Saryeoni Forest Trail Full Route — Walking Bijarimro to Namjoro, Jeju
Most people who say they've been to Saryeoni Forest Trail have actually only seen a small part of it.
The typical visit goes like this: park at the Namjoro entrance, take a short walk through the Japanese cedar boardwalk, then head back. That stretch is lovely — I won't deny it — but honestly, I find it hard to say you've truly experienced Saryeoni Forest Trail based on that alone.
The real heart of Saryeoni is the long trail stretching toward Jeju City. Wide earthen paths, dense forest, trees so tall they block out the sky. Far fewer people than the Namjoro end, which means it's quieter and more unhurried. Walk long enough and you stop noticing time passing — just the sound of wind through the trees and birdsong all around you.
So this time, I left my car at the Namjoro parking lot, hopped on a bus to the Bijarimro entrance on the Jeju City side, and walked the full trail back to where I started. If you want to experience Saryeoni the way it deserves to be experienced, this is the way to do it.
What Is Saryeoni Forest Trail?
Saryeoni Forest Trail is a roughly 10km path that starts from Bijarimro in Bonggae-dong, Jeju City, passes through Mulchat Oreum (a volcanic hill whose crater holds a permanent pond), and continues all the way to Bulgeun Oreum in Gasiri, Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo. The trail runs through Jeju's inland belt between the coast and Hallasan at an elevation of 500–600m above sea level, and is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The forest is a mix of zelkova, hornbeam, snowbell, Hinoki cypress (편백나무), and Japanese cedar, with several oreum — volcanic hills unique to Jeju — rising from the surrounding landscape.
Essential Info
| 📍 Bijarimro Entrance | Bonggae-dong, Jeju City (Visitor Center on Bijarimro Road) |
|---|---|
| 📍 Namjoro Entrance | Gasiri, Pyoseon-myeon, Seogwipo (Bulgeun Oreum Gate) |
| 📏 Total Distance | Approx. 10km |
| 🕖 Closing Time | 17:00 (no entry permitted after this time) |
| 💰 Admission | Free |
| 🚗 Parking | Namjoro entrance: free / Bijarimro public lot: free but ~2.5km walk to the actual trail entrance |
Getting to the Bijarimro Entrance
I'd strongly recommend taking a bus or taxi to the Bijarimro entrance. There is a public parking lot nearby, but it sits about 2.5km from the actual trail entrance — meaning you'd need to walk through a bamboo grass (조릿대) forest path for 40–50 minutes each way just to reach the start. That's an extra 1.5 hours of walking before you even set foot on the main trail.
The good news is there's a bus stop right in front of the trail entrance, making it very easy to arrive by public transport. My approach: park at the Namjoro end, take a bus to the Bijarimro entrance, then walk back.
Trail Map & Route
The trail divides into two main sections:
| 🌿 Bijarimro Section | 4.8km / approx. 80 min |
|---|---|
| 🌿 Namjoro Section | 5.2km / approx. 90 min |
| 📏 Full Trail | Approx. 10km / ~170 min (rest time not included) |
Walking the Trail — Cheonmicheon Stream & the Wooden Bridge
The moment you step past the Bijarimro entrance, the atmosphere changes. Trees crowd in on both sides, their branches meeting overhead, and the sky mostly disappears. It gets quiet fast — just the sound of your footsteps on the earth and, if you listen, birdsong threading through the canopy above.
After a while, you reach Cheonmicheon Stream (천미천, 天尾川) — a river that originates near the 1,400m elevation mark on Hallasan and flows east across Jeju all the way to Pyoseon on the coast. When I visited, the streambed was completely dry. It runs dry often, apparently. The wooden bridge arching over it was lovely regardless — a nice spot to pause.
Saryeoni Forest Trail — Bijarimro (Jeju City) section
Mulchat Oreum — Closed to the Public
About halfway along the trail, you'll pass the entrance to Mulchat Oreum — a volcanic hill known for the permanent pond sitting inside its crater. It sounds stunning, and it is. Unfortunately, it's currently closed to the public. You can see the entrance marker from the trail, but that's as far as anyone gets. Environmental protection, I understand — but it's hard not to feel a little wistful walking past. I'd love to come back if it ever opens.
Watch Out at the Junction — Don't Take the Hallasan둘레길 by Mistake
There's one junction on this trail that caught me off guard. The path splits — one direction leads toward the Hallasan Dulle-gil (a long-distance trail that circles Hallasan), and the other continues along Saryeoni Forest Trail toward Namjoro and Bulgeun Oreum. I almost took the wrong fork. The signpost is there, but it's easy to miss if you're not paying attention.
Where the Forest Changes — Into the Namjoro Section
The Bijarimro section is predominantly broad-leafed deciduous forest — soft underfoot, sheltered, the kind of place that feels almost primeval. Along the way I kept stopping to look at the old trees: massive, moss-covered trunks, some with hollows at the base large enough to put your hand in. How old are they? I found myself genuinely wondering.
As you move into the Namjoro section, the feel of the forest gradually shifts. More Japanese cedar trees appear, the path feels slightly more manicured, and the light comes through differently. It's a different kind of beautiful.
Near the Namjoro end, you reach the cedar boardwalk — the stretch most people picture when they think of Saryeoni. Tall, straight Japanese cedars rising on both sides, a wooden walkway running between them. It's the part everyone photographs, and honestly, it is stunning. But walking it after the full Bijarimro section made me realize: this is the finale, not the whole show. Most visitors only see the credits.
Arriving at Namjoro — Back Where I Started
Coming out of the cedar boardwalk, you reach the Namjoro parking lot — cars lined up along the road, free to use. I'd left my car here that morning, taken a bus to the far end, and walked the whole thing back. 10km later, it was a satisfying feeling.
I took my time — stopped for lunch at a rest shelter somewhere in the middle, sat around a bit — and even so, it didn't feel gruelling. The forest keeps you in shade for most of the route, which makes a bigger difference than you'd think.
Saryeoni is also noticeably wider and flatter than most trails on Jeju. Pushchairs and wheelchairs can manage most of the route, and the whole thing feels accessible in a way that a lot of nature trails don't. The 2–3km section just before the Namjoro cedar boardwalk gets a bit more sun, but there's a separate narrow side path through the trees that runs parallel — winding and a little longer, but shaded, softer underfoot (palm fibre matting), and honestly more fun. The smell of grass and wildflowers comes through much more clearly in there.
Yes, parking is awkward and the bus schedule takes planning. But Saryeoni is worth the effort — and then some. If you're looking for somewhere on Jeju to slow down, think, and actually feel the forest rather than just walk through it, this is it. The more of it you walk, the more it gives back.
Getting There
Bus stop directly in front · Parking not recommended
Free parking available
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