Jeju Mulyeongari-oreum: A Dry Autumn Wetland Hike

2021-11-26 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

Since it's autumn and winter is just around the corner, surfing is out of the question. I wondered how I should spend my weekends now. When you think of Jeju, its oreums (volcanic cones) are famous, so I decided to spend my weekends either hiking up an oreum or walking the Olle trails.

I chose Mulyeongari-oreum as the first destination for my weekend oreum hikes. I didn't pick it for any special reason; I just ended up here while looking for a famous oreum close to home. On the way, I grabbed a bite at Sumang Son Kalguksu (a handmade noodle soup restaurant), parked in the spacious lot, and started walking. Maybe because it's autumn, the vegetation is drying up and turning yellow. There aren't many people around, but rather than feeling desolate, it just feels peaceful and quiet.

Wire mesh archway structure with the words Mulyeongari Ecological Park written on it

Several cars parked in a spacious outdoor parking lot surrounded by trees

Information board with the legend passed down from Mulyeongari Oreum (volcanic cone)

Mulyeongari-oreum features a jatsung, a traditional stone wall used as a pasture boundary. The trail runs right alongside this stone wall, giving you two different paths to choose from. Anyway, the name jatsung... jatsung, jatsung... If you keep saying it out loud, the accent shifts forward and it sounds a bit embarrassing to say.

Wooden information board with the course and description of the Jungjatseong Ecological Trail

Wooden boardwalk trail passing through trees and a field of silver grass

Gently sloping oreum (volcanic cone) seen beyond a wide field of silver grass

Wooden stairs on a forest path lined with tall cedar trees on both sides

I'm not sure if it's resting after welcoming so many people in the summer, or if the path got too rough in the autumn, but the staircase leading directly to the wetland was closed off. I had to take a slight detour along the dulle-gil (perimeter trail) and then head up the ridge path, but this route turned out to be pretty nice. There are fewer steep sections, and since it takes a bit longer to walk, there are plenty of spots where you can slowly take in the surroundings or just be completely alone, making it easy to go at my own pace.
Right next to the perimeter trail is the somewhat awkwardly named jatsung path. It's fun to walk while looking at the long, stretching stone wall. By the way, they say this wall was built to keep horses from crossing over, but it looks like a horse could just snort and effortlessly hop right over it without any problem.

Map information board showing the Mulyeongari Oreum (volcanic cone) trail course and estimated time

A control line is drawn across a wooden deck path in the forest with a sign prohibiting entry due to trail damage.

An information sign on a wooden board explains the history and origin of Jatseong (stone wall).

A walking path covered with a palm mat and a stone wall stretch long between dense trees.

An open landscape with distant oreums (volcanic cones) and wind turbines lined up under a cloudy sky.

A single camellia flower with red petals and yellow stamens blooms among green leaves.

A dirt path runs through a dense forest of straight-growing trees.

A vine with red-tinted leaves grows up a thick tree trunk.

As I walked along the perimeter trail, the staircase leading up to the wetland finally appeared. The perimeter trail was so well-maintained and pleasant to walk on, so knowing I now had to trudge up these stairs made me sigh out loud. Still, I had to see the wetland, so I forced myself to start climbing.
I had read on other blogs that the climb was harder than expected, and wow... actually climbing it, I had to stop and catch my breath a few times. I wouldn't call it extremely difficult, but it's definitely a bit taxing. It's about the level of difficulty where a 10-year-old girl was glaring at the back of her dad's head, whining, "Dad... can't we just go back now? This is hard."

A signpost next to wooden stairs points towards the circular trail and the summit crater, along with a notice on wetland visiting rules.

Dirt walking path in the forest heavily covered with fallen leaves

Long wooden staircase path following a slope in the forest

Wooden information board with a description of the Mulyeongari Oreum (volcanic cone) wetland

After climbing hard enough to work up a bit of a sweat, the wetland appeared. But to my surprise, there was absolutely nothing there. Everything was withered like a reed bed, and the water was completely dried up, leaving it feeling empty and desolate. The first thing every other group said as they reached the top was, "What is this?!" I thought a wetland would still be moist in the autumn, but I guess even wetlands take a break during the fall and winter.

Wide wetland covered in brown grass and the surrounding forest under a cloudy sky

Small puddle of water in the wetland pooled among dry brown grass

Wooden deck path and a small observatory building installed along the edge of a wetland full of dry grass

Green moss covering a porous black scoria rock

Cluster of red berries growing on the dirt ground covered with dry fallen leaves

Green fern leaves growing on the dirt ground covered with dry leaves and twigs

If you want to start this hike, it's better to search for "Mulyeongari-oreum Parking Lot" on your GPS rather than just "Mulyeongari-oreum." You can use the restroom when you get out at the parking lot, and since the start and end points are both there, it's just more convenient. It took me roughly an hour and a half, but it's probably better to plan for a more relaxed two-hour itinerary. If you're not a strong walker! Or if you absolutely hate walking! Then you should probably budget around three hours and just take your time enjoying the forest path.

#JejuOreum #JejuOneYearLiving