How to Walk the 2.6 km Loop Trail and Visit the UFO Playground at Gounteul Park

Finding a forest park in Gowoon-dong at 151 Mannam-ro

Gowoonteul Park is located at 151 Mannam-ro, Gowoon-dong, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, and its postal code is 30101. Sejong City’s tourism information introduces it as a walking area surrounded by forest, so it is best understood as a park for walks near residential areas rather than a tourist attraction where visitors buy tickets at the entrance like an indoor exhibition hall.

The park includes the Gowoonteul Observatory, Nolja UFO, a gateball court, an outdoor stage, and a lawn plaza. Benches and large shade shelters are installed throughout the park, making it suitable either for a simple walk or for relaxing around the lawn plaza.

Always open with free admission as of 2026

As of 2026, the park is open year-round at all times, with no regular closing days, and admission is free. Since no ticket office or paid viewing area is separately indicated, this is a place for using the park’s walking trails and outdoor facilities rather than purchasing a ticket and entering a specific building.

Management inquiries are directed to the Greenery Administration Division of the Sejong Special Self-Governing City Facilities Management Office at 044-301-3613. Seasonal operating hours, temporary closure criteria, photography restrictions, English-language information, and audio guides are not separately provided, so the park should not be planned like an indoor tourist attraction.

Getting there by bus from Sejong Intercity Bus Terminal

Visitors from outside the area may find it easiest to search for a bus route from Sejong Intercity Bus Terminal or their accommodation in Sejong, then enter “City Library · Supreme Court Registration Information Center” or “National Health Insurance Service” as the destination. Stop 4386 at City Library · Supreme Court Registration Information Center is listed as approximately 221 m from the park, while stop 53047 with the same name is approximately 227 m away.

Metropolitan bus 1005 operates at stop 4386. Stops 53047 are served by buses 273 and 275, metropolitan buses 1000 and 1005, and circular bus B5. National Health Insurance Service stop 53503 is approximately 223 m away and can be reached by buses 202, 273, and 275.

Bus intervals and actual walking routes from each stop are not provided as fixed information. Therefore, when departing from the terminal, check not only the bus number but also the direction and alighting stop number, and be prepared to walk approximately 221–227 m after arrival.

What is different about the 2.6 km circular trail

The Gowoonteul Park perimeter trail was completed on December 29, 2023, and is recorded as having been developed and opened on May 10, 2024. It is a 2.6 km circular course consisting of 0.9 km of deck paths and 1.7 km of sections paved with palm mats.

These figures are useful when planning a walk around the entire park. However, information about the trail’s gradient and wheelchair accessibility is not provided, so travelers using mobility aids should contact the management department about the condition of the sections where the deck and palm-mat paths connect.

Viewing Sejong’s urban area and Gyeryongsan from Gowoonteul Observatory

Gowoonteul Observatory offers views over Sejong’s urban area. On clear days, Gyeryongsan in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, is reportedly visible, so visitors can combine a park walk with city views when visibility is good.

Around sunset, the observatory is introduced as a place where the landscape lighting and the sunset can be seen together. The observatory’s exact height and walking distance to the summit are not provided, so visitors with strollers or wheelchairs should first inspect the access route to the observatory on site.

A 2,000-square-meter playground themed “A UFO has appeared in Sejong”

Playground No. 1 for Everyone at Gowoonteul Park was scheduled to begin operating in October 2021. In 2019, Sejong City registered “Playground for Everyone” as a city brand and presented it as a space where families communicate and empathize at a playground designed directly by children.

The playground was created on a 2,000-square-meter site with a total project cost of 1 billion won, under the theme “A UFO has appeared in Sejong.” It includes a sand-play area for infants and young children, a net tower area, a UFO area, a water-play area, and a rest area. Families looking for the Nolja UFO facilities can therefore allocate more time to the play zone than to walking around the park.

Do not confuse the 6.5 km Gowoonteul-gil with the park perimeter trail

Course 6 of Sejong City’s official Happiness City perimeter trails, called “Gowoonteul-gil,” is 6.5 km long and takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. It starts at Tteumigiteul Neighborhood Park, passes through Chamteul Park, Jecheonteul Neighborhood Park, Dureuteul Neighborhood Park, and Garakteul Neighborhood Park, and returns to Tteumigiteul Neighborhood Park.

Gowoonteul-gil is a semicircular course passing through Gowoon-dong, Jongchon-dong, and Areum-dong, but it does not pass directly through Gowoonteul Park. The route along Jecheon and the stream is described as flat and having sufficient places to rest, but there are stairs at the entrance to Dureuteul Neighborhood Park. In other words, the 2.6 km Gowoonteul Park perimeter trail and the 6.5 km Gowoonteul-gil should be distinguished before setting out.

Free parking and what to prepare before a family visit

Gowoonteul Park is listed as having available free parking. However, the number of parking spaces and the exact location of the parking area are not separately provided, and some reviews mention that the park’s parking area is limited. If traveling by car, consider the possibility that parking may not be immediately available during weekends or busy family-visit periods, and also remember that the bus stops are approximately 221–227 m away.

The park provides photos of accessible restroom facilities, but wheelchair accessibility for the entire perimeter trail has not been confirmed. Stroller rental is not available, and credit card use is indicated as unavailable. Since admission to this outdoor park is free, no separate admission cash is needed, but it is safer to prepare a payment method for use at snack stands or nearby shops.