Odaesan National Park

Odaesan is a national park of rounded, forested ridges in the Gangwon highlands, gentler underfoot than the granite spires nearer the coast. Its centrepiece is Woljeongsa, a temple approached along a kilometre of track through a dense fir forest that counts among the finest short walks in the country, cool and dim even in August, with a tall octagonal stone pagoda standing in the courtyard at the end of it. Further up the valley, Sangwonsa is the trailhead for the climb to Birobong, the main summit, a long but not difficult walk through broadleaf woods. The park sits high enough that snow lies for months and the autumn colour arrives earlier than in the lowlands.

What you actually see

• The Woljeongsa fir path - the shaded avenue of old firs on the way to the temple.
• The stone pagoda - the tall octagonal pagoda in the temple courtyard.
• Sangwonsa - the upper temple and the start of the summit walk.
• The ridge walk to Birobong - the long forest climb to the main summit.

When to go

Summer for the cool of the fir forest, and late September into October for colour that comes earlier here than further south. Winter is snowbound and beautiful but demands proper footwear and spikes. The fir path is short and works even in poor weather; the summit walk needs a full day and an early start.

Honest expectations

The summit itself is a rounded wooded top with a limited view, so the walk is the reward rather than the panorama. Public transport is awkward, with infrequent local buses from Jinbu and long gaps, which effectively makes this a car destination. The fir path is popular and can be busy at midday. Weather in the highlands turns fast and cold.

Nearby

The Daegwallyeong highlands and the east-coast beaches near Gangneung are within an hour.