[One Day Walk] Walking the Wildflower Trail 'Gapyeong Course 18'

Walking Section from Nonnam Amusement Park to Gwimok Hill to Boawigol
Estimated Time 3 Hours 25 Minutes... 'Very Difficult'

The Gyeonggi Dullegil ‘Gapyeong Course 18’ is an 8.8 km section that starts from Nonnam Recreation Area, passes through Gwimok Pass, and ends at Boagwigol. The estimated time required is 3 hours and 25 minutes, and the difficulty level is ‘very difficult.’ If you take public transportation to reach the starting point, you need to take a bus from Mokdong Intercity Bus Terminal and get off at Nonnam Stop.

At Nonnam Recreation Area, you can find the starting stamp. The stamp features ‘Ottugiryeong.’ Ottugiryeong is a forest road pass located on the way from Murieul Valley to the summit of Gangssibong. It is called Ottugiryeong because it was used as a military road opened by the 8th Division, famous for the Ottugi Unit. The monument at the summit is engraved with the 8th Division’s emblem.

Course 18 is a trail that follows the Im-san Valley formed by water flowing down from Myeongji Mountain and Cheonggye Mountain’s Gwimok Peak. It is a wildflower paradise where you can see the continuous blooming and withering of flowers such as Adonis amurensis blooming in the remaining snow, Hepatica, Corydalis, Erythronium, Dicentra, Viola, and Saxifraga. Depending on the season you visit, it is also good to capture photos of the wildflowers in bloom.

Since pine nuts are a specialty of Gapyeong, you can see many pine nut trees along the forest road. The plantation areas around the forest road mainly consist of pine and cypress trees.

Gwimok Pass, which you encounter above the valley, is a natural formation created by the ridges of Myeongji Mountain and Cheonggye Mountain’s Gwimok Peak. It connects Jeokmok-ri in Buk-myeon, Gapyeong, and Sangpan-ri in Jojong-myeon. There are various origins of the pass’s name. One theory is that it evolved from ‘gil-mok,’ meaning a ‘path junction’ where the valley and ridges meet. Another story says the pass was named because its shape is concave like a human ear. Additionally, it was once called Goemok Pass due to many zelkova trees, but the name changed to Gwimok after ghosts were said to appear there.

When you walk up the steep path and stand at the summit of Gwimok Pass, you can see Hwaaksan, the highest peak in Gyeonggi Province, and Myeongji Mountain. Myeongji Mountain is a popular hiking destination because it is accessible and not too rugged. In winter, the frost flowers blooming along the ridge are famous, making it a popular winter hiking spot.

On the way down from Gwimok Pass, a dense forest unfolds. You will also find the valley where Jojong Stream, a tributary of the Bukhan River, begins. When the forest trail ends, Boagwigol, the endpoint, is right ahead. The arrival stamp for Course 18 features ‘Jojongcheon Miyugi.’ Miyugi is a freshwater fish belonging to the family Cobitidae. It is designated as a protected wild animal in Gyeonggi Province due to its high conservation value.

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