How to Explore the Yeongnam Alps, from Ganwoljae to the Seven-Peak Completion Certificate

The Name ‘Yeongnam Alps’ Connecting Ulsan, Miryang, Yangsan, Cheongdo, and Gyeongju

The Yeongnam Alps is not the name of a single mountain or one tourist attraction requiring an admission ticket; it is the collective name for a high-mountain range spanning Ulsan, Miryang, Yangsan, Cheongdo, and Gyeongju. Ulsan city materials introduce the nine peaks of Gajisan, Ganwolsan, Sinbulsan, Yeongchuksan, Cheonhwangsan, Jaeyaksan, Goheonsan, Unmunsan, and Munboksan as the Yeongnam Alps, explaining that the name comes from mountain landscapes and scenery comparable to the European Alps.

The representative peaks are Gajisan at 1,241 m, Cheonhwangsan at 1,189 m, Unmunsan at 1,188 m, Sinbulsan at 1,159 m, Jaeyaksan at 1,108 m, Yeongchuksan at 1,081 m, Ganwolsan at 1,069 m, Goheonsan at 1,034 m, and Munboksan at 1,015 m. Therefore, even if they appear close together on a map, the ridges have strong winds and significant elevation changes; they should not be planned as a lowland walking itinerary.

Why the 4.5 km Ridge from Ganwoljae to Sinbulsan and Yeongchuksan Is Central to a First Visit

From Ulsan, the route that offers the most direct encounter with the silver-grass ridges of the Yeongnam Alps is the section from Ganwoljae through Sinbulsan, Sinbuljae, and Yeongchuksan. Section 1 of the Haneul Eoksae-gil, introduced by a specialist mountain media outlet, covers 4.5 km of this route, while the entire Haneul Eoksae-gil consists of five sections totaling approximately 30 km. Rather than attempting the entire route in one day, it is more realistic to determine the starting and descent points first and walk only part of it.

Silver-grass areas are distributed across the Sinbul Plain between Sinbulsan and Yeongchuksan, Ganwoljae below Ganwolsan, Sajapyeong between Cheonhwangsan and Jaeyaksan, and the area near the summit of Goheonsan. The silver grass around the Sinbul Plain has traditionally been described as covering approximately 600,000 pyeong, and Ganwoljae approximately 100,000 pyeong. During the autumn peak season, the ridges and rest areas may become crowded.

• Short itinerary: Use the Ulsan Alps Complex Welcome Center as the starting point and make a round trip to Ganwoljae, or travel only as far as Ganwoljae.
• Ridge itinerary: Connect Ganwoljae, Sinbulsan, and Yeongchuksan, but determine the descent transportation and sunset time first.
• Long-distance itinerary: The approximately 30 km Haneul Eoksae-gil is suitable for people with traverse-hiking experience and a resupply plan.

Actual Rules for the Seven-Peak Completion Certification from January 1 to November 30, 2026

The 2026 Yeongnam Alps completion certification program runs from January 1 through November 30. The designated peaks are the seven mountains of Gajisan, Ganwolsan, Sinbulsan, Yeongchuksan, Cheonhwangsan, Goheonsan, and Unmunsan. Although the term “nine peaks” was widely used in the past, the current standard for Ulju County’s certification program is seven peaks.

You must take and register an identifiable photo of yourself using the dedicated app within 100 m of a summit marker. Photos taken in advance with a smartphone photo app or personal camera cannot be registered. Because participation is limited to a maximum of two peaks per month and one completion certification per year, it is impossible to complete all seven peaks by concentrating them into a few days of travel.

Those who complete the course are scheduled to receive a limited-edition sterling silver commemorative medal featuring a Goheonsan design, with 30,000 medals planned, as well as a mobile certificate. Since the medals are limited in quantity, it is best not to assume that completion itself guarantees medal availability. The completion certification center’s inquiry phone number is 052-254-0269.

Using 103-8 Alps Oncheon 5-gil, Sangbuk-myeon, as a Base Before and After Hiking

The address listed as 112 Jasujeong-ro, Samnam-eup, Ulju-gun, is confirmed as the address of the Yeongnam Alps Leisure business site. The practical base for Yeongnam Alps hiking information and completion certification is the Yeongnam Alps Complex Welcome Center at 103-8 Alps Oncheon 5-gil, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun. The center covers 5,058.62 m² and consists of six buildings, including a Mountain Culture Hall, Completion Certification Center, International Climbing Center, Video Experience Center, and parking lot.

The center’s overall operating hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 09:00–22:00, while individual facilities follow separate schedules. It is closed every Monday; if Monday is a public holiday, it is closed the following day. It is also closed on January 1, Lunar New Year’s Day, and Chuseok Day, so visitors planning to visit the certification center after hiking should align their dates before setting out.

The main inquiry number is 052-204-2931~8, and the Completion Certification Center can be reached at 052-254-0269. Entry to the center itself and its general spaces is free, but the cinema, climbing center, Lightning Man Experience Center, VR experiences, and other facilities have different fees and reservation requirements. The Lightning Man Experience Center requires a reservation through its website followed by on-site payment, and tickets must be issued by 10 minutes before the experience begins.

Bus Routes 304 and 323 from Ulsan KTX Station; Drive Toward Deung-eok Hot Spring Complex

When approaching the Complex Welcome Center by public transportation, routes 304 and 323 via Ulsan KTX Station and Eonyang Intercity Bus Terminal are listed as options. Buses are useful in the Yeongnam Alps, where trailheads and descent points do not always coincide, but intervals and the last bus may vary depending on the season and operating conditions, so they should be reconfirmed using Ulsan bus information on the day of travel.

By car, directions advise traveling approximately 3 km toward Yangsan on National Route 35 from Seoulsan IC, turning right at the entrance to Jakcheonjeong, and continuing approximately 2.5 km toward Jakcheonjeong Valley and approximately 1.7 km toward the Deung-eok Hot Spring Complex to reach the Complex Welcome Center. There is a parking lot on the center grounds, but on autumn weekends and during festivals, the route for getting home may become a greater problem than parking availability. A hike that does not return to its starting point therefore requires a vehicle-retrieval plan.

Wheelchair and stroller users should not plan on accessing mountain summits or unpaved, steep trails. The Complex Welcome Center, on the other hand, is a separate base with parking, a plaza, and indoor cultural facilities, so companions who are not hiking should consider use of the center separately from the operating hours of each individual facility.

• Bus: Access the Ulsan KTX Station–Eonyang Intercity Bus Terminal–Complex Welcome Center corridor via routes 304 and 323.
• Private car: Use the Complex Welcome Center parking lot as a base, but a vehicle-retrieval plan is essential for a one-way hike.
• Address entry: Yeongnam Alps Complex Welcome Center, 103-8 Alps Oncheon 5-gil, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun.

Clothing Needed on Ridges Above 1,000 m and the Priority of “Certification Photos”

Because the Yeongnam Alps is a mountain range with successive peaks over 1,000 m, choosing light outdoor clothing simply because a place such as Ganwoljae is accessible by car can lead to problems with body temperature and wind on ridge sections. For safety, basic equipment before a hike should include a windproof layer, insulating layer, water, emergency food, a backup battery, a headlamp, and hiking shoes with attention to slippery conditions.

If you are seeking completion certification, there is no reason to take a dangerous photo directly in front of a summit marker. As of 2026, certification is possible within 100 m of the marker, so when winds are strong or crowds are large, the priority is to complete the app photo from a safe location while ensuring that your face can be identified. The limit of two peaks per month also means that you cannot increase the number of certifications at once through an overly ambitious linked hike.

Visitors hoping to see the autumn silver grass benefit from an early start, but regardless of the season, mountain sunsets feel earlier than those in urban areas. In particular, changing the descent route from a ridge can simultaneously create transportation, lighting, and fatigue problems. Before departure, determine the descent point and whether the last bus or a taxi can be called.

For Companions Who Are Not Hiking, Consider the 104-Seat and 198-Seat Facilities Separately

The Mountain Culture Hall at the Complex Welcome Center has Alps Cinema Theater 1 with 104 seats, while the Video Experience Center has Alps Cinema Theater 2 with 198 seats. The International Climbing Center consists of indoor and outdoor climbing walls. The outdoor facility is listed as having six difficulty walls, four speed walls, and ten bouldering walls.

In other words, a Yeongnam Alps itinerary does not have to involve everyone reaching a summit. Hikers can head toward the Ganwoljae–Sinbulsan ridge, while non-hiking companions can use the center’s cinemas, exhibitions, and experience facilities, then reunite before returning home. However, not every facility follows the center’s general hours of 09:00–22:00, so visitors must check the reservations and operating hours for each cinema, experience, and climbing facility.

Ulju County ordinances designate the Complex Welcome Center as a facility serving as the hub of mountain tourism in the Yeongnam Alps. This explains why it was designed to coordinate hiking information, certification, cultural facilities, and parking in one place rather than focusing solely on the mountains. First-time visitors can reduce route-planning errors by setting the beginning and end of their itinerary at this base.