If you’re planning to hike Gyeryongsan, you may be wondering whether you still have to pay an entrance fee at Donghaksa Temple. The mountain used to be famous for its ticket booth, so a lot of hikers check before they go to see if that’s still the case.
Many of Korea’s famous mountains have temples sitting right on their trails, and entrance and passage fees have long been a topic of conversation along the way. These fees can change over time, so if you rely only on older trip reports, what you read may not match the current situation.
I hiked Gyeryongsan by going up from Cheonjeong Trail Support Center and coming back down to Donghaksa. In this post, I’ll walk you through the current status of the Donghaksa entrance fee (how it was abolished and what to know about parking), the hiking course that starts at Cheonjeong Trail Support Center (how to find the trailhead, Cheonjeong Valley and the Sibling Pagodas, and Sambulbong Peak and the Jayeonseongneung ridge), and how to descend past Eunseon Falls to Donghaksa.
Gyeryongsan’s Donghaksa Entrance Fee Is Now Free
Donghaksa no longer charges an entrance fee for Gyeryongsan. In the past, the temple collected a fee, but it doesn’t anymore. If you’re driving, all you need to prepare for is the parking fee.
The Cultural Heritage Admission Fee Was Abolished on May 4, 2023
Starting May 4, 2023, following an amendment to the Cultural Heritage Protection Act, the cultural heritage admission fee was waived at 65 temples nationwide. In South Chungcheong Province, seven temples were included: Sinwonsa, Gapsa, Donghaksa, Magoksa, Gwanchoksa, Muryangsa, and Sudeoksa.
Source : Cultural Heritage Administration (now the Korea Heritage Service)
Before that, the ticket booth at Donghaksa charged each visitor roughly 2,000 to 3,000 won for an adult, and even people who only wanted to hike, without visiting the temple, had to pay to pass through. That caused controversy for a long time. Some hikers still go looking for ways around the fee without realizing the policy has changed, but there’s no need for that anymore, since it costs nothing whichever way you go up.
Check the Parking Fee Separately
Even though the admission fee is gone, the parking fee is a separate matter. Current rates can change depending on how the lot is operated, so I’d recommend checking the notice at the Donghaksa parking lot before your visit. On weekends and during the fall foliage season, the lot fills up early, so arriving early in the morning will save you stress.
Parking is 4,000 won per day for a mid-size car, with a discount for eco-friendly vehicles. These rates can keep changing, so please be sure to check the latest information before you go.
Hiking Course Starting at Cheonjeong Trail Support Center
Now that there’s no admission fee, the price is the same no matter which trailhead you start from, so you can choose your course based on scenery and difficulty. The course I recommend starts from the Donghaksa parking lot, enters through Cheonjeong Trail Support Center, and passes Cheonjeong Valley, the Sibling Pagodas (Nammaetap), Sambulbong Peak, the Jayeonseongneung ridge, Gwaneumbong Peak, and Eunseon Falls before coming back down to Donghaksa. The ascent begins along a stream at a fairly gentle grade, so you can save your energy, and the descent leads naturally into the Donghaksa grounds, which makes for a neat loop.
Finding the Trailhead: Cheonjeong Trail Support Center
Walking west from the Donghaksa parking lot, you’ll find Cheonjeong Trail Support Center on your right. Once you pass through it, the gently sloping valley called Cheonjeong Valley begins. Because the path branches off to the right before you reach the restaurant area, it’s easy to miss the turn if you just follow the main road straight ahead. Once you’ve parked, I’d recommend checking the location of Cheonjeong Trail Support Center in a map app before you set out.
From Cheonjeong Valley to the Sibling Pagodas
Cheonjeong Valley is a path that runs alongside a stream, so the climb isn’t taxing, and it was a good place to warm up early on. Follow the trail past Munggol Junction toward the Sibling Pagodas, and you’ll reach a pair of stone pagodas, a seven-story and a five-story, standing side by side on the site of the old Cheongnyangsa Temple. They’re called Nammaetap, or the Sibling Pagodas.
Source : Korea National Park Service
I used this spot as the first rest stop on the course, taking a moment to drink some water and catch my breath in front of the pagodas. From here, the trail keeps climbing toward the ridge, so I’d recommend eating a snack here and refueling.
From Sambulbong to the Jayeonseongneung Ridge and Gwaneumbong
Climbing from the Sibling Pagodas up to Sambulbong marks the start of the ridge section, the highlight of Gyeryongsan. The Jayeonseongneung ridge, which runs from Sambulbong to Gwaneumbong, follows a rocky ridgeline and is both the most scenic and the most demanding stretch on the mountain, so it calls for careful walking. The snow blossoms of Sambulbong and the drifting clouds of Gwaneumbong are both counted among the Eight Scenic Views of Gyeryongsan, and on a clear day this stretch alone is enough to make the climb feel worthwhile. There’s a lot of exposed rock, though, so right after rain or snow it can be slippery. On days like that, either postpone your hike or be sure to bring non-slip hiking boots and trekking poles.
The Descent Past Eunseon Falls Down to Donghaksa
The way down from Gwaneumbong past Eunseon Falls to Donghaksa has more descending than climbing, so if you don’t control your pace, it can be hard on your knees.
From Gwaneumbong to Eunseon Falls
The trail down from Gwaneumbong has a series of steep sections. I found it much easier on my knees to shorten my stride and share my weight with trekking poles on the way down. Eunseon Falls is counted as the seventh of the Eight Scenic Views of Gyeryongsan, which makes it a good place to rest, and sitting there listening to the water helps ease the fatigue built up on the ridge. It’s also a lovely spot for photos, so I’d recommend stopping by on your way down.
Through the Donghaksa Grounds to the Parking Lot
Once you come down past Eunseon Falls, you’ll reach the Donghaksa grounds, and from here the rugged part of the hike is mostly over. Now that the admission fee is gone, you can take your time exploring the grounds, including the main hall, without worrying about a fare. Donghaksa is known as a training temple for Buddhist nuns, so please keep your voice down and follow temple etiquette inside. From the grounds to the parking lot, you’ll walk a wide, flat path alongside a stream, which is a pleasant way to cool down your tired legs.
What to Bring and Things to Watch Out For
This course begins with a gentle ascent, but from the middle onward it has rocky ridges and a steep descent, so packing well and managing your schedule mattered more than I expected.
Gear Suited to This Course
The first things to bring are non-slip hiking boots and trekking poles. On the rocky sections of the Jayeonseongneung ridge and on the long descent toward Eunseon Falls, the poles take part of your body weight, and the difference in how your knees feel after the hike is clear. Bring plenty of water, and pack a simple snack to eat at the Sibling Pagodas or Sambulbong. In summer you’ll sweat a lot, so a towel and a spare pair of socks make things much more comfortable once you’re down.
Safety Checks Before You Go
Before you set out, check the weather and the time of sunset, and choose your start time so that you can finish the descent before dark. On this course, time slips by faster than you’d expect once you stop to rest and take photos, so I leave a generous buffer and usually start early in the morning. The wind can pick up along the ridge, so a thin windbreaker is a useful addition, and be sure to charge your phone fully ahead of time.
Wrapping Up
The Donghaksa entrance fee was abolished on May 4, 2023, and it is no longer charged. If the fee was making you hesitate about hiking Gyeryongsan, you don’t need to worry about it anymore, and I recommend the course that goes from Cheonjeong Trail Support Center through Cheonjeong Valley, the Sibling Pagodas, Sambulbong, the Jayeonseongneung ridge, and Gwaneumbong, then down past Eunseon Falls to Donghaksa. The ascent starts gently, and the descent lets you see both a waterfall and a temple, so even first-time visitors to Gyeryongsan can enjoy it as a satisfying day hike. That said, details like parking fees can change over time, so please check once more before you leave. Preparing this post reminded me again how easily old information can drift out of step with the present. On a mountain as popular as Gyeryongsan, once a rule changes, older trip reports tend to stay online and cause confusion, so I’d encourage you to check official notices or recent news before any hike. Gyeryongsan shows a different face in every season, from fall foliage to winter snow, so it’s worth coming back in another season.
Recommended Reading
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