Geolmae Ecological Park, where a 640 m deck along Yeonhwacheon meets February green plum blossoms

Why Geolmae is located upstream of Cheonjiyeon Falls

Geolmae Ecological Park is a park situated upstream of Cheonjiyeon Falls. “Geolmae” means a place where water collects, reflecting in its name the water flowing through the park and the character of its wetlands.

This is a civic park that can be used without paying an entrance fee, and both local residents and tourists can walk here. It is not a tourist attraction that requires entering a specific facility, such as a waterfall observatory, but rather an outdoor space for walking along waterways and vegetation. Understanding this first makes it easier to plan your route.

The section where Yeonhwacheon flows beneath the 640 m observation deck

The park includes an aquatic plant observation garden, a wetland ecology observation garden, and an ume blossom and wildflower observation garden. The wooden walking trail and observation deck are 640 m long, and Yeonhwacheon flows beneath the deck.

Guides state that along the walking trail, visitors can look down at the stream and see egrets and flocks of ducks playing in the water. A wild bird observation area is also available, so rather than trying to approach the birds closely, it is best to quietly observe the waterside.

In addition to ecological facilities, the park has Geolmae Soccer Field, a basketball court, and a gateball court. Therefore, it is more accurate to plan it as an urban park combining sports facilities and walking areas rather than visiting with the expectation of seeing only flower gardens.

When to see white ume blossoms in February and red ume blossoms in March

Geolmae Ecological Park is introduced as a place in Jeju where visitors can see ume blossoms in early spring. White ume blossoms begin opening first in February, followed by pink-red ume blossoms reaching full bloom in March.

Yellow rapeseed flowers also bloom in one part of the ume garden, and seasonal flower colonies can be viewed free of charge. If ume blossoms are your main purpose, you should consider February and March separately, since the types and colors of flowers differ even during visits in the same spring.

The park is listed as open at all times and is open year-round. However, as it is an outdoor park, it is not a place where visitors should expect fixed viewing hours for an indoor exhibition hall. For safety, choose daylight hours when you can see the flowers and waterways rather than visiting in the dark.

Connection to Route 1 of Hayoung Olle, starting at Seogwipo City Hall

Geolmae Ecological Park is included in Route 1 of Hayoung Olle, which starts and ends at Seogwipo City Hall. This 8.9 km circular route continues in the order of Geolmae Ecological Park, Cheonjiyeon Falls, Chilshimni Sijeong Park, Saeyeon Bridge, and Saeseom Park.

Hayoung Olle consists of three routes totaling 22.8 km. You can take a short walk around the park alone, but if you plan to connect to Cheonjiyeon Falls and Saeyeon Bridge in one outing, you will be walking the entire 8.9 km route, so prepare your shoes and stamina accordingly.

Bus route numbers, stop names, walking time after getting off, and station exit numbers were not found in the available information. Foreign visitors using public transportation should enter “Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Seogwipo-si, Seohong-dong 1207” as the destination and check the departure point and real-time transfers on a local map.

Check the slope first after arriving at the Seohong-ro parking lot

The lot-number address of the park is Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Seogwipo-si, Seohong-dong 1207, and the road-name address is Seogwipo-si, Seohong-ro 4-42. Geolmae Soccer Fields A and B are listed as parking locations, so visitors arriving by car should distinguish the park entrance from the soccer-field parking areas on a map.

A separate public parking lot is listed at Seogwipo-si, Seohong-ro 4-40, with 79 spaces and free 24-hour use, although the latest official cross-check was not available. Other information lists the park parking facility as accommodating approximately 14 small cars, and gives the public parking lot telephone number as 064-760-3192.

The main telephone number is listed as 064-760-3191, but the latest official confirmation is required. The park itself is free and is not a ticketed tourist facility requiring an admission process. However, parking location and availability should be treated as separate matters that may vary on site.

For strollers and wheelchairs, distinguish between the 640 m deck and the dirt paths

The wooden deck walking trail is described as convenient for strollers and wheelchair users. However, on-site reviews state that a downhill slope begins at the entrance to the second parking lot and that manual wheelchair users may need assistance.

The ecological trail is narrow, making two-way wheelchair traffic difficult, and there are sections where visitors must travel in one direction. There are wider spaces here and there where wheelchairs can turn, but the dirt path beside the suspension bridge at the end of the ecological trail is uneven with stones and tree roots, making wheelchair travel difficult.

Therefore, do not assume that the entire park is equally level based only on accessibility information. Wheelchair and stroller users should stay mainly on the deck, while the dirt path beyond the suspension bridge requires consideration of assistance from companions and whether turning around is possible.

Who is and is not suited to a one- to two-hour walk

Family-oriented reviews state that it takes approximately one to two hours to leisurely explore the entire park. Allowing this amount of time is realistic if you want to slowly see the 640 m deck, aquatic plant observation garden, wetland ecology observation garden, ume garden, and wild bird observation garden.

Conversely, it may not suit people looking for only one short photo spot or expecting an indoor exhibition and an English audio guide. The available information does not confirm whether English guidance or an audio guide is available, whether photography is prohibited, or whether payment is cash-only.

What you need to prepare before visiting is not an admission fee, but comfortable walking shoes and an outer layer suited to the season. In particular, if you continue along Route 1 of Hayoung Olle to Cheonjiyeon Falls, Saeyeon Bridge, and Saeseom Park, the distance will be considerably longer than for a visit to the park alone.