Jeju Banong Oreum – An Easy Hike with Cedar Forests, Cypress Groves & Hallasan Views [Oreum #004]
I live on Jeju, but somehow I'd never made it to Banong Oreum until now. It's one of those places you drive past for years without ever stopping. A friend finally talked me into it, and I'm glad she did.
The name itself got me curious before I even set foot on the trail. "Banong" means "needle" in Jeju dialect. I assumed it was because the hill was covered in thorny plants, so I kept an eye out the whole walk. Turns out there used to be a lot more of them. These days you only spot a few remaining thorns from Chinese mulberry and wild rose bushes if you look closely into the brush. Nothing like the prickly forest the name had me picturing.
Right at the entrance, the trail splits into three numbered courses. Course 1 is the shortest at 309 meters, Course 2 runs 577 meters, and Course 3 stretches about 1,900 meters. The numbers look short on paper, but each course has a completely different feel once you're actually walking it. I went left toward Course 3 first.
If you're looking for an easy oreum in Jeju with plenty of shade, Banong Oreum is one of the most relaxing options I've walked.
Course 3: The Gentle Climb
If it's your first visit, I'd recommend starting with Course 3 and coming back via Course 1 — or simply returning the same way if you prefer an easier walk. Course 3 turned out to be much gentler than I expected. The dirt path was well packed, so I could walk at an easy, strolling pace the whole way up.
A little further up, there's a stretch with a rope guideline along the side. There are a few steps here too, but nothing difficult. Overall, the course felt less like a climb and more like a slow walk through the forest.
Hallasan From the Summit Deck
At the top, there's a two-level observation deck. This ended up being my favorite spot on the whole hike. Climb to the upper level and the view opens all the way to Hallasan, the volcanic mountain at the center of Jeju.
Low clouds rolled in on the day I visited, so the very top of Hallasan was hidden. On a clear day I imagine the view stretches out even further. I sat down here for a while and pulled out some omegi-tteok (a chewy Jeju rice cake made from millet) and fruit. Snacks always taste better after a climb.
There's also a short loop trail circling the crater near the summit, so I walked that too. It only takes 15–20 minutes. I skipped most of the crater loop views, though — the summer vegetation had grown tall enough to block them, and the crater itself wasn't very visible from this side either.
Course 1: Short But Steep
After resting at the deck, I headed down via Course 1. It's short in distance, but noticeably steeper. There's a section with stone steps that looks fairly steep from below, though the short distance means it's over quickly.
If you're not used to hiking, I'd suggest going back down the way you came, via Course 3. It's much gentler on the legs. If you actually want the workout of a steeper climb and descent, Course 1 works well for that.
Once I reached the bottom of Course 1, I doubled back toward Course 3 — this time from the right side, since I'd gone left at the start. That's where I found the row of Japanese cedars with two benches sitting side by side, the scene pictured at the top of this post. The light coming through the trees at that angle was beautiful. I ended up standing there far longer than planned.
How to Tell Japanese Cedar from Hinoki Cypress
Walking along, I found myself wondering: how do you actually tell Japanese cedar and Hinoki cypress apart? It turned out easier than I expected. The simplest trick I found was looking at the trunk. Jeju is humid enough that almost every Japanese cedar I saw had moss creeping up its trunk, while the Hinoki cypress trunks stayed noticeably clean.
I couldn't help but wonder why — maybe it has something to do with the phytoncide (a natural compound trees release, often credited with that fresh forest smell) that Hinoki cypress is known for putting out. It's just a guess, but it made me understand why people talk about Hinoki cypress forests the way they do.
The leaves look similar from a distance, but up close they're clearly different. Hinoki cypress leaves lie flat and spread sideways, while Japanese cedar leaves stick out in sharp, three-dimensional points. Once I learned the trick, I couldn't stop using it — for the rest of the walk, I kept catching myself thinking, "oh, that one's cypress," "that one's cedar." A small game that made the trail more fun.
A Cypress Grove, Planted by Hand
Partway along Course 3, a side path branches off. This led into what looked like a grove planted entirely with Hinoki cypress. The trees didn't have that natural, scattered feel — they stood in neat, evenly spaced rows, which made it obvious this section had been planted on purpose rather than grown wild.
Small numbered markers, 1 through 5, are posted along a little path that winds through the grove — it seems the walkway was laid out specifically so visitors could pass through it. I zigzagged between all five, breathing in as much phytoncide as I could. Once I'd had my fill of the cypress grove, I rejoined Course 3, finished the rest of the loop, and came out right back at the entrance where I'd started.
Wrapping Up
The hike itself only takes about an hour, but I ended up spending nearly three. Between the summit deck, my snack break, and the cypress grove, there was no reason to rush. It's about 20–30 minutes from the entrance to the summit, and the crater loop at the top only takes 15–20 minutes. But if you let yourself slow down like I did, give yourself more time than the numbers suggest.
| 📍 Address | San 108, Gyorae-ri, Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, Jeju Island |
|---|---|
| 🕖 Hours | Open access, no set hours — like most oreum on Jeju, there's no on-site management |
| 💰 Price | Free |
| 🚗 Parking | Free dirt lot at the trailhead, no fee |
📖 Related Post
Jeju Nature Guide: Hallasan, Forest Trails & Oreums