[One Day Walk] Let's Walk Through Jeju's Unique Forest... Hwasun Gotjawal

A forest unique to Jeju that has grown freely, Gotjawal. The place introduced this time is Hwasun Gotjawal Ecological Exploration Forest Trail. Gotjawal is a forest with a rugged terrain formed by volcanic rock fragments that have split apart. Gotjawal is distributed across several mid-mountain areas centered around Hallasan Mountain. In the native Jeju language, 'Got' means 'forest,' and 'Jawal' means 'thicket.' Gotjawal exhibits a unique ecosystem where different climate zones coexist within the same forest due to the distinct terrain forming varying climate zones in each section.

Hwasun Gotjawal is formed from the lava flow of Byeongak (Golleun Oreum), starting from Byeongak, which is 492 meters above sea level, and extends 9 km in total toward Hwasun-ri. It has an average width of 1.5 km and continues to the coastal area near Sanbangsan Mountain. Hwasun Gotjawal is also a place where both northern limit plants and southern limit plants can be observed within a single forest. There are over 50 species of flora and fauna, including endangered plants such as hawthorn, shrimp orchid, and Deobusa bracken, as well as rare species like the long-tailed flycatcher and Jeju whistler. It has also received the 'Korea Beautiful Forest' coexistence award. The basic course usually takes 30 to 40 minutes at a normal walking pace.

Hwasun Gotjawal's trails are divided into three courses. There is the Natural Gotjawal and the Song-i Walkway. The Natural Gotjawal trail preserves the forest in its natural state, while the Song-i Walkway is covered with Jeju pine needles. The trails are well maintained, allowing for a comfortable stroll. On both sides of the walkway, dense trees grow, untouched by human hands, and you can see a variety of plants growing. While walking, you may see stone walls built to pen cattle or horses, and sometimes you might encounter herds of grazing cattle. From the observatory, you can take in views of Hallasan and Sanbangsan Mountains. Nearby tourist attractions include Sanbangsan, Hwasun Geummorae Beach, and Jeju Sculpture Park.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.