The Yeongnam Alps is characterized by its hilly, grassy ridge line that roll across the landscape in the Southeastern corner of South Korea. These verdant summits, carpeted in lush tall grasses and wildflowers, create a picturesque panorama against the backdrop of the Ulsan countryside. But the Yeongnam Alps have a lot more to offer than just its tall grasses. Coming off from the ridge, you can find many valleys that have rocky streams with beautiful waterfalls.
The Paraeso [pa-ray-so] Waterfall stands out as a must see natural attraction. Family friendly and accessible to all fitness levels, this site is a top contender!
Getting to Yeongnam Alps’s Paraeso Waterfall : Parking & Costs
The waterfall is accessible through the Sinbulsan Recreational Forest (신불산 자연휴양림). This forest’s parking lot doubles as both the access point for the waterfall and a starting point for hiking Mt. Sinbulsan. At 4.5km, this is the shortest course to Mt. Sinbulsan, so the parking lot fills quickly in autumn and weekend mornings. Mt. Ganwolsan is likewise accessible from this parking lot, if hiked as a loop with Sinbulsan through the recreational forest’s stream side pathway.
National Sinbulsan Mountain Waterfall Recreational Forest
울산 울주군 상북면 청수골길 175 신불산폭포자연휴양림
https://naver.me/Fd7FhoeM
Parking Fee: 3,000 won per car
Admission Fee: 1,000 won per person
The Walking Course and Wonders of the Paraeso Waterfall
Located less than 1 kilometer from the parking lot is Paraeso Waterfall. This course is well maintained with seating areas, stone and wood walkways and constant views of the stream.
It’s gradient is friendly to all fitness level, but is uneven at times with a couple sets of stairs – so it’s not wheelchair friendly. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the waterfall.
There are a couple information graphics along the trail showing Paraeso Waterfall throughout the year, facts about the waterfall, and four threatened species that live in this forest.
Don’t discount this waterfall’s appeal in the winter, it appears quite nice in the provided winter picture!
There is a viewing platform with one large bench. The signs say no swimming, but there is a stairwell leading to the stream in front of the waterfall. So it’s possible to walk down to the water to dip your toes into the blue-green waters.
From the beach like area in front of the waterfalls you have numerous rocks to pose on and a decent amount of space that might be great for a picnic.
There are three orange lifebuoys, but they are there only for emergencies – as previously stated it’s a non-swimming waterfall. If you are interested in swimming at a waterfall, I would recommend you consider visiting Soknisan National Park’s Janggak Waterfall!
On the side of the beach like area, there is a roped off part with Korean signs stating ‘no entry not a hiking trail’. Which is all that remains of the former stream side course.
The new stream side course which is connected to the view point platform/walkway, brings you up the valley to the camping areas and rental houses available in this recreational forest. The course is about 1.5-2km of newly constructed trail complete with nice stairs and walkways. But in parts was built around rocky features, so watch your step on the slippery rocks!
Making it an Overnight Trip?
Lodging Recommendations for the Yeongnam Alps!
The Yeongnam Alps is 30km, 50 minutes drive / 1.5 hours by public transport from downtown Ulsan. Ulsan is a major metropolitan area that is connected to Seoul and Busan by the high speed railway and long distance buses. For lodging, you can stay in the city, by the beach or in the mountains.
The closest, English friendly accommodation to the Yeongnam Alps is the three star Pavilla Hotel. This spot offers western rooms at a budget friendly cost.
For a downtown Ulsan accommodation with river views with access to many restaurants and shops, the Hotel Riverside Ulsan is a good contender and very cheap!
Lastly, for beach side lodging (about an hour and a half from the Yeongnam Alps) on the fancier end Hotel Hyundai by Lahan Ulsan is an excellent choice for high end beach side hotels. For a very budget friendly beach option in walking distance of Ilsan Beach, I might recommend ‘일산해수욕장 대왕암공원 숙소’.
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
It really helped me!! Thank you