Korea National Park Trail Closures, Autumn 2026 (15 Nov–15 Dec): Which Seoraksan, Jirisan and Bukhansan Trails Shut, Which Stay Open, and the ₩200,000 Fine
Last updated: September 2026. The closure dates, park list and section names are from the Korea National Park Service's 2026 wildfire-season closure list (published through the government's wildfire trail map, hiking.kworks.co.kr); the fines are from the Natural Parks Act and its enforcement decree on the national law database; the 2025 autumn figures are from Korea.kr, Gyeongnam Ilbo, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Newspim; wildfire statistics are from the Korea Forest Service. The autumn 2026 list had not been published when this was written. The park table below uses the latest official list, and we will replace it when the autumn notices appear, which last year were reported in the press between late October and mid-November.
Every autumn, just as the last colour leaves the mountains, Korea shuts the high ground. From 15 November to 15 December, 18 of the country's national parks close selected trails to prevent wildfires, and the closures fall on exactly the routes a visitor has usually come for. Last autumn that meant 146 trail sections, 653.71 km across the parks. On Seoraksan, every route to the summit, Daecheongbong, was on the list. On Jirisan, the Nogodan–Jangteomok ridge was closed, so the classic ridge traverse was off. Entering a closed trail is an administrative fine of ₩200,000 for a first offence, rising to ₩500,000.
English guides give the dates and little else. The closure lists are published in Korean, park by park, with section names that do not match English trail maps. This guide lists what each popular park closed in the latest official list, what stayed open last autumn, the fines, and how to check the 2026 notices when they go up.
The signpost at Seoraksan's Sogongwon entrance. In the closure season, the arrow to Daecheongbong points to a closed route, while Biseondae, Ulsanbawi and the Towangseong Falls viewpoint stayed open last autumn. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (2022).
The trails that stay open in late November are often icy by morning, and many Korean hikers pack traction spikes by then: Kahtoola MICROspikes pull over ordinary hiking boots and fold into a small bag. As an Amazon Associate, EpicKor earns from qualifying purchases.
Quick Guide: Korea's autumn trail closures, 2026
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When? | 15 November to 15 December in national parks |
| Which parks? | 18: Jirisan, Hallyeohaesang, Gyeryongsan, Seoraksan, Songnisan, Naejangsan, Deogyusan, Odaesan, Juwangsan, Bukhansan, Chiaksan, Woraksan, Sobaeksan, Byeonsanbando, Wolchulsan, Mudeungsan, Taebaeksan, Palgongsan |
| Not closed in autumn | Gyeongju (spring only), Gayasan, Taeanhaean, Dadohaehaesang; Hallasan is run by Jeju Province, not this list; Geumjeongsan (new in March 2026) not yet known |
| How much closes? | Autumn 2025: 146 sections, 653.71 km (32 of them only partly closed). Latest list (spring 2026): 147 of 660 sections, 666.41 km |
| Seoraksan | All routes to Daecheongbong closed; low routes (Biseondae, Ulsanbawi, Towangseong viewpoint, Jujeongol) open in 2025 |
| Jirisan | Ridge traverse closed; Seongsamjae–Nogodan open in autumn 2025; Seongsamjae road closed to cars on weekdays 12 Oct–10 Dec 2026 |
| Bukhansan | One section on the list (Darakwon–Eunseokam, Dobong side), plus a separate landslide closure in Gucheon Valley |
| Fine for entering a closed trail | ₩200,000 (1st), ₩300,000 (2nd), ₩500,000 (3rd+, within a year) |
| Fine for smoking or carrying fire-starters | ₩600,000 / ₩1,000,000 / ₩2,000,000 |
| 2026 list published? | Not yet (checked 16 September); expected late October to mid-November |
INLIFE hand warmers, made in Korea — the pack Korean hikers carry in December Mid-December mornings on the open ridges are below freezing, and the trails that stay open are the long valley walks; these air-activated warmers last for hours in a glove or pocket. As an Amazon Associate, EpicKor earns from qualifying purchases.
See the INLIFE hand warmers on AmazonWhy Korea closes its mountains every autumn
The closures come from two laws. Inside national parks, the Natural Parks Act lets the park authority close areas for a set period and requires it to post the notice in advance. Outside the parks, the Korea Forest Service runs its own autumn wildfire-caution period, normally 1 November to 15 December, under the Forest Protection Act, and local governments close forest trails too. In 2025 the forest service moved its start forward to 20 October, ahead of the APEC summit.
The reason is the numbers. Korea had 459 wildfires in 2025, burning 105,099 ha, about seven times the ten-year average area, almost all of it in the spring fires of March. Autumn is smaller but not quiet: the autumn caution period of 2025 had 53 fires, 21 percent more than usual. In 2025 the forest service listed accidental fires by people in the mountains as the cause of 15 percent of fires, and burning in fields and rubbish as 19 percent. The park closures target the dry, windy weeks after the leaves fall and before the snow.
The fines
The fines are administrative penalties under the Natural Parks Act, and the enforcement decree sets them by offence:
| Offence | 1st | 2nd | 3rd or more | Legal maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entering a closed area or trail | ₩200,000 | ₩300,000 | ₩500,000 | ₩500,000 |
| Smoking outside a designated place | ₩600,000 | ₩1,000,000 | ₩2,000,000 | ₩2,000,000 |
| Carrying flammable materials where the park bans them | ₩600,000 | ₩1,000,000 | ₩2,000,000 | ₩2,000,000 |
The second and third levels apply if you were fined for the same offence within the previous year. Park rangers photograph the offence and the county office issues the fine. Most English guides give only "up to ₩500,000"; for a first-time visitor the realistic figure is ₩200,000.
Park by park: what the latest official list closes
The table below is the 2026 spring list, the most recent official list, published in January. The 18 parks it names for autumn are the same as in 2025, but the sections change from year to year: Jirisan had 28 sections in this list and 29 last autumn, and Chiaksan went from one section in the 2025 spring list to four. So read it as the pattern to expect, not the 2026 autumn list itself. "Not on the list" means the route is absent from the closure list, which is not the same as the park announcing it open.
| Park | Sections on the list | Main closures | Main routes not on the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoraksan | 11 | Madeungryeong–Hangyeryeong (incl. Gongnyong Ridge), Biseondae–Huiungak shelter, Baekdam–Daecheongbong, Osaek–Daecheongbong, Daeseung Falls–Daeseungnyeong, Osaeam–Bongjeongam, Gombaeryeong | Biseondae, Ulsanbawi, Towangseong Falls viewpoint, Jujeongol (open in autumn 2025) |
| Jirisan | 28 | Nogodan Pass–Jangteomok (main ridge), Chibatmok–Cheonwangbong, Uisin–Seseok, Georim–1400 m, Manbokdae–Seongsamjae, Samjeong/Eumjeong–Byeoksoryeong and others | Seongsamjae–Nogodan, Hwaeomsa–Muneunggi, Jikjeon–Piagol shelter (open in autumn 2025); Jungsan-ri–Cheonwangbong and Baengmudong–Jangteomok not named |
| Bukhansan | 1 | Darakwon entrance–Eunseokam (Dobongsan side) | Baegundae and main Dobongsan routes not named |
| Odaesan | 8 | Jeongmyeol Bogung–Durobong, Dongdaesan–Durobong, Guryong Falls–Noinbong | Sangwonsa–Jeongmyeol Bogung not named; the listed Jeongmyeol Bogung–Durobong section runs over Birobong |
| Deogyusan | 10 | Baengnyeonsa–Jungbong, Hyangjeokbong–Yeonggak, Inwoldam–Seolcheonbong, Yuksimnyeong–Namdeogyusan | Seolcheonbong–Hyangjeokbong (from the gondola) not named; Baengnyeonsa–Hyangjeokbong is part of the listed Baengnyeonsa–Jungbong section, so check the notice |
| Chiaksan | 4 | Seryeom Falls–Biro junction, one of the two Guryongsa routes to Birobong (the list does not say which) | — |
| Songnisan | 13 | Cheonwangbong–Hyeongjebong, Janggakdong–Cheonwangbong, Myobong ridge | Beopjusa–Munjangdae and Beopjusa–Cheonwangbong not named |
| Sobaeksan | 7 | Choamsa–Gungmangbong, Eoui-gok junction–Gungmangbong, Myojeongnyeong–Jungnyeong | Huibangsa, Jungnyeong and Samga to Birobong not named |
| Taebaeksan | 12 | Geumdaebong, Daedeoksan, Hambaeksan and Manhangjae ridges | Yuilsa and Danggol to Cheonjedan not named |
| Woraksan | 3 | Jireupjae–Maepaebong, Haneuljae–Poamsan–Mansubong junction, Haneuljae–Bubong | Everything else open (autumn 2025, same 3 sections, 16.8 km) |
| Naejangsan | 3 | Kkachibong–Sunchang Pass, Jangseong Saejae–Sangwangbong, Guamsa–Baekhakbong ridge | Naejangsa foliage routes not named; Baegam Yeongcheongul–Baekhakbong also shut for works 10 Sep–5 Dec 2026 |
| Juwangsan | 6 | Gamebong and Wanggeoam ridges | Daejeonsa–Jubong and the Yongchu Falls valley walk not named |
| Gyeryongsan · Wolchulsan · Mudeungsan | 1 · 1 · 3 | Mingmokjae–Baegunbong; Muwisa–Miwangjae; Seonjuam junction–Seoinbong and two eastern sections | Donghaksa, Gapsa, Cheonhwangsa, Dogapsa and Jeungsimsa–Seoseokdae not named |
| Palgongsan · Hallyeohaesang · Byeonsanbando | 20 · 2 · 5 | Pagyesa–Pagyejae, Donghwasa–Byeongpung rock; Yeomburam–Hogusan; Gamaso–Sebong | Gatbawi main route not named |
The summit stone on Daecheongbong (1,708 m), Seoraksan's highest peak. Every route to it was on last autumn's closure list. Photo: Wikifairy2, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (2026).
Seoraksan: the summit closes, the valley stays
Seoraksan's closures are the ones visitors feel most, because November is still a popular month there. The latest list has 11 sections, including every approach to Daecheongbong: from Osaek, from Baekdam, from Biseondae via Huiungak shelter, and the ridge from Madeungryeong to Hangyeryeong, which includes Gongnyong Ridge. Last autumn Kyunghyang Shinmun reported the lower trails open: Biseondae, Ulsanbawi, the Towangseong Falls viewpoint and Jujeongol, and the Yeongsiam–Bongjeongam section closed five days early for bridge work. If you are in Sokcho in late November, plan the Sogongwon side and Ulsanbawi. Our Korea autumn foliage forecast has Seoraksan's peak dates.
The Sinheungsa gate at Seoraksan's Sogongwon entrance, where the lower routes to Biseondae and Ulsanbawi begin. Photo: De-Shao Liu, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (2018).
Jirisan: no ridge traverse, and a road closure first
Jirisan is Korea's largest mountain park and has the longest list: 28 sections in the latest list, and 29 sections, 144 km last autumn, of which 20 sections (89.8 km) were fully closed and 9 (54.2 km) partly, with 28 sections (111.5 km) left open. The list includes the Nogodan Pass–Jangteomok stretch of the main ridge, so the Jirisan ridge traverse (종주) is not possible during the closure. Approaches to Cheonwangbong from Chibatmok are also listed; the popular Jungsan-ri route is not named, but check the 2026 notice before relying on it. Last autumn Seongsamjae to Nogodan stayed open, while Seongsamjae–Manbokdae–Jeongnyeongchi was closed.
There is a new catch for 2026. The park service has posted that the county road from Siamjae rest area to Seongsamjae (1.4 km) is closed to traffic on weekdays from 12 October to 10 December 2026; it stays open on weekends and holidays. On weekdays you cannot drive up to the Seongsamjae trailhead for Nogodan from the Gurye side; the notice does not cover the Dalgung (Namwon) side, so check before relying on it.
Cheonwangbong (1,915 m), Jirisan's summit, at daybreak in early November. Photo: Rhkgkr42, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (2016).
Bukhansan: Seoul's mountain barely closes
For a Seoul-based visitor the good news is that Bukhansan closes little. The latest list has one section, Darakwon entrance to Eunseokam on the Dobongsan side. Separately, the Academy Park ranger post (Gucheon Valley) to below Daedongmun (1.7 km) has been closed since 15 August 2025 after a landslide, until further notice. The main Baegundae routes are not on the closure list. Our Seoul hiking guide covers the routes from the city.
Parks that do not close in autumn
- Gyeongju closes nine sections in spring (15 February–30 April) but not in autumn.
- Gayasan, Taeanhaean and Dadohaehaesang are on neither list.
- Geumjeongsan in Busan became Korea's 24th national park on 3 March 2026, after the spring list was drawn up; whether it joins the autumn list is not yet known.
- Hallasan on Jeju is run by Jeju Province, not the national park service. Its winter rules (October to March) set entry cut-off times, such as 12:00 at Eorimok and Yeongsil and 11:30 at Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa, and close trails in storms and heavy snow; we found no wildfire closure in its notices.
One English guide lists Hallyeohaesang as exempt in autumn. The official list closes two sections there (Yeomburam–Hogusan and Yongmunsa–Yeomburam on Namhae); the exempt marine park is Dadohaehaesang.
How to check the 2026 list
The closure notices go up park by park, in Korean. Last autumn Jirisan's was reported on 26 October, Seoraksan's on 6 November and Woraksan's on 14 November; as of 16 September 2026, none of the 32 park and district closure pages showed an autumn notice.
- Korea National Park Service closure pages (knps.or.kr → 탐방통제정보): one page per park or district, with each section's status ("정상" open, "부분통제" partly closed) and the date of the update. A browser translator is enough to read them.
- The government wildfire trail map (hiking.kworks.co.kr): the national list as a map and PDF, run with the forest service and local governments. It still shows the spring 2026 list.
- National park reservation system (reservation.knps.or.kr, with an English button): shelter and campsite bookings, which are also limited in the closure season; phone 1670-9201 (weekdays 09:00–18:00).
- Park offices: Seoraksan 033-801-0914, Jirisan (Gyeongnam) 055-970-1044, Bukhansan 02-940-3765 (Dobong side 031-828-8065), Odaesan 033-330-4625, Deogyusan 063-320-3853, Chiaksan 033-740-9900.
- On the ground, closed trailheads are roped off with a sign. Rangers patrol them; do not walk around the rope.
Planning a hike between 15 November and 15 December
- Pick the lower route in parks where the summit closes, or a park with few closures: Bukhansan, Gyeryongsan, Wolchulsan.
- Go before 15 November if the summit is the point; the high ridges are past their colour by then anyway.
- Check the notice the week you go. The sections change every year.
- Carry no lighter or stove. Cooking and smoking outside designated spots are banned in parks anyway, and fire-starters bring the ₩600,000 fine where the park bans them.
- Dress for ice. Mid-November mornings on open ridges are cold enough for frost, and our Korean hiking culture guide covers what Koreans pack.
FAQ
Q: When are Korea's national park trails closed in autumn? From 15 November to 15 December, in 18 national parks, to prevent wildfires. The Korea Forest Service's own autumn caution period for other forests normally runs from 1 November to 15 December.
Q: Can I climb Seoraksan's Daecheongbong in late November? Not during the closure. Every route to the summit was on the latest list, including Osaek, Baekdam, Biseondae–Huiungak and the ridge from Madeungryeong to Hangyeryeong. Lower routes such as Biseondae and Ulsanbawi stayed open last autumn.
Q: Is Bukhansan closed in November? Mostly not. The latest list closes one section on the Dobongsan side, and a separate landslide closure affects Gucheon Valley. Check the park's page before you go.
Q: What is the fine for hiking a closed trail in Korea? ₩200,000 for a first offence, ₩300,000 for a second and ₩500,000 for a third within a year, under the Natural Parks Act. Smoking outside designated places costs ₩600,000 to ₩2,000,000.
Q: Where can I see the list of closed trails? On the Korea National Park Service website, under 탐방통제정보, park by park, and on the government wildfire trail map at hiking.kworks.co.kr. The 2026 autumn list had not been published as of mid-September.
Q: Is Hallasan closed in autumn? Hallasan is managed by Jeju Province and is not on the national park service's list. It has winter entry cut-off times and closes in bad weather; we found no autumn wildfire closure in its notices.
Sources
- Korea National Park Service, "2026 wildfire-caution period national park trail closures" (list dated January 2026, via hiking.kworks.co.kr): autumn period 15 Nov–15 Dec, 18 parks, sections by park, 147 of 660 sections (666.41 km), park phone numbers; 2025 list for comparison.
- Natural Parks Act, Articles 28 and 86, and Enforcement Decree, Article 26 and Annex 3 (national law database, read 16 September 2026): closure power and fines.
- Korea.kr policy reporter article (24 November 2025): autumn 2025 total of 146 sections, 653.71 km. Gyeongnam Ilbo (26 October 2025): Jirisan autumn 2025 figures. Kyunghyang Shinmun (6 November 2025): Seoraksan closures and open lower trails. Newspim (14 November 2025): Woraksan. Gyeongnam Ilbo also lists the sections left open, including Seongsamjae–Nogodan.
- Korea National Park Service closure pages for each park (read 16 September 2026): Bukhansan Gucheon Valley closure, Naejangsan and Mudeungsan works; national park reservation system notice (14 September 2026): Siamjae–Seongsamjae road weekday closure 12 Oct–10 Dec 2026.
- Korea Forest Service, wildfire damage statistics (e-Narajipyo, updated 2 June 2026) and 2025 autumn caution period notice (14 October 2025).
- Jeju Province Hallasan National Park office, entry time notice (2024).
You Might Also Like
Seoul Hiking Guide: Easy, Scenic, and Challenging Trails
A practical Seoul hiking guide comparing Inwangsan, Achasan, Namsan, Bukhansan, Gwanaksan, gear etiquette, seasons, and first-timer trail tips.
What a Doctor Costs in Korea Without Insurance (2026): ₩18,840 at a Clinic, ₩68,070 to Walk Into a Regional ER, and Why the 119 Ambulance Is Free
Korea's emergency-room access fee is not written in won. It is 812.28 relative value points times 2026's ₩83.8, making it ₩68,070 at a regional centre and ₩22,690 at a local one, against ₩18,840 at a clinic. The 119 ambulance is free.
Korean Ski Resorts 2026–27: Season-Pass Prices, the Rounds Closing This Month, and Why Konjiam's English Page Says ₩42,000 When Its Korean Page Says ₩72,000
Konjiam's English page quotes ₩42,000 for a two-hour lift ticket. Its Korean page says ₩72,000 — and that there is no on-site ticket window at all. Verified 26/27 season-pass prices and round deadlines for Muju, Konjiam, X6+, Phoenix and Yongpyong.