Forest trails at 9 Joseon Dynasty royal tombs open for autumn walks
Donggureung in Guri, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Korea Heritage Service
Forest trails at nine royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty will open to the public beginning Thursday, giving visitors a chance to walk among autumn foliage at the UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Korea Heritage Service said Wednesday.
The Joseon Dynasty ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. Forty of its royal tombs, located in Seoul and nearby areas, were collectively inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009. Much of the woodland surrounding the tombs is normally closed to visitors to protect the sites.
The nine trails cover a combined 19.04 kilometers (11.8 miles). They are located at Donggureung in Guri; Gwangneung and Sareung in Namyangju; Taereung and Gangneung, and Uireung, in Seoul; Yungneung and Geolleung in Hwaseong; Jangneung and Samneung in Paju; and Yeongneung and Nyeongneung in Yeoju. Apart from the two Seoul sites, all are in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital.
The longest route, at about 3.7 kilometers, links the Yungneung and Geolleung tombs in Hwaseong. Other highlights include a 2.7-kilometer route at Donggureung, the largest cluster of Joseon royal tombs, a Manchurian maple forest at Gwangneung and a pine path behind the burial mound at Sareung.
The trails are run by the agency's Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, which has opened them each spring and autumn since 2019 and has carried out ongoing maintenance work so visitors can walk them safely.
The trails keep the same hours as the tombs: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in October and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in November. The sites are closed on Mondays, and hours may change depending on weather conditions. No reservation is required. The trails will be open until Nov. 29.
More information is available from each tomb's management office or on the websites of the Korea Heritage Service and the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center.
The center said it hopes visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the historical significance of the royal tombs while enjoying a restful walk through the autumn foliage.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.