Summer is in full swing now in South Korea, and after weeks of seemingly temperate weather, it’s gotten hot and very, very humid. Before the heat hit in earnest though, we snuck in a day trip Daejeon to spend an afternoon hiking the Gyejoksan Red Clay Trail. I remember hearing about South Korea’s infamous red clay walking paths and forest bathing last time we lived in Korea, but we never quite got around to it. We decided to make good on it this time though, and we had the time of our lives.
Gyejoksan Red Clay Trail in Daejeon
If you’ve followed our little corner of the blogosphere for some time now, you likely know that hiking is our jam. We’ve loved it since the kids were little and we spent almost every weekend hiking in the PNW. So, when Ryan had a planned day off, hiking seemed the obvious choice. However, all our hiking shoes were in our UAB, which hadn’t yet arrived (but finally did yesterday!) Undeterred, I remembered about Korea’s forest bathing and red clay paths, and I searched for the one closest to us here in Asan.
Daejeon is about an hour and a half away from the Humphreys area – give or take a bit of time due to traffic. So, the Gyejoksan Red Clay Trail seemed to be the perfect fit. Now, full disclosure, it was a super easy drive to get there, but it was confusing as heck to find the trail head because the Naver addresses we found kept tossing us out halfway up a mountain. Once we finally did find the trailhead though, we were pleasantly surprised.
All About Daejeon’s Red Clay Trail
You won’t spy the infamous red clay path from the road or even the initial trailhead, but if you walk about 200 meters up the large walking path, you’ll find yourself flanked by shoes lining the sides of the path, foot-washing stations, and compressed air to clean shoes post-hike (and yes, this is very typical for Korea). So, we joined the throngs of people, found a nook for our shoes, stepped onto the cool, damp red clay, and started our hike.
Most of the path is beautifully shady, and the clay stays pretty malleable. There are sunnier spots, however, where the clay has become hard and cracked that definitely challenge your feet more. The red clay path isn’t that wide; it’s about 4 feet in width and runs parallel to the actual trail upon which many people hike normally or, like the more hardcore of us, trail-run. The full red clay path is about 14 km, and we knew we wouldn’t do all of that. We ended up taking our time, dipping our toes in cool streams along the path, playing in mud puddles, and enjoying the outdoor amphitheater for snacks, finishing our hike at about 5.2 km round-trip.
Is the Red Clay Trail Worth the Trip with Kids?
Like any kids, our kids either love or hate a hike and, half the time they’re not really into the hike before we start. This one, however, got them. Something about the combination of being barefoot, walking in the woods, and experiencing a different kind of hike was the perfect combo, and they loved it.
In fact, they loved it so much that we promised we’d return when we’re in better hiking shape because, if you go far enough along the trail, you can actually check out the Gyejoksanseong Fortress, too. That’s definitely still on our list. Next time, we’ll also leave earlier because it does get crowded, though not so much so that it’s not enjoyable. Plus, if they’re over the hike, there are playgrounds, streams, and so much more to explore in the area.
Tips for Hiking the Gyejoksan Red Clay Trail
Address: For Naver – ; For Waze – San 85, Jang-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon
Cost: Free! There are some cash vendors with coffee, ice cream, and treats at the bottom, so bring small bills for those if you hope to buy something.
Parking: There is a dedicated parking lot directly below the trailhead, but it fills up fast between both the cars and buses. We followed suit with a lot of others, and we parked along the road just above the trailhead with no issue.
Amenities: There are multiple restrooms along the trail, as well as foot-washing stations at the trailhead.
Accessibility: We did see some people pushing strollers up the paved/gravel portion of the trail, but I honestly wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a seasoned runner. There are areas that are more steep, and there are spots that are gravel, which makes it harder. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this for any ADA folks either.
Tips: Bring bug spray, fans, water bottles, and snacks! You can make a whole day out of this one if you’re fully prepared!
