I recently hiked Gamaksan in Wonju.
Gangwon-do is always exciting for hiking because the drive itself feels like part of the adventure, with mountains and valleys lining the way.
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About Wonju Gamaksan
Gamaksan (886m) is located on the border between Sillim-myeon, Wonju (Gangwon-do) and Bongyang-eup, Jecheon (Chungcheongbuk-do).
During the Joseon Dynasty, it was called Gamamsan (紺巖山). The ridge continues southward from Chiaksan and connects further down to Seokgiam Mountain.
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Entrance & Parking: The trail entrance has a private parking lot. Search for “Gamaksan Private Parking Lot” on your GPS. I crossed the bridge and parked near the public restroom.
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Parking fee: 3,000 KRW (goes toward restroom maintenance).
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The owner wasn’t particularly friendly, but I paid by bank transfer and focused on enjoying the mountain.
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⚠️ Tip: Don’t take the path marked by the wooden totem pole (jangseung). That way is private property. Instead, take the small path on the left. It’s easy to mistake the entrance, so pay attention.
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Hiking Trails
Gamaksan is actually a rocky mountain rising to 945m (depending on the peak you reference). It offers beautiful scenery year-round:
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Spring: wildflowers
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Summer: cool valleys
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Autumn: colorful foliage
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Winter: snow-covered cliffs and frost
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There are two main hiking routes:
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Valley Course (Entrance – Summit Stone):
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Distance: 3.3 km
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Time: ~2 hr 10 min
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Easier trail, great for casual hikers
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Ridge Course (Entrance – Closed Section):
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Distance: 1.7 km
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Time: ~1 hr 20 min
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Steeper, includes ropes and rocky climbs
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⚠️ Some ridge sections are temporarily closed for safety. Always check before hiking.
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📞 Inquiries: Northern Forest Service Office (Hongcheon) +82-33-439-5510
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From the trail entrance, the path follows the valley. Walking along the quiet forest trail, the sound of birds stood out vividly.
Since the path follows the valley, the morning sunlight did not reach directly, and it was pleasantly cool.
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On the Trail
From the entrance, the trail follows a quiet valley. The sound of birds was especially clear, and the shade kept it cool since the morning sun didn’t reach directly into the valley.
As the path narrowed, I encountered a solo female hiker. Meeting women hiking alone in remote mountains always makes me reflect—it takes courage, but it can also feel unsafe in secluded areas. Personally, I recommend not hiking alone in rural mountains; it’s better to go in pairs or small groups.
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Midway up, I reached an open view with fresh breezes that instantly lifted my mood. Some sections had steep drop-offs, so I stayed close to the marked trail.
Along the way, I photographed trail signs showing my current location. This is important for safety, especially on less-traveled mountains.
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As I passed the valley, the path became narrower, but it wasn’t too rough.
Here, I met a woman hiking alone. Whenever I see women hiking alone in the mountains, I think they are very brave. At the same time, as a man, I worry that I might appear suspicious, so I try to pass by quickly.
The woman I met here in Gamaksan seemed startled, perhaps because she was wearing earphones and didn’t hear me coming even though I made some noise behind her.
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No matter how slow someone is in the mountains, it’s not easy to pass them all at once.
Her pace was slower than mine, so I would eventually overtake her, but it felt awkward, as if I were following her on purpose. Trying harder to pass made me more exhausted… Meeting women alone in the mountains always feels a little complicated for me.
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In my opinion, women should avoid hiking alone in rural mountains. It seems unsafe.
Especially in mountains with few visitors, I recommend going in pairs or small groups.
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Around the middle of the hike, when I started to sweat, the trail opened up to a beautiful view.
The breeze was gentle, and it felt refreshing.
There were also cliffside paths, so you need to follow the trail carefully.
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By checking the signs, I could tell I was getting closer to the summit. I took photos of the signposts to remember my location in case of emergency.
If you visit mountains that are not crowded, I strongly recommend doing the same.
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Reaching Gamaksan
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I’m not sure how much time had passed, but I think it took just over an hour to reach the summit.
Right before the summit marker, there is a small cave between the rocks where I found someone’s belongings.
Please, don’t leave personal items like this. Take all of your belongings back down with you.
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To reach the summit stone, you must climb over a gap between rocks. I saw a woman almost fall here.
You need to be careful. If you are hiking with others, it’s a good idea to give each other a hand in this section.
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From the summit of Wonju Gamaksan, the mountains of Gangwon-do spread out in front of me.
It felt as if the clouds had sunk down and settled into the valleys.
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One striking sight: a young pine tree was growing strong from a rock, while on the other side, an old tree had broken.
Looking at the old tree made me reflect on many things before heading back down.
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