to Namsan Mountain

A pristine forest unfolds in the path after Baegakjeong. At the fork in the trail, there is a sign to Cheong Wa Dae Observatory. Both trails are one-way with the right path going up to the observatory and the left path coming down from the observatory.

Right before Daetongmun Gate, there are stairs leading to the observatory. You can see the blue roof of Cheong Wa Dae, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Gwanghwamun Gate area, Namsan Mountain, and even Gwanaksan Mountain in the distance. By looking at the wide spread mountains and open city area, you can see that Gyeongbokgung Palace and Cheong Wa Dae are at excellent locations, even if you have no knowledge of Fengshui.

If you want to hike up to Bugaksan Mountain, you must come down from the observatory and pass through the Daetongmun Gate before the closing time, 18:00 during summer. The trail is full of various types of trees with pine trees being the most. Except for the hiking trail connected to the deck, the dense trees and cheerful birdsong makes the hike lighter as if entering a deep mountain.

If you walk about 10 minutes from Daetongmun Gate, you will find Mansedongbang. It got its name thanks to the words 'Mansedongbang Seongsunamgeuk' engraved on the rock. It is unknown who or when it was engraved, but it means to pray for the prosperity of the country and the king's longevity. After washing your hands in the mineral water flowing between the rocks, sit on a bench to catch your breath. From here, a steep staircase leads to Cheongundae Observatory.

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Enjoy the southern view from Cheongundae Observatory and head straight to Sukjeongmun Gate. Sukjeongmun Gate was the northern gate of the fortress surrounding Hanyang. Unlike the rest of the gates with heavy traffic, it played little role as a gate because it was located on a mountain. From Sukjeongmun Gate to Gokjang, you can enjoy the dense pine forest while hiking along Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall. Once you hike up to Gokjang, the open view in all directions, including Bukhansan Mountain, downtown Seoul, and Baegangmaru, is superb.

Baegangmaru: View of Seoul from the Top of Bugaksan Mountain

If you go up the ridge after passing the stairs, you will face Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall. Cheongundae Rockface, which appears right away, is 293 m above sea level, has a meaning of a place where blue clouds gather. It has the most outstanding view of Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall, and you can clearly see Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate, and the Sejong-ro area to the south. A deck and stairs are provided so you can go over the wall and go to the other side. From the deck, you can see the Buam-dong area and the peaks of Bukhansan Mountain.

There are several information boards standing around Cheongundae Rockface. In particular the guide to Gakjaseongseok of Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall, is impressive. The stones with Chinese characters engraved on the wall are called Gakjaseongseok, and there are more than 280 of them throughout the entire section of the Seoul City Wall. It is interesting to compare the commentary on the information boards in front of Gakjaseongseok with the Chinese characters engraved on the stones. The construction sections, as well as the names and dates of the people who participated in repairing the wall, were recorded.

Baegangmaru is the name given to the summit of Bugaksan Mountain. Even though it is not very high at 342 m above sea level, it is still the highest peak in the area. It overlooks the center of Seoul, embracing Gyeongbokgung Palace and Cheong Wa Dae. When Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall, was built for the first time in 1936, the construction section was divided into 97 sections. Each section was named according to the order of the Thousand Character Classic, and Baegangmaru is the starting point of the wall, so it is in the “Cheon” section.

There is the pine tree of the January 21 Incident with several red dots in the middle of Baegangmaru and the Cheongundae Rockface. It is a 200-year-old pine tree with 15 bullet marks left during a skirmish between North Korean special force who infiltrated Cheong Wa Dae on January 21, 1968, and the South Korean military and police.

Changuimun Gate, as It Was in the Old Days of Mullu in the Joseon Dynasty

The finale of the Hanyangdoseong trail is Changuimun Gate. As soon as you pass Baegangmaru, the trail turns to a steep downhill. A wooden staircase leads alongside Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall. If you are on your way up, it's steep enough that you want to sit down and rest even before passing 20 steps. Fortunately, there are two shelters, Baegangmaru Shelter and Dolgorae Shelter, so it's a good idea to get some rest there.

After passing Baegangmaru Shelter, you will come to a section where you can get a panoramic view of Buam-dong area. The rocky peak that firmly supports the back of Buam-dong and the houses below it is a nice backdrop. At the forest entrance, several tile-roofed houses are located at Seokpajeong, the villa of Heungseon Daewongun. If you still have enough energy after finishing your schedule at Changuimun Gate, it would be nice to visit the Seokpajeong Seoul Museum of Art and Seokpajeong.

Changuimun Gate was one of the Four Lesser Gates of Hanyangdoseong, the Seoul City Wall, and served as a traffic route to Yangju and Goyang because it is located in the northwest. It is also called Buksomun because it is located between Donuimun Gate, the western gate, and Sukjeongmun Gate, the northern gate. It was rebuilt in the 17th year of King Yeongjo (1741) after being destroyed during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592. It has the only Mullu of the Joseon dynasty that remains intact among the Four Lesser Gates. In commemoration to the rebels entering the city through this gate during Injobanjeong, a signboard engraved with the names of meritorious retainer was hung.

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Changuimun Gate is more commonly called Jahamun Gate because the surrounding scenery resembles Jaha-dong, a scenic spot in Gaegyeong (present Gaeseong). This is why the tunnel connecting Cheongun-dong and Buam-dong is called Jahamun Tunnel. Under Changuimun Gate stands a statue of a police officer who died during a skirmish with North Korean troops who infiltrated during the January 21 Incident.

After a hike, Makgeolli (unrefined rice wine) with green onion pancake is the standard. In Buam-dong, after passing through Changuimun Gate, you can have a meal with Makgeolli at “Sosohan Poonggyeong,” a traditional Korean restaurant, and at “Jaha Sonmandu” that has delicious dumplings. If you want various snacks, go to Seochon and have more than ten kinds of Makgeolli and various snacks at “Seochon Garak.” Also, you can try other restaurants including “Daeseon Kalguksu,” a famous Kalguksu (noodle soup) restaurant with delicious Suyuk (boiled pork slices) and Duruchigi (stir-fried pork), and “Jalppajin Memil,” which is serious about Makgeolli and traditional liquor with Makgeolli tasting menu.

Travel Information

Recommended hiking courses (* Excluding break time)
1-hour course: Chunchugwan Press Center - Baegakjeong - Cheong Wa Dae Observatory - Baegakjeong - Chilgung Shrine
2-hour course: Chunchugwan Press Center - Baegakjeong - Cheong Wa Dae Observatory - Mansedongbang - Cheongundae Rockface Rest Area - Baegangmaru - Changuimun Gate
3-hour course: Chunchugwan Press Center - Baegakjeong - Cheong Wa Dae Observatory - Mansedongbang - Sukjeongmun Gate - Gokjang - Cheongundae Rockface Rest Area - Baegangmaru - Changuimun Gate
* No reservation for a Cheong Wa Dae visit is required when using the hiking course between Cheong Wa Dae and Bugaksan Mountain.
* The hiking trails are open from 09:00-18:00 (Daetongmun Gate closes at 18:00 from May-August, at 17:00 from March-April / September-October, and at 16:00 from November-February). The hiking trails are closed Tuesdays.

Public Transportation Information
[Subway] Start from Gyeongbokgung Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 4

Nearby Restaurants and Cafes
Goblin Pizza
Address: 138 Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-507-1346-7667
Main menu: Pineapple Pizza and Goblin Pizza

Jaha Sonmandu
Address: 12 Baekseokdong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-379-2648
Main menu: Mandutguk (mandu soup) and Mandu Jeongol (mandu hot pot)

Gyeyeolsa
Address: 7 Baekseokdong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-391-3566
Main menu: Fried Chicken, Golbaengi Somyeon (sea snails with noodles), and Dak Doritang (spicy braised chicken)

Sosohan Poonggyeong
Address: 75 Jahamun-ro 40-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-395-5035
Main menu: Course Korean Table D'hote

Buamdong Tonkatsu House 1979
Address: 5 Baekseokdong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-395-3566
Main menu: Tonkatsu and Katsu Sandwich

Adela Bailey
Address: 48 Bugaksan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-507-1339-0707
Main menu: Adela Course, Bailey Course, and Pizza

Segeomjeong Tonkatsu
Address: 240 Jahamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-394-0057
Main menu: Brown Tonkatsu and Gold Tonkatsu

Boobing
Address: 136 Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-394-8288
Main menu: Patbingsu (shaved ice with red beans), Strawberry Bingsu (shaved ice with strawberry), and Matcha Bingsu (shaved ice with matcha)

Club Espresso
Address: 132 Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-764-8719
Main menu: Moon Blend, Cafe Latte, and Goat Milk Yogurt

Scoff Bake House, Buam
Address: 149 Changuimun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-70-8801-1739
Main menu: Butter Scones and Brownies

Changuimun Dduel
Address: 6-5 Baekseokdong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-391-0012
Main menu: Americano and Flat White

Doi Chaang Coffee
Address: 10 Changuimun-ro 11-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Inquiries: +82-2-391-1447
Main menu: Specialty Coffee