Sokcho to Temporarily Close Yeongrangho and Cheongchoho Barefoot Trails for Winter; Indoor Red Clay Path Opens on the 11th

Barefoot Walking Still Possible in Sokcho This Winter
Yeongrangho and Cheongchoho Trails, Visited by 100,000, Temporarily Closed
"Flower Nursery Indoor Red Clay Path" Opens on the 11th

Sokcho City in Gangwon Province announced that it will temporarily close the barefoot walking trails at Yeongrangho Lake and Cheongchoho Lake, which are the region's leading healing destinations and have attracted over 100,000 visitors this year, from December 8 until early March next year to prevent winter safety accidents.

Barefoot Yellow Soil Path at Flower Nursery. Provided by Sokcho City

This temporary closure is a measure taken with the safety of citizens and tourists as the top priority. The city explained that the risk of safety accidents such as frostbite and injuries increases when walking barefoot due to recent drops in temperature, and that facility management issues, including frozen foot-washing stations and icy surfaces, have also become more frequent. Taking these factors into account, the city decided to close the trails temporarily.

During the closure, the city plans to carry out maintenance and safety inspections of the facilities to provide a safer and more pleasant environment when the trails reopen in the spring of next year.

This year, the Yeongrangho Barefoot Red Clay Path, which opened on March 17, welcomed approximately 72,000 visitors over 266 days. The newly opened Cheongchoho Barefoot Walking Trail, which began operation on July 16, was used by about 30,000 people over 145 days. Both facilities, harmonizing with the natural environment of Yeongrangho and Cheongchoho-representative coastal lagoons of the East Sea-have become leading wellness tourism destinations in Sokcho, offering health and relaxation to people of all ages.

Barefoot Mud Trail at Yeongrangho Lake. Provided by Sokcho City

Scenic view of Cheongchoho Barefoot Walking Trail. Provided by Sokcho City

In addition, reflecting the opinions of many who wish to continue barefoot walking during winter, the city has created an indoor red clay path inside a greenhouse at the Flower Nursery located at 182 Imok-ro. The Flower Nursery Barefoot Red Clay Path is a circular trail with a total length of 160 meters and a width of 1.5 meters, equipped with amenities such as a red clay ball area, a hot water foot-washing station, and a shoe rack. The opening ceremony will be held on the 11th, and the facility will operate until the end of March next year, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Lee Byeongseon, Mayor of Sokcho, stated, "The Yeongrangho and Cheongchoho barefoot walking trails have become the city’s representative healing spaces, recording close to 100,000 users this year," and added, "We will do our utmost to help Sokcho grow as a wellness tourism city by creating red clay paths that can be used year-round and by reflecting the diverse opinions of our users."

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