Geumoreum: A Beautiful Volcanic Crater in Western Jeju [Oreum #003]
Jeju Island is home to more than 360 oreum — small volcanic hills scattered across the island, each created by a separate eruption thousands of years ago. While every oreum has its own character, Geumoreum is one of the easiest to visit and one of the best places to experience Jeju's volcanic landscape without a long or difficult hike.
The trail is short but rewarding. Instead of a challenging climb, Geumoreum offers a steady walk through grassy slopes and shaded paths, leading to a wide-open summit view. At the top, a quiet volcanic crater unfolds below, with Jeju's western countryside stretching beyond it. On a clear day, you can even see Hallasan Mountain and the coastline in the distance.
But Geumoreum is more than just a viewpoint. The changing colors of the grass throughout the seasons, the unique volcanic terrain shaped over time, and the peaceful atmosphere at the crater rim make this oreum special in its own way.
I visited Geumoreum last week, catching a short break between rainy days. Seeing the crater filled with fresh green grass and a small pool of water, I finally understood why so many people recommend this place.
Here is my personal experience at Geumoreum — including the parking area, trail conditions, walking time, and the small details you might miss if you only come for the view.
Starting From the Parking Lot
Geumoreum has two parking lots. I parked in the second one, and right away, a patch of hydrangeas blooming in one corner caught my eye.
Even under a cloudy sky, the purples and blues stood out clearly, and I stopped for a minute to take a few photos before heading up.
A Horse-Feeding Stop
Just past the parking lot, there's a small feeding area where visitors can offer carrots to horses grazing nearby. A hand-drawn sign nearby names the resident horses — something along the lines of "the horses here love carrots" — and it made me smile.
It seemed like a popular little stop for families with kids.
The Fork — Paved or Unpaved
A little further along, the trail splits in two: one path is unpaved forest trail, the other is paved. They meet again near the summit, but most visitors seem to take the paved route, so that's the one I chose.
Being paved didn't mean it was easy, though. The climb is steady the whole way, with a few sections that get noticeably steeper. Even so, I kept passing families pushing strollers up the same slope — the path is well maintained and shaded enough that it clearly works for them.
It took me about 15 to 20 minutes to reach the top.
Facing the Crater
When I reached the top, the crater in front of me was genuinely beautiful. The round, sunken landform was filled with green grass, and since it had rained for a few days before my visit, a small pool of water had gathered in the middle — which somehow made the whole scene feel even more otherworldly.
Everyone around me was taking photos at that exact spot, and I wasn't any different.
The Summit Ridge Trail and Paragliders Overhead
While I was still on my way up, a van marked for paragliding tours passed me, heading toward the summit. I remember thinking it was interesting that they drove equipment all the way up there — but by the time I actually reached the top, everyone had already taken off.
I also walked the ridge trail that follows the rim of the crater, and it was a genuinely pretty stretch, cool and open. As it turns out, Geumoreum is a known spot for paragliding in Jeju, which explains the van. I'd love to time a visit better next time and actually watch people fly.
Heading Back Down
Going down was a lot easier than climbing up — about 10 minutes was all it took.
On the way down, we passed a family with a stroller heading down just ahead of us, and a couple more strollers coming up in the opposite direction. Seeing that made it clear all over again — this trail really is open to anyone, at any age or stage.
Geumoreum at a Glance
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