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The Dongseo Trail — Korea's first coast-to-coast hiking route (849 km, opening in stages)

Reported 2026-06-06 / Posted 2026-06-06 · Compiled from the Korea Forest Service Dongseo Trail official site and Korean and international press · By

Spain has the Camino de Santiago. Japan has the Kumano Kodo. Korea is now quietly building its own: the Dongseo Trail — dong (east) to seo (west) — an 849 km (527-mile) coast-to-coast hiking route running from Taean on the West Sea to Uljin on the East Sea. It's Korea's first cross-country long-distance trail, built by the Korea Forest Service, and it threads through the forests, ridgelines, and small farming villages that almost no foreign visitor ever sees. Full completion is targeted for 2026 with a full opening in 2027 — but you don't have to wait. Several sections at both ends are already open, and this is your guide to walking the slow, deep, rural Korea that lives beyond Seoul and Busan.

What the Dongseo Trail actually is

The name says it plainly: dong means east, seo means west. Where most of Korea's famous walks loop around an island (Jeju's Olle) or a city, this one goes straight across the peninsula — sea to sea. At 849 km it's a true thru-hike in the making, built not as a tourist gimmick but as national long-distance infrastructure by the Korea Forest Service, stitching together existing forest paths, mountain ridges, and village roads into one continuous line. International travel press has compared it to the Camino and the Kumano Kodo, and it has drawn attention abroad, including a mention in The New York Times. The pitch is simple and genuine: this is how you experience the Korea between the cities — the quiet, green, deeply rural interior.

Honest status: partly open now, fully open later

This is the most important thing to understand before you plan. The whole trail is not walkable end-to-end yet. Here's the honest picture as of 2026:

  • Westernmost end (Taean area): Sections 1–4 are already open.
  • Eastern end: the Uljin and Bonghwa sections opened for the 2026 spring season.
  • The middle: still being built and connected, with full completion targeted for 2026 and a full, continuous opening planned for 2027.

So treat it the way through-hikers treat any new long trail: pick an already-open section rather than expecting to walk the full 849 km. The reward is the same — real forest, real villages — without the gaps. Always confirm current openings on the official site before you go, because sections come online progressively.

Why it's worth it for a foreign visitor

  • The Korea you don't get on a city itinerary. Pine forest, ridgelines, rice terraces, fishing harbors, and villages where life moves at a different speed — this is "deep Korea," far from the palace-and-shopping circuit.
  • A slow-travel reset. It's a multi-day, walk-and-stay experience, not a single-day attraction. The point is the pace.
  • Two coastlines, one country. Few places let you literally walk from one sea to the other across a nation — and Korea is compact enough that the idea feels real.
  • It supports the places you pass through. Around 90 "base camp" villages along the route offer local restaurants, lodging, and convenience facilities — your spending helps rural economies that rarely see tourists.

Sleeping along the way: Forest Stay & base-camp villages

You're walking through countryside, so plan your nights deliberately. Two things make it workable:

  • Forest Stay network: The Forest Service's "Forest Stay" accommodation network — forest huts and campsites managed through the official forest-tourism system — is expanding along the trail. You can browse and book lodging through the same official portal that hosts the route maps.
  • Base-camp villages: The roughly 90 villages along the route function as resupply and rest points — somewhere to eat a real local meal, sleep, and pick up basics before the next stretch.

Because availability and English support vary village to village, book ahead, and don't assume a 24-hour convenience store at every turn the way you'd find in Seoul.

Getting to the trailheads

The trail's whole appeal — that it's far from the tourist grid — also means the trailheads aren't a metro ride away. Plan the approach as part of the trip:

  • Rail + bus is your friend. Use KTX or regular trains to reach the nearest regional hub, then a local intercity bus or taxi to the trailhead. A Korea rail pass can make the long-distance legs cheaper and simpler.
  • Western end (Taean): Taean is reached overland from the Seoul region via intercity bus; there's no direct KTX into Taean itself, so expect a train-then-bus or bus-only approach.
  • Eastern end (Uljin / Bonghwa): these sit on Korea's mountainous east; reach the region by train or intercity bus toward the Gyeongbuk east coast, then connect locally.
  • Always check the official route page for the exact access point of the specific section you're walking — that's the authoritative source for trailhead locations and maps.

When to go — and a monsoon warning

Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–November) are the sweet spots: comfortable temperatures, clear trails, good light. Be careful in midsummer. Korea's monsoon (jangma) brings heavy, sometimes dangerous rain through roughly late June into July, and mountain trails can flood, wash out, or get slippery fast. If you're walking in summer, check the forecast daily and read our Korea monsoon 2026 guide before you set out. Winter brings snow and ice to the mountain sections, so it's for experienced, well-equipped hikers only.

Practical tips for first-timers

  • Start with one open section. Don't try to "do the Dongseo Trail" in one go — pick a single already-open segment that fits your fitness and time.
  • Carry water, snacks, and cash. Rural Korea is not card-everywhere or shop-everywhere. Top up before you leave the last town.
  • Download offline maps and screenshot the official route map for your section; mobile signal can drop in the mountains.
  • Pack proper footwear and rain gear. These are real mountain forest paths, not paved promenades.
  • Tell someone your plan and your expected finish time, especially if you're solo.
  • Save 1330. Korea's tourism hotline gives free multilingual help — handy if you need directions, translation, or assistance off the beaten path.

Honest take

If your idea of Korea so far is Seoul nightlife and a Jeju beach, the Dongseo Trail is the opposite end of the spectrum — and that's exactly why it's special. You won't (yet) walk all 849 km, and you shouldn't try to in 2026; the honest move is to choose an open section, ride the rails out to the countryside, sleep in a forest hut or a village guesthouse, and let the pace slow you down. Korea is building this for the long term, and getting on it early — while it's still a quiet, in-progress thing rather than a packaged tour — is its own kind of reward. Watch the official site for new sections, keep an eye on the monsoon, and go walk the Korea between the cities.

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