Bukhansan
Bukhansan, or Bukhan Mountain, is a mountain on the northern periphery of Seoul, South Korea. There are three major peaks, Baegundae 836.5 meters, Insubong 810.5 meters, Mangyeongdae 787.0 meters.
Because of its height and the fact that it borders a considerable portion of the city, Bukhansan is a major landmark visible from most city districts. The name “Bukhansan” means “mountain north of Han River”, referring to the fact that it is the northern border of the city. During the Joseon era, the peaks marked the extreme northern boundary of Seoul.
Bukhansan is the highest mountain within Seoul city boundaries. Apart from Bukhansan, there are seven other mountains including Dobongsan and Suraksan that are over 600 meters high within the city.
Popular throughout the year, Bukhansan, and Bukhansan National Park, which was formed in 1983, are renowned for birdwatching, hiking and rock climbing. Bukhansan attracts a large number of hikers; around 5 million per year.
Since 2002 there has been a movement to revert the name of Bukhansan to Samkaksan. For many years up until now, the three main peaks of the park have collectively been called “Bukhansan”.
However, the original collective name of these three peaks was Samkaksan, meaning “three-horned mountain.” The head of the Gangbuk-gu District Office in Seoul is leading a petition to have the central government change the name back to the original.
There are numerous hiking courses accessible to the average hiker within Bukhansan National Park. The trails are open year-round but may be closed during fire season in the Spring and Autumn at the discretion of the park director.