Gyejoksan Red Clay Trail
계족산 황톳길
A barefoot red-clay trail of about 14.5 km, selected as one of Korea's 100 Best Tourist Attractions, winding through the forest of Gyejoksan with an optional side trip to the Baekje-era Gyejoksan Fortress.
Gyejoksan lies between Daedeok-gu and Dong-gu in Daejeon. A forest path along the mountainside is laid with roughly 14.5 km of red and yellow clay. A local company built it in 2006 and has maintained it ever since. Visitors can walk the trail barefoot, and it has been named one of Korea's 100 Best Tourist Attractions. The most common route starts at the entrance to Jangdong Mountain Forest Bath Park. Walk a stretch of the clay path and turn back, which takes about 2 hours. Those with good stamina can climb to the Baekje-period Gyejoksan Fortress, at about 420 meters above sea level, for views over central Daejeon and Daecheong Lake. There are foot-washing stations along the way. Some weekends feature forest concerts, and a Barefoot Festival is held in May. Admission is free and the trail is open all day. After rain the path is slippery and muddy, so bring a towel and spare socks. Getting there: from Daejeon Station or the city center, take a bus to Jangdong Mountain Forest Bath Park, about 40 minutes. A car or taxi is more convenient.
Opening hours
All day (daytime recommended)
Nearby sights
- Cheongnamdae
- Daecheongho Lake & Daecheong Dam
- Uam Historic Park
- Expo Science Park & Hanbit Tower
- Hanbat Arboretum
- Daejeon Museum of Art & Lee Ungno Museum
- Sojedong Railway Village
- National Science Museum