Soyang Dam (소양강댐) - Area information - Korea travel information

Chuncheon Cheongpyeongsa Temple (청평사 (춘천))

13.9 Km    41925     2023-05-22

810, Obongsan-gil, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
+82-33-244-1095

Cheongpyeongsa Temple is a Buddhist temple with 1,000 years of tradition, located at Obongsan Mountain. Originally established as Baegamseonwon Temple in 973, the temple changed its name several times, went through construction works, and has become the current Cheongpyeongsa Temple. Yi Ja-hyeon, a scholar of the Goryeo period, built a garden here by keeping its natural topography after he left his government post. In this area, there is a pond that was built during the Goryeo period and has preserved its original form. Many cultural heritages have disappeared over the years and during the Korean War as well. The remaining cultural heritages include Hoejeonmun Gate of Cheongpyeongsa Temple (Treasure No. 164), Three-story Stone Pagoda of Cheongpyeongsa Temple (Gangwon-do Cultural Heritage Material No. 8), and Stupa of Yi Ja-hyeon (posthumous epithet: Jillakgong). Cheongpyeongsa Temple’s Hoejeonmun Gate was built instead of Sacheonwangmun Gate (the gate of the Four Guardian Kings) to enlighten people about the transmigration of souls. Cheongpyeongsa Temple bears a myth about a princess and a serpent. The princess suffered a lot from a serpent as she couldn’t get rid of it from her body. Then she came to Cheongpyeongsa Temple and prayed to the Buddha, and she became free from the serpent. Therefore, the Three-story Stone Pagoda of Cheongpyeongsa Temple is also called “Princess Pagoda.” Although the scale of the temple is not large, it is known for its beautiful natural landscape harmonized with artificial structures, such as a pavilion and a pond. Accordingly, the temple area was designated as Scenic Site No. 70. Cheongpyeongsa Temple can also be reached by taking a ferry at the Soyanggang Dam Quay.

Yonghwasan National Recreational Forest (국립 용화산자연휴양림)

14.1 Km    26476     2021-05-08

294, Sayeogol-gil, Sabuk-myeon, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
+82-33-243-9261

A recreational forest established at the foot of Yonghwasan Mountain (878 m) in Sabuk-myeon, Chuncheon Yonghwasan Mountain has been selected one of the best 100 mountains in Korea by the Korea Forest Service and is well-known for the TV program in which BTS members climbed it in 2020. Yonghwasan Recreational Forest is home to needle leaf trees and broadleaf trees, such as pine, oak, birch, and larch, and has a clean atmosphere of the natural environment along with the clear valley. It is equipped with various convenient facilities, such as accommodation, campground, hiking road, trail, and forest park amid healing nature. Yonghwasan Recreational Forest is ideal for not only camping and hiking but also forest leisure and sports activities. It runs Forest Experience Center, which is an indoor forest leisure and sports activity facility that can be used regardless of the weather and season. It provides various experience activities, such as Vertical Slide where visitors will experience falling straight down, Zip Zag where visitors wearing safety equipment will experience a zipline-type ride along the railway, Rope Adventure where visitors will complete a course of a rope and a suspension bridge, and Design Rock Climbing consisting of various difficulty levels. In the open air, there are leisure and sports facilities, such as Artificial Rock Climbing Site, Flying Squirrel (Quick Jump), and Flying in the Forest (Zipline). Besides, it provides the wooden crafts experience and the forest guide program.

Gugokpokpo Falls (구곡폭포)

14.2 Km    37390     2021-04-28

254, Gangchongugok-gil, Namsan-myeon, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
+82-33-261-0088

Located at the foot of Bonghwasan Mountain in Chuncheon, Gugok Falls with a x_height of 50 m is one of the representative tourist destinations in the Gangchon area. It was named “Gugok” because the falls twist (gok) and turn nine (gu) different times before dropping down, and is also called “Guguripokpo.” Gugok Falls flowing down from a huge stone wall create fantastic scenery. Many tourists visit the falls every year to enjoy cool, refreshing water to overcome the heat wave in summer and to admire a majestic view of the giant ice wall in winter. The road from the ticket booth to the falls is gentle and requires about 20 min walk. It is an easy walking path surrounded by woods and the valley. Visitors can also try to find the nine wooden panels inspired by the spirit of Gugok and designed with Hangeul alphabet “ㄲ” letters (such as 꿈, 끼, 꾀, 깡, etc.). If you go up for about 40 min along the Kkalttak Pass, which is on the right side of the Gugok Falls entrance, you will find Munbae Village, nestled in a basin. The village restaurants are known for local dishes, such as wild vegetable bibimbap and folk liquor. Visitors can also stay overnight at the National Leisure Campground built in the Gukgok Falls Tourist Area.