Soknisan National Park is a captivating natural oasis celebrated for its stunning landscapes, serene atmosphere and historical significance. This park offers a serene retreat with its picturesque hiking trails, dense forests, and cascading waterfalls, making it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. A lesser known gem of this national park is Janggak Waterfall.
Janggak Waterfall is a family friendly attraction that is both a summer swimming hole and a beautiful natural wonder. By car, it’s a 2 ish hours from Camp Humphreys and 3 ish hours from central Seoul.
Address: Janggak Waterfall / 장각폭포
경상북도 상주시 화북면 상오리 장각폭포
https://naver.me/x58hD31T
The journey to this waterfall, whether from Seoul or Camp Humphreys, takes you through rural landscapes and charming countryside, enveloped by mountains on both sides. It offers an ideal escape from city life, and upon reaching the waterfall, you’ll genuinely sense the tranquility of your retreat.
Despite its modest size, this watering hole has plenty to provide. During the summer, it becomes a favored destination for Korean families and couples seeking relaxation, swimming, and immersion in nature.
Notes For Families: there is a very shallow (a couple inches), small pebble area with slower moving water currents, that is easily accessible. Summer time safety features include a swim line to deter people from going beneath the waterfall, and some life vests are provided.
In addition, there are numerous shaded areas, both with views of the waterfall and those closer to the parking lot, where you can set up camp. I would recommend prepping some food and doing a picnic!
Alcohol is prohibited according to the banners.
A covered traditional style gazebo is located atop the waterfall, which is accessible from the parking area. Anyone can use it, just take your shoes off. The warning sign says no cooking or setting up a tent here.
There is another seemingly perfect swimming hole located atop of the waterfall but that area is marked as prohibited by safety tape.
There are a couple facilities located here, including a bathroom and trash sorting area.
I went in the fall, but in the summer there are local businesses that sell various foods. But year round, like in the image below, there are many businesses advertising their food for delivery (but I doubt they are super English friendly over the phone!).
** Bring your own toilet paper! ** it might be stocked in the summer, but in the early fall there was none available!
If you want to make a weekend / overnight trip, I have some recommendations.
There are a number of auto camping facilities and pensions nearby, but these require some degree of Korean language ability to navigate. So I might suggest saying at the Mungyeon Grand Resort. It makes your trip to the waterfall 40 ish minutes, but then you are nearby to the Mungyeong Saejae Temple / 문경새재. This spot is a famous park / temple complex that is in the valley of two large mountains and is the filming location for many Korean TV shows and movies.
If you want to support my blog or get yourself some cool Korean national park swag, please consider checking out my Etsy shop! I make Korean camping and hiking souvenirs!
Happy Exploring!
-Aurora
