The best place in Daejeon, if not all of Korea, to enjoy the changing of seasons is Jangtaesan Natural Recreation Forest. It is the ideal nature escape. Whether you are an avid hiker or just dabble in the outdoors, this location should be at the top of your places to visit this fall.
A Little Bit About Jangtaesan
The mountain is 374 meters in height. A stream originating from Daesunsan Mountain (878m) in the south and Anpyeongsan Mountain (470m) in the west flows into Yongtaeul Reservoir through Yongtaeul Valley at the entrance of the mountain.
About 300,000 pyeong of the mountainous area was created as a private forest. The first of its kind in Korea, the recreational forest includes more than just hiking. There are facilities such as a fish pond for fishing, a deer farm, and a childrenโs playground. In addition, Jangtaesan Natural Recreation Forest has various attractive points such as Metasequoia Road, Suspension Bridge, Ecological Pond, and Forest Adventure.
The recreational forest has planted trees that are not native to the area, such as Metasequoia and German spruce interspersed with natural trees. You can enjoy the many magnificent trees while strolling along the 12km forest trails or bathing in the scent of pine.
My Trip to Jangtaesan
Arriving Early
One of the most famous autumn leaves attractions in Daejeon is Jangtaesan Mountain. This place is a special place for autumn leaves. In particular, I came for the Metasequoia. Metasequoia is pine trees that turn beautiful shades of yellow and orange. It is an experience unlike any other. You can feel the grandeur, it really overwhelms the viewer. Among thousands of Metasequoia trees lined up, the colorful maple trees looked cute.
I arrived at around 10 AM on Sunday. I was surprised that there were not that many people. There were no cars in the parking lot and the atmosphere was nice.
In fact, Jangtaesan Natural Recreation Forest is the only tourist attraction in Korea with a lush Metasequoia forest, boasting exotic scenery. Thatโs why there are a lot of people who visit as a family and enjoy forest bathing. And, as people came with family from all over Korea, they came a little later on in the day.
First Impressions
The warm sunlight from the entrance made my heart flutter. As I walked a little, the red autumn leaves were sticking out their heads as if they welcomed us. People gathered to take pictures under the red leaves.
Walking a little further, I saw the ecological pond. There are about six kinds of aquatic plants growing in a small pond of 1,100 square meters. There was a path between the ponds so that I could take a walk across the pond and enjoy all of the biodiversity in its splendor.
When I went up a little bit from the ecological pond, there was a forest park. This is the largest Metasequoia forest in the country and a place for the body and mind to have a rest.
The scent of the forest smells soothing when you walk. It is said that this scent is caused by a substance called phytoncide that comes from the leaves. This phytoncide has a substance called terpene, so it has a strong sterilizing effect. Thanks to the natural compounds released by these trees, your body will be relaxed, your mind will be healed, and your original energy will be restored.
Sky Tower
Shall we move to Sky Tower? The Skyway, installed between the dense Metasequoias, is 10 to 16 meters high, giving you the feeling of walking through the forest, minus the difficult hike. Sky Tower is about 27m high and 159m long, and sometimes the road shakes little by little. I have to admit, it was a little scary.
However, when I came to the top of Sky Tower, I could enjoy the beautiful autumn Metasequoia forest. The dizzying bridge, which overlooks the floor, can be seen from the observation deck above. It is not open on rainy, windy, and snowy days, so please check the weather report before your visit.
When I was up there looking down, it became clear why itโs so popular. The scenery was absolutely stunning!
Accommodation
Inside of Jangtaesan Natural Recreation Forest there are a total of 29 accomidation facilities that can accommodate up to 180 people. You can reserve an overnight stay at 09:00 a.m. on the 1st of every month, so if you are interested, please refer to it.
There are so many visitors on weekends or holidays that it it is difficult to get a spot. So, if you want to make a reservation for the accommodation, you have to check in advance and proceed with the reservation.
Conclusion
I couldnโt look around every corner of Jangtaesan Mountain. However, I walked for over an hour. During that time, I was able to enjoy the autumn atmosphere amoung the colorful leaves.
For your information โforest bathingโ, or taking in the scent of the unique pines, is the best in early summer. Young leaves release the best chemical compounds to aide in stress relief. It is best between 10 a.m. and 12 a.m. during the day.
I recommend that you visit this place during each of the four seasons to relax and heal with your family or lover.
Precautions:
-Climbing or hanging onto the railing is very dangerous and is not allowed.
โ Drinking alcohol is prohibited
โ Do not climb at night or in bad weather
โ When using the Forest Sky Way, be careful of the shaking.
Jangtaesan Natural Recreation Forest (์ฅํ์ฐ์์ฐํด์๋ฆผ) Address: Daejeon, Seo-gu, Jangan-dong Korean Address:๋์ ์๊ตฌ ์ฅ์๋ Operation hours: March-June, September- October: 9:00 AM - 06:00 PM July-August: 09:00 AM - 07:00 PM November-February: 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM Notes: Entrance fee, parking fee: No
Looking for some outdoor activities to enjoy this fall in South Korea? Click Here for some ideas of what to do in Seoul!
