Neulsol-gil Park Sheep Ranch, Where You Can Meet 24 Sheep in Downtown Incheon

Neulsol-gil Park Sheep Ranch, Started with Seven Merino Sheep in 2014

Neulsol-gil Park is a nature-friendly urban park in Nonhyeon-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City. The sheep ranch was not originally created as a tourist attraction; it began in 2014 when seven Merino sheep were introduced to manage the park's grass.

The number of sheep gradually increased to 24 in 2021. Therefore, it is more accurate to understand this as a place to observe sheep up close within a neighborhood park in Namdong-gu, Incheon, rather than a destination with vast pastures like a large ranch.

Admission to the Sheep Ranch Is Free, but Visiting Hours Apply

According to Incheon Tour, admission to the sheep ranch is free, and visiting hours are 10:00–16:30 daily. The park as a whole is listed as open from 00:00 to 24:00 every day, so you can enter the park at night; however, the hours for seeing the sheep and the hours for walking in the park should be distinguished.

Neulsol-gil Park is listed as open year-round. The official information differs between sources. Incheon Tour lists the park's hours as 00:00–24:00 daily and the sheep ranch's visiting hours as 10:00–16:30, with visits difficult during rain. The Namdong-gu Office provides separate seasonal operating hours. Before setting out, it is safest to call 032-453-2857 to confirm whether it is operating that day.

About 10 Minutes from Nonhyeon Station: Why Destination Labels Differ

When coming by public transportation from Seoul or Incheon Airport, Suin Line Nonhyeon Station can be used as a starting point for visitors from outside the area. Official information describes the walk after getting off at Nonhyeon Station as approximately 10 minutes. Map searches may show Hogupo Station as the closest station and indicate an eight-minute walk.

If you take a bus, Moovit search results show routes 1301 Incheon, 1302, 161, 211, and M6410 Ansan stopping at nearby bus stops. Because the address is listed differently by different sources—as 771 Aenggogae-ro, Namdong-gu, Incheon; 783 Aenggogae-ro, Namdong-gu, Incheon; or 43 Gojan-ro 41beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon—it is better to enter “Neulsol-gil Park Sheep Ranch” directly into your map app.

A visit review from September 3, 2022, records that it took about 15 minutes to reach the sheep ranch after crossing a crosswalk. In other words, even after arriving at the station or bus stop, you may need to walk farther between the park entrance and the ranch, so families with children should not calculate their schedule based only on the station arrival time.

Distinguish Free Parking Lots 1, 2, and 3 from Parking Lot 4

Incheon Tour lists Neulsol-gil Park Parking Lots 1, 2, and 3 as free parking lots. The official Neulsol-gil Forest Story information mentions Neulsol-gil Park Parking Lot 1 and Neulsol-gil Neighborhood Park Parking Lot 4, so visitors arriving by car should search for the parking lot number as well on their maps.

The available capacity and exact routes from each parking lot to the ranch entrance are not provided in the published information. A review from September 3, 2022, states that parking in three lanes on the road in the direction of travel was available from 07:00 to 22:00 on weekends and public holidays, but this was information from that time in a personal review. It is therefore best to look for the official free parking lots first.

The Only Food You May Give the Sheep Is Black Locust Leaves and Kudzu Vines

Visitors can feed the Merino sheep, make eye contact with them, and observe them. When feeding them, give only black locust leaves and kudzu vines from around the ranch; do not arbitrarily give them food brought by travelers, such as bread or snacks.

The sheep ranch can be freely explored without a reservation. However, the available feeding supplies, whether payment is cash-only, how far visitors may enter the ranch, and whether there are glass walls or access restrictions are not specified in the available information. Therefore, it is safer to plan this as a visit for observing the sheep around the fence and feeding them in the designated manner, rather than as an experience where you take photos with the sheep.

A Course Continuing to the 1.7 km Accessible Hinoki Forest Trail After Seeing the Sheep

In addition to the sheep ranch, Neulsol-gil Park has a rose garden, forest playground, accessible Hinoki Forest Sharing Trail, fine-dust-blocking forest, park water playground, and Namdong Circular Trail. The rose garden, where colorful roses bloom throughout the year from May onward, offers plant scenery different from that of the sheep ranch.

The accessible Hinoki Forest Trail is 1.7 km long and was built with comfortable wooden decks for people with disabilities, older adults, pregnant women, and infants and young children. The forest playground has a nest observatory, forest treehouse, zip wire, and hammocks, but the age limits and operating conditions for each facility have not been confirmed, so it is best not to assume that children can use them.

Park Facilities for Stroller and Wheelchair Users

There is an access route at the park's main gate, and wheelchairs can pass through the main entrance. Tactile paving is installed in front of stairs and ramps, and there are connected tactile guidance paths. This does not mean that every route through the park is flat, so it is best to ask the park office for guidance about the actual route to the ranch.

Assistance dogs are permitted but must be kept on a leash, and the information also states a muzzle requirement for hunting dogs. There is no nursing room, but a diaper-changing table is available inside the women's restroom. The men's and women's restrooms are separated behind the park office. Staff are reported to be stationed at the sheep ranch office.

“Neulsol-gil Forest Story” Has Different Operating Days from the Sheep Ranch

Neulsol-gil Forest Story inside the park offers self-guided visits, and admission is free. Visiting hours are 09:00–18:00, with last admission at 17:00. It is closed every Monday, January 1, and the day of Lunar New Year's Day and Chuseok. Therefore, even if the sheep ranch is listed as open year-round, visitors who also want to see the Forest Story facilities should avoid Mondays and the actual days of these holidays.

Forest interpretation and early-childhood forest experiences can be booked through the website or on-site registration, and telephone inquiries are required. Programs operate from 10:00–12:00 in the morning and 14:00–16:00 in the afternoon. The participation fee for craft activities is the actual materials cost. The contact number is 070-4896-4648 for Neulsol-gil Forest Story; if you plan to join a program, you should consider the application process separately from self-guided viewing.

For Your First Visit, Allow One Hour for the Sheep Ranch

A visit review from September 3, 2022, records that the itinerary was planned for about one hour, including the sheep ranch and a walk around the surrounding area. This time did not include travel from the station, bus stop, or parking lot to the ranch, so public transportation users should consider both the official 10-minute walk and the review's record of approximately 15 minutes after crossing the crosswalk.

On days when rain is forecast, visiting the sheep ranch may be difficult, and waiting lines or the extent of access inside the ranch are not specified in the published information. For first-time foreign visitors, the most predictable plan is to arrive between 10:00 and 16:30 on a clear day, see the sheep for free first, and then continue to the 1.7 km accessible Hinoki Forest Trail or the rose garden. Official information is available from Incheon Tour.